AFSO 21 office opens for Team Kadena

KADENA AIR BASE, Japan -- Air Force Smart Operations 21 doesn't just consider how the Air Force and Kadena can do a task better, but asks a tougher, age-old question: Why do we do it that way? 

While Team Kadena has already been practicing smart operations, an AFSO 21 unit is now operating here to better help facilitate those principles. 

Kadena's AFSO 21 office, located in Bldg. 1460 (same as the Tax Center), is available to assist units in the Air Force-wide initiative to maximize value and minimize waste. 

According to the Honorable Michael Wynne, secretary of the Air Force, "AFSO 21 signifies a shift in our thinking. It is centered on processes by groups of tasks, rather than tasks alone, which allows us to gain insights into the value, or lack of value, in each task we perform." 

AFSO 21 is built on successful principles from the corporate world that has already yielded results in the Air Force and at Kadena. The vision for the program is to establish an environment by which various tools and techniques are used to effectively change day-to-day operations. 

"We're a one-stop shop for processes and improvements," said Capt. John McDevitt, the base's AFSO 21 officer-in-charge. "We provide the tools and knowledge to make small- or large-scale projects for improvement happen. Kadena has been doing 'lean initiatives' for years, but AFSO 21 takes that to another level." 

The team conducts five sessions to look at aspects of saving time and resources with subject matter experts - the Airmen who know their jobs - and their outside eyes for objectivity, said Senior Master Sgt. Kenneth Trawick, KAB AFSO 21 process manager. Along the way they look at non-value added steps. Once implemented, the AFSO 21 team comes back for a follow up to see if the ideas worked. 

"We look at everything. No idea is too big or too small," said Captain McDevitt.
The AFSO office itself is a lean operation with only Captain McDevitt and Sergeant Trawick for manning. They do have help, however. "We have representatives in the groups that act as conduits funneling information to us," said Sergeant Trawick. 
"Although the unit representatives are the subject matter experts, we want to keep their footprint as small as possible," said Captain McDevitt. The Kadena AFSO 21 team looks at the representatives' potential problems and proposed ideas they identify to maybe make them better. 

"AFSO 21 is in its infancy but we are making progress and this office is the first step on Kadena," said Captain McDevitt. "We're definitely on the road to success. The bottom line is what we can do to increase combat capability and at the same time save time and money, the elimination of steps that add no value to the end produce or combining steps to save time." 

It can be something as simple as moving tool boxes closer to maintainers to literally reduce the number of steps they have to take to accomplish a task. 

And their success at elimination unnecessary time and steps is evident here. 

"We recently helped the 18th Logistics Readiness Squadron by consolidating 7,000 mobility bags into a centralized location, resulting in a savings of 10,000 man-hours," said Captain McDevitt. "Each member used to maintain his or her own bag and when an item expired, they would have to come in and swap it out. Now that the bags are centralized and maintained at the 18th LRS, members can come to one place to get their bags with restocked items." 

Captain McDevitt said anyone may call their group representative to assist with AFSO 21-related questions or initiatives: Capt. Tim Stevens, 18th Operations Group, 632-9245; Senior Master Sgt. Lance McLaughlin, 18th Maintenance Group, 634-1884; 1st Lt. Brianne Walker, 18th Mission Support Group, 634-0109; Master Sgt. Jeff Hill, 18th Civil Engineer Group, Master Sgt. Jeff Hill, 634-9320; and Mrs. Carey Cotton, 18th Medical Group, 630-4435. 

Members may also e-mail the KAB AFS0 21 office directly at 18wg.afso21@kadena.af.mil or call 632-8408 or 632-8481.
For more on AFSO 21, go to http://www.myaf.mil.