Washington National Guard is getting Lean

Photo By Spc. Samantha Ciaramitaro | Washington Army and Air National Guardsmen began their first of a two week Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Training program conducted by 404th Army Field Support Brigade staff on Joint Base Lewis McChord Feb. 25, 2013. The course concludes the week of 25 March. Lean management looks at processes within an organization and seeks to align them, cutting out all the waste and inefficiencies to maximize the customer or organizational value. (Photo by Spc. Samantha Ciaramitaro)  

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, WA, UNITED STATES

02.25.2013

Story by Spc. Samantha Ciaramitaro 

Joint Force Headquarters - Washington National Guard

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. - At a time when our government and our military are making difficult choices with scarce resources, the Washington National Guard has embraced getting lean. That is, Lean Six Sigma.

Lean distinguishes itself from the generations of other cost-saving ideas by placing a lot of emphasis at the foundational level of personnel. This bottom-up approach empowers employees to find efficiencies and to recommend ways to cut waste. Citizen-soldiers and airmen learned more about Lean and their roles in the program at green belt certification training February 25-29.

“Lean energizes everyone in the organization from the enlisted to the officers and looks at ways we do business,” said Ronald Kapral, Continuous Process Improvement (CPI) for the Washington Military Department.

“Lean actually involves everybody - where the military decision making process involves a very select group,” said Kapral.

Lean management analyzes the processes within an organization and seeks to align them, cutting out waste and inefficiencies in order to maximize the customer or organizational value.

“From a management standpoint, what you’re trying to do is get rid of all the excess things going on inside your business, like extra motion and inventory, some of the things that are causing a delay in any supply you are trying to deliver.” Robert Farr, program analyst with 404th Army Field Support Brigade at JBLM.

“As we implement continuous process improvement throughout the Washington Military Department we are looking at ways to do it jointly,” said Capt. Jennifer Vanzego, the Washington National Guard Lean facilitator. “We are seeking ways of integrating lean techniques and concepts into the traditional National Guard soldiers and airmen, who then can bring it into their respective organizations and make it a part of our culture. The more efficient we are, the more successful we will be.”

“I think the Washington Military Department could be a leader in the country by developing Lean standard operating procedures and developing a program that other states and agencies can benefit from,” said Kapral.

Regardless of future budget circumstances, more efficient systems and operations will be expected. Lean Six Sigma is here to stay.

• Date Taken: 02.25.2013
• Date Posted: 03.01.2013 18:40
• Story ID: 102796
• Location: JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, WA, US