Offutt wages War on waste

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. James M. Hodgman
  • 55th Wing Public Affairs
OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. --  Saving time, money and using resources more efficiently is something most organizations strive to do. Finding new and better ways to accomplish the mission can enhance mission success. With the "War on Waste," a new Smart Operations for the 21st Century initiative, Team Offutt is focused on improving daily operations. 

"The WOW is a broad spectrum initiative to help us improve mission success," said Master Sgt. Morgan L. McGary, 55th Mission Support Group superintendent of knowledge operations. 

These could be things as small as changing light bulb types in a hangar or merging two shops with similar missions to reduce manpower, to as big as reducing sorties of an aircraft by consolidating missions and saving money, Sergeant McGary added. 

As organizations across Offutt search for ways to reduce waste and enhance mission accomplishment, one organization has already made a significant contribution to winning the WOW. 

The 55th Strategic Communications Squadron recently completed a Rapid Improvement Event study. Using AFSO21 tools they reduced their software development cycle by 350 percent saving almost 49,000 man hours and nearly $12 million. 

Several energy initiatives are under way to help Offutt achieve success as well. One such imitative is the Compact Fluorescent Lamp Program, which involves switching light bulbs with longer lasting CFLs. The fluorescent bulbs use less energy and could save Offutt about $24,500 annually. 

Another energy saving initiative under way at Offutt is ensuring computers not in use are shut down at the end of each duty day and on weekends. According to Doug A. Shapland, 55th Civil Engineering Squadron, shutting down computers could save Offutt approximately $120,000 a year. 

"A key factor to our success will be the ability to capture good ideas and implement them quickly," said Mark Kier, lead management analyst with the 55th Wing AFSO21 office. 

"The new War on Waste tool will allow everyone to make a difference and contribute to Offutt's success in winning the War on Waste," Mr. Kier added. 

Members of Team Offutt in all ranks can play a key role in the WOW by submitting their suggestions on how the base can do things in more efficient and better ways. Suggestions can be submitted via the Offutt Portal War on Waste tool at https://offutt.eim.acc.af.mil/55thWing/the%20war%20is%20on/default.aspx. Then click on the flashing War on Waste logo to submit ideas. 

"We encourage everyone to visit the site and share their ideas with us," Sergeant McGary said. "Every suggestion we get brings new ideas and new ways of looking at things, which can help Offutt save time, manpower and resources." 

Each submission goes directly to the WOW Committee for evaluation. Submissions are then briefed to the Process Council and the Energy Steering Group as appropriate and implemented as necessary. 

The War on Waste is essentially a mission to improve combat capability while reducing cost, Mr. Kier said; something he emphasized Offutt's Airmen are a vital part of. 

"Every Airman needs to be actively involved in the War on Waste," he said. "They are the eyes and ears of the program, nobody is better at identifying wasteful activity than the experts involved in the progress." 

The WOW program will also analyze individual time as well as unit time to see if what personnel are spending time on is beneficial to the overall mission, said Gen. John D.W. Corley, Air Combat Command commander. 

If not General Corley stressed, "maybe we should assess mission risk and stop doing it." 

However, analyzing how Airmen spend their time and looking for new and better ways to accomplish the mission are not the only things the WOW is focused on, General Corley said. "We must change our behaviors in several important ways." 

According to General Corley members of ACC must also focus on changing behavior. 

"We must ensure command level focus on the most vital areas, satisfy the demands of combatant commanders while removing barriers, aggressively adopt best practices and Institutionalize a culture of continuous process improvement," General Corley said. 

(Material from the article, "War on Waste" begins at Nellis Air Force Base by 2nd Lt. Jen Richard was used in this story.)