It takes a team effort to achieve AFSO 21 success

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Lucas Choate
  • Travis AFSO 21 office
Last week, I had the opportunity to facilitate a Rapid Improvement Event on the Flight Meal process to aircrews. An RIE allows a group to sit together as a team to evaluate their current process and figure out a better way to do the process by eliminating unnecessary steps.

This was the first event within the 60th Air Mobility Wing that involved multiple groups, as well as our partners from the 349th Air Mobility Wing. The process involved the order, payment and delivery of flight meals from the In-Flight Kitchen to aircrews departing on outbound missions.

Although Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st century is a fairly new concept for many, by working together as a team pursuing a common goal, the members not only streamlined the flight meal process, but also, raised their cultural awareness of mission departure requirements.

The motto of our base is "Team Travis ... America's First Choice." After experiencing the dynamics of this RIE, I believe the entire team realized the importance of working together as "Team Travis."

As the team mapped the steps of the current process, they had the opportunity to hear all the tasks and responsibilities aircrews have prior to arriving at the aircraft, as well as all the functions that encompass what mission support contributes to an aircraft departure. It shocked many of the team members who realized for the first time how many details go into successfully generating a single mission.

The individuals from the Services and Aerial Port Squadrons had the opportunity to walk through the aircrew mission planning. By doing so, aerial port and services personnel realized how little time crews have to complete mission preparation prior to arriving at the aircraft.

On the same note, aircrews were able to see some of the "behind the scenes" port and services operations. This afforded everyone a broader perspective on the multiple mission requirements these organizations support simultaneously.

After eliminating the waste, the team came to an agreement on the new process, constructing the future state map. The biggest success that I saw as a facilitator; however, was the team members' broadened cultural awareness. Utilizing the team concepts of AFSO 21, each individual saw just what it takes to launch an aircraft out of Travis and fully understanding what "Team Travis" really means.

We all know that our budgets are getting smaller, our manning is stretched thin, the number of available tails is dropping, and all while supporting the everyday high operations tempo and demanding Air Expeditionary Force cycles. We also know that it's not going to get easier any time soon. We've got to eliminate waste in our jobs, streamline our processes, utilize the available manpower in places that need it most, and find a way to stretch our budgets.

From the six RIE I've been a part of here at Travis, I know that AFSO 21 will help us get there. As we continue on the path of transformation, it will take a team effort from the entire wing to achieve the successes AFSO 21 has to offer.