AFSO21 makes improvements for AF

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Tara A. Williamson
  • 18th Wing Public Affairs
Work smarter, not harder. With the help of Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century program, Airmen all around the globe have been coming up with ways to do just that. And saving big bucks in the process.

The AFSO21 program is the Air Force's process improvement program to help make Kadena's mission run as efficient and agile as possible by giving all Team Kadena members the chance to improve operations here.

"AFSO21 gives Team Kadena members the ability to look hard at the processes they do and to eliminate some of the waste present," said Rudy Gutierrez, 18th Wing AFSO21 process manager. At least 80 percent of any job done has one or more of the eight types of waste associated with it.

The following types of waste are defects, overproduction, wait time on data, approvals, responses and queues at offices, non-standard over-processing, or changing a process each time you perform it and adding extra steps, transportation, intellect, not asking Airmen who work a process day-to-day for their input on how to improve it, motion and excess inventory.

Kadena's latest AFSO21 concept has been applied to the 18th Operations Support Squadron after Aircrew Flight Equipment noticed the survival vests of pilots increased by eight pounds over the last eight years, Mr. Gutierrez stated.

This concept reduced 18th Operations Group AFE man-hours by 19,000 a year, reduced the wing's AFE man-hours by 36,000 a year, cut inspection time 85 percent and saved Kadena $622,417.92 a year on replacement costs.

Tech. Sgt. Marcquis Simon, non- commissioned officer in charge of AFE, briefed Wing leadership to show how simple the process was for AFE to help pilots.

First, they identified the problem of the increase in weight and increased discomfort for pilots.

Next, equipment from the survival vests were moved to seat kits. This measure also eliminated duplicate equipment.

Finally, the impact on pilots were decreased fatigue, less chances of heat stress, increased mobility in the cockpit and an overall increase in pilot comfort.

"The use of lean concepts such as the eight wastes has been in existence since AFSO21 started around 2007," Mr. Gutierrez said. "Now, we've also partnered with the wing Manpower Office so event team members can use the results of their events to submit to the Innovative Development through Employee Awareness, or IDEA, program, which can have personal financial rewards."

For more information about submitting one of your own ideas, and possibly contributing to the Wing's success, contact the AFSO21 representative from their group or e-mail the AFSO21 office at 18wg.afso21@kadena.af.mil.