Process Improvement

Photo By Staff Sgt. Miranda Loera | Members of the 4th Logistics Readiness Squadron created and will be implementing a process expected to decrease discrepancies and time spent on checklists when preparing to deploy. The process is expected to have a five percent decrease in discrepancies every six months. (U.S. Air Force illustration by Airman Miranda A. Loera)  

SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, NC, UNITED STATES

01.13.2017

Story by Airman Miranda Loera 

4th Fighter Wing   

According to 1st Lt. Kevin Jones, 4th LRS installation deployment officer, the percentage of Installation Personal Readiness discrepancies reported for the 4th Fighter Wing steadily increased over the last year. For more than two-thirds of the reported period, the discrepancy rate exceeded 10 percent.
“Our set improvement target for every six month period is to reduce the discrepancy rate by five percent until a goal of zero percent is reached,” said Jones.
Deployers have to go through a series of briefings in order to finish off their checklist, such as legal and financial briefs. After the briefs, they must go get issued gas masks and weapons and have those cleared.
“Anything missing or not completed on a deployer’s checklist is considered a discrepancy,” said Jones. “If the discrepancy is not fixed before deployment, then it becomes an area of responsibility discrepancy once the member is at the deployed location.”
“It was important to us to hear our customers’ concerns and implement changes to meet their needs,” said Jones.
Stefan Bowlsby, 4th Force Support Squadron management analyst, aided Jones with the process improvement overhaul.
The current pre-deployment process requires members to physically go to multiple agencies to receive briefings and complete their checklists.
“Initially, we mapped out the process of pre-deployment and decided which items we could eliminate,” said Bowlsby. “Ultimately, we were able to streamline 19 tasks and save each deployer an average of nine hours.”
According to Jones, the new and improved process is projected to eliminate most discrepancies and save approximately 10,000 hours per year by consolidating all mandatory pre-deployment briefings. Some of the streamlined tasks included electronic signatures for equipment ordering, and utilizing unit deployment manager meetings for training.
“Anytime we can save deploying members’ time it’s worth it and I’m very happy we created these new processes,” said Jones.

• Date Taken: 01.13.2017
• Date Posted: 01.13.2017 09:07
• Story ID: 220297
• Location: SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, NC, US