Photo By Maj. Asya Parker | Tristan Pavlik, a member of the Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support...... read more read more
Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support (NAVSUP WSS) continues to strengthen its commitment to operational efficiency and warfighter readiness by investing in command-wide process improvement initiatives. Central to this effort is the White Belt training for Process Improvement, which provides personnel with a foundational understanding of Lean Six Sigma, and other key improvement principles.
The Strategic Management and Improvement Office (SMIO), through its Command Process Improvement (CPI) team, regularly delivers the White Belt course across NAVSUP enterprise locations. During the government shutdown in October 2025, the NAVSUP WSS Philadelphia CPI team ensured training continuity by hosting the class Oct. 22. Despite travel restrictions that prevented the planned course coordinator from visiting from NAVSUP WSS Mechanicsburg, newly trained Black Belts stepped in to co-facilitate the session, alongside the new WSS Command CPI Champion (CCC), allowing the command to successfully complete its annual training initiative without interruption. The training program successfully equipped a diverse cohort of 25 students representing 7 different NAVSUP WSS organizational units.
The White Belt curriculum introduces the historical evolution of process improvement, including “Get Real Get Better” (GRGB) initiatives, and provides participants with practical tools to identify and address inefficiencies. Training topics include process mapping, the “5 Whys”, Pareto charts, waste identification, constraint reduction, and baseline Lean Six Sigma concepts. Participants learn to recognize the drivers of waste, variability, and bottlenecks, ultimately helping teams streamline cycle times, improve consistency, and optimize resources.
CPI team engagement is especially valuable for departments looking to refine or establish business metrics. By applying the tools taught in the course, teams can create more stable and effective strategies for executing their functions. Streamlining processes by eliminating unnecessary steps, rework, and delays significantly saves time, energy, and cost while improving overall mission support.
For individual participants, the training enhances process awareness and strengthens their ability to contribute to improvement initiatives across the command. Students gain confidence as they learn a shared language for communicating about processes, which supports stronger collaboration and problem-solving. Many participants use the White Belt course as a stepping stone toward more advanced Lean Six Sigma certifications.
“The White Belt training gives our workforce the confidence and capability to look at everyday processes with a critical eye,” said Jacqueline Adams, NAVSUP WSS, Director of SMIO, Certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, and WSS Command CPI Champion. “When employees understand how their individual roles connect to broader organizational outcomes, they become powerful agents of positive change. That mindset is essential to strengthening readiness across NAVSUP WSS.”
For NAVSUP WSS, the benefits extend beyond individual growth. Process improvement directly contributes to readiness by reducing downtime, improving supply chain responsiveness, and elevating the quality of products and services delivered to the Fleet. Standardizing processes also reduces variability, helping teams achieve more predictable and reliable outcomes.
Rosalind Chan, Logistics Management Specialist at NAVSUP WSS, attended the class and shared her enthusiasm for further certification.
“I highly recommend people take this course as it represents a tenet of modern supply chain theory that is applicable at work and at home,” said Chan. She noted that the course helped reconnect her with structured supply chain methods she studied in college and inspired her to pursue Black Belt certification
By equipping employees with knowledge, tools, and a shared commitment to continuous improvement, NAVSUP WSS strengthens its ability to deliver consistent, high-quality support to the Navy and the warfighter. The White Belt training remains a vital component of the command’s broader strategy to cultivate a culture of innovation, efficiency, and readiness.
NAVSUP WSS provides the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and allied forces the program and supply support for the weapon systems that keep naval forces mission ready. With locations in Philadelphia; Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania; Norfolk, Virginia; and Tucson, Arizona, NAVSUP WSS manages operational readiness for almost 300 deployable ships, 92 submarines, and 3,700 aircraft worldwide.
| Date Taken: | 12.15.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 12.15.2025 11:26 |
| Story ID: | 554180 |
| Location: | PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, US |
| Web Views: | 176 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, NAVSUP WSS Enhances Readiness Through Process Improvement Training, by MAJ Asya Parker, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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