Beale officials use AFSO 21 to improve munitions training process

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Members of the 9th Munitions Squadron conducted a value stream mapping event June 23 thru 26 here to streamline the squadron's process of handling munitions for training classes.

Officials from the Beale Air Force Base Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st century Initiatives Office, Air Combat Command AFSO 21 office, and the 9th MUNS conducted the event, which analyzed processes and information currently required to tear down and restore live munitions for the eight combat ammunition planning and production courses offered each year.

"We are trying to streamline our process to make it more efficient and to identify areas in which we can later go back and do additional rapid improvement events," said Senior Airman Steven Sullivan with the 9th MUNS.

The 9th MUNS' most recent event was improving the repacking procedures on mobility bins issued to the students.

"Prior to the (rapid improvement) event, it was at least a five hour endeavor to ensure all the assets were back in the manner that we expected them to be in and everything was accounted for," Airman Sullivan said. "We reworked the layout of the mobility bins and the process in which they are returned. It cut the process down to about 45 minutes."

We implemented improved procedures for munitions handling and improved classroom instruction, which benefited both instructors and students, he said.

"The better we can do our job directly affects the students and the way they do their job, if we can give the students better assets, they don't have to spend the extra time looking for serviceable assets," he said. "When the students deliver the bombs, if we can come up with a better, faster method of getting them off the trailer and getting the students on their way then that is one less thing tying them up."

According to Master Sgt. Nicholas Iorga, the 20th Maintenance Group AFSO 21 superintendent at Shaw AFB, S.C., since starting the value stream mapping event, Air Force Combat Ammunition Center has become aware of inefficiencies in the training process.

"We recommended visual management for the students, when the students first come here they get briefed on how things operate then they get a tour of the (tear down) bomb pad," Sergeant Iorga said. "When they are under pressure, (when delivering to the tear down pad) during bomb tear down, they don't remember what they are supposed to do. I recommend some visual cues for the students; it would help speed up the process, so that they (permanent party) would not have come out here and direct traffic."

Airman Sullivan said all thoughts for improvements in the process are looked at, regardless of rank.

"It's definitely a think outside of the box program to where no ideas that are immediately barred, so if you've had something you've want to throw out there for consideration, even if it gets shot down it might spark and idea in some one else's head that will lead to improvements," Airman Sullivan said.