Airman innovates dorm work order system

Photo By Joseph Coslett | Senior Airman Wil Yau, 90th Communications Squadron client systems technician and originally from Kissimmee, Fla., Staff Sgt. Kenneth Rosenquist, 90th Civil Engineer Squadron airman dorm leader and Christopher Mull, 90 CES unaccompanied housing manager, pose for a photo outside the 90th Mission Support Group Dormitory Sept. 10, 2019, at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo. Yau and the dormitory management team created an improved dorm maintenance work order process to make it more convenient for Airmen to report issues. (U.S. Air Force photo by Joseph Coslett)  

F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, WY, UNITED STATES

09.10.2019

Story by Joseph Coslett 

90th Missile Wing

Drip, drip, drip, goes a leaky sink. A leaky sink may sound like a small problem at first, but if left unattended, it could turn into dry rotting and then potential mold issues.
The dorms on F.E. Warren Air Force Base had a problem of small maintenance issues going unreported.
Dorm management recently completed a 100 percent room inspection and noticed many unreported issues needing attention and repairs.
“There seemed to be a perceived barrier for dorm residents putting in routine work orders for repairs,” said Christopher Mull, 90th Civil Engineer Squadron unaccompanied housing manager. “The current process is to call or email a dorm leader or stop into the office to put in the work order.”
According to Mull, the process seems very simple, but Airmen would rather adapt to the minor inconvenience than take the steps to turn in the work order.
Seeing an opportunity for improvement, Senior Airman Wil Yau, 90th Communications Squadron client systems technician from Kissimmee, Florida, came to the rescue with an innovative idea to mobilize the routine work order system.
Yau lived in the dorms for a year and a half and encountered minor issues like a dripping sink or a blown light bulb.
“I knew that calling or approaching the dorm managers was an option, but I never got around to doing it,” Yau said. “There are Airmen who find making a phone call or reporting in person to be too much of a hassle or too stressful. I always wanted a way to send the issues to the dorm managers at any time without being a nuisance.”
Yau recognized the barrier and developed a process to eliminate the added steps. He reached out to dorm management with his quick response code idea.
“An individual can scan the QR code and enter a routine work order from the comfort of their room at any time of day,” Mull said. “It is our belief that the convenience of the new QR code will increase the routine repairs and thus help reduce larger issues.”
Yau’s actions are expected to prevent future small maintenance repairs like a leaking sink from becoming mold later on. For challenges like these, leadership encourages innovative ideas to fix everyday issues.
“Senior Airman Yau went above and beyond to develop a QR code system that speeds up the process for inputting routine work requests for dorm rooms,” said Col. Peter Bonetti, 90th Missile Wing commander.
Making the idea come to light required a team effort, said Mull. Leadership wants to thank the efforts of Yau, Tech. Sgt. Jennifer Vittetoe, 90 CES unaccompanied housing NCOIC, Staff Sgt. Kenneth Rosenquist, 90 CES airman dorm leader and Staff Sgt. Alexander Steward, 90 CES airman dorm leader.
In the future, magnets with the QR code and emergent work order phone numbers will be placed in each room and common areas around the dormitory campus.

Editor’s Note: If you have an innovative idea, no matter how small, contact LauchWERX at 307-773-2028 or [e-mail]. They would love to help bring your idea to life.

• Date Taken: 09.10.2019
• Date Posted: 09.12.2019 13:29
• Story ID: 340160
• Location: F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, WY, US
• Hometown: KISSIMMEE, FL, US