Senior Master Sgt. Robert Keyes, 147th Attack Wing Services Superintendent, was tasked by the Continuous Improvement Management Board with reviewing how the wing coordinates lodging for its Airmen. With the help and expertise of Tech. Sgt. Bianca Major, lodging program manager, they began monitoring the lodging process through the fiscal year 2018.
Keyes reported their progress each month to the Mission Support Group Commander, Col. Timothy Pertuis. When Pertuis saw continued significant success from their efforts, he knew he couldn’t wait until the end of the year to highlight their progress to the Continuous Improvement Management Board.
By the end of the third quarter of the fiscal year 2018, Keyes’ showed his team’s seemingly subtle changes had already saved the wing more than $23,000.
“Lodging probably seems like an afterthought to many people in the wing. However, it’s a benefit the wing provides, and the money comes from the base operating funds. Since 2012, we have budgeted for about $180,000 each year, and we’ve always had to request more,” said Keyes.
From contract agreements with hotels to unused reservations, Keyes and Major looked for ways to improve overall effectiveness, coordinating with unit lodging representatives to make immediate changes when possible, and comparing their results to the previous six years.
“Two years ago, we spent $15,000 on lodging for rescheduled training weekends alone. When Airmen make last-minute cancellations, or do not use their room, the wing still pays for that bed. We began requesting confirmed individual reservations from units a month in advance to help minimize paying for unused beds. We also improved accountability by adding unit lodging sign-in sheets to compare to the hotels’ invoices.”
Keyes believes the wing’s actual savings by the end of the fiscal year will exceed $26,000.
Col. Gary Jones, 147th Attack Wing Commander, was impressed to see both such strong results and how the team’s efforts matched wing priorities.
“These results and changes embody our responsibility to be good financial stewards. My hat’s off to Sgt. Keyes and his whole team. The savings we’ve already realized can now be passed on to meet other needs in the wing to benefit the quality of life for our 147th Attack Wing Airmen,” said Jones.
Keyes is not only confident that their changes would allow the lodging budget to be reduced by $20,000 per year, but that the savings would likely increase in future years.