L ogistics O fficer A ssociation Professionals Shaping the Military Environment EXECUTIVE BOARD President Col Emily Buckman
president@loanational.org Vice President Lt Col Chris Boring Acting VP
vp@loanational.org Chief Financial Officer Major Mike Sander
cfo@loanational.org
Chief Information Officer Ms. Wendy Yonce
InfoOfficer@loanational.org Membership Development Ms. Wendy Yonce
The Exceptional Release Summer 2013 - Contents FEATURES
Click on titles to link to the corresponding article.
EDUCATION
Growing Specialized Logistics Readiness Officers By Capt Amanda J. Shumaker................................................................................. 14 CDO: An Emerging Threat to Logistics and Maintenance Operations By Capt Kenneth McCall........................................................................................ 22 Maintenance Operations Management Course Available on ADLS By SSgt Kevin Spalding........................................................................................... 26 LEADERSHIP
Responsibilities for Life Cycle Logistics Coded Positions—Both Supervisors and Employees By Ms. Leslie D. Reed............................................................................................. 28
membership@loanational.org
AFIT Masters Degree Program By Mr. Paul L. Hartman.......................................................................................... 30
Chapter Support Maj Camille LaDrew
Integrated Receipt Process By CMSgt Pamela Rathers,..................................................................................... 31
chaptersupport@loanational.org Executive Senior Advisor Lt Gen Judith Fedder Webmaster/Website Capt Andrew Cobb
webmaster@loanational.org www.loanational.org THE EXCEPTIONAL RELEASE Editor Lt Col Rich Fletcher
editor@loanational.org
Assistant Editor Col (ret) Mary H. Parker, 412 AMXS/MXAD
assteditor@loanational.org
ER Managing Editor/Publisher/Advertising Marta Hannon
marta@loanational.org
ER Worldwide Staff Lt Col Michelle Hall, 43 LRS/CC Maj James Dorn, AMC/A4MMQ Maj Timothy Dodson, 438 AEAG, Det 3 Capt Dara Hobbs, AFSPC/A4RDX Capt Scott Manno, 927 LRS/LGR Ms. Donna Parry, AF/A4/7PE Graphic Design MMagination LLC – Atlanta, GA
www.mmagination.com
LOA National PO Box 2264 – Arlington, VA 22202 Issue No. 127 - Summer 2013
New Application Process for Civilian Career Broadening Program By Mr. Randy Samples............................................................................................. 32 The Civilian Expeditionary Workforce By Mr. Randy Samples, Civilian Logistics Career, Field Manager........................... 33 What is DCoL? By Lt Col Eric Ellmyer............................................................................................ 34 Centralizing Senior Leader Maintenance Course By Lt Col Reggie Christianson................................................................................ 35 Force Development? By Lt Col Tim Gillaspie and Capt Joel Walker....................................................... 36 Logistics Readiness (LogR) SNCO Course CMSgt Pamela Rathers........................................................................................... 38 New Fuels Courses Released to Supplement Fuels Operation CMSgt Shayne Somavia.......................................................................................... 39 FROM THE FLIGHTLINE
A Collection of Experts: DLA Team Leading the Modernization of Logistics Systems By Lt Col Scott Hopper.......................................................................................... 40 LRS Meets the Blackhawk By 1st Lt John S. Whitehouse.................................................................................. 42 The Health of Your Support Section is Impacting the Health of Your Fleet By 1st Lt James Bowron.......................................................................................... 46 Strategic Pivot: Logistics Strengthen Asia-Pacific Relations By Capt Steve Massara and Captain Mike Nishimura ............................................ 50 BP Alaska Maintenance Team Visits US Air Force Flightline at Anchorage’s JBER By Mr. Frank E. Baker............................................................................................. 54 Continued on Page 2...
VOICES | PRESIDENT’S LOG
President’s LOG(istics) Fellow Loggies… It is with great pride and humility that I take the reigns from Colonel Tom Miller. He led LOA over incredibly challenging fiscal hurdles and kept our amazing organization on course and thriving. He turned the focus squarely on us… Military, Civil Servant, Contractor, and Veteran Logisticians, and our invaluable Corporate Partners. Thank you, Tom, for your dedication and commitment to all of us in LOA and DoD. Your legacy will live on. I am honored to serve with your Executive Board of leaders, and I promise to continue to collaborate with them in your stead. Godspeed to you and your family as you head to wing command at Kirtland. We know the Air Force Col Emily Buckman will continue to be infinitely blessed by your leadership and service. I also need to highlight a few other incoming and outgoing Board Members…welcome Major Mike Sander as our newly elected Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Mike replaces Colonel Jeff King. Thanks for your commitment and superb efforts, Jeff. Mike, we are so fortunate that you come with so much expertise since you’ve served as the Acting CFO over the last year while Jeff was deployed and before that you were the Assistant CFO. Our organization’s finances could not be in better hands. Thank you for continuing to serve so well. Your diligent and meticulous financial oversights are truly amazing especially given our Nation’s fiscally constrained environment. All the best as you move on to new horizons. 5 Finally, the Board would like to welcome our new Chief Learning Officer, Mr David Koch. David, a retired Air Force Colonel, is currently serving in the5Headquarters Defense Logistics Agency. We are excited to watch him with Major Steve’s LeBlanc’s assistance, bring Professional Develop7 ment Modules down to the all the Chapters as a part of LOA University. His team will oversee the most important aspect of our organization… growing and developing our officers.
Table of Contents (Continued from Page 1) Click on titles to link to the corresponding article.
EXPEDITIONARY LOGISTICS
VOICES
SUSTAINMENT
Editor’s Debrief, Lt Col Rich Fletcher............................................................ 4
Maintainers: Defending the Flightline…Posturing for the Future By Lt Col Rudy W. Cardona..............................................56 Enhancing Guam’s LOX Capability By Capt John Hays............................................................62 Munitions Positioning in the Pacific By Mr. Greg Osbun...........................................................64 Air Force Logistics: An Enabler or Casualty in Cyber-Warfare By Maj Michael Boswell....................................................66 High Velocity Maintenance…Actions Speak Louder Than Words By Lt Col Daniel D. Mattioda and Ms. Megan Leiter.......74 MAJCOM/NAF
Every Pallet Counts: The Untold Story By Mr. Michael Felton .....................................................78 Hypergolic Propellants and Air Force Space Command By Mr. Charles McGarvey, Jr.............................................80 Air Force Space Command’s Electric Vehicle Program By Mr. James L. Dowdy.....................................................82 2 | The Exceptional Release | SUMMER 2013
President’s LOG(istics), Col Emily Buckman............................................................. 2
From the E-Ring, Lt Gen Judith Fedder........................................................... 6 SES Speaks, Mr. Ross E. Marshall............................................................ 7 PERSPECTIVES Maj Gen John Cooper.........................................................8 Focus on a CGO Capt Jason Hardman.........................................................12 Chapter CrossTalk................................................................ 84
PRESIDENT’S LOG
Magnificent LOA, I am honored to be the new President following in the footsteps of great leaders. I am committed to taking our great Association to the next level. Know that the Executive Board will continue to serve the whole Association with the most important focus on our Chapters, but with a critical eye toward educating and building today’s and tomorrow’s leaders. I am calling on all of you…we need your engagement. These are exciting days as we work closely with our AF leadership to develop our first-ever Virtual Conference this fall. This conference venue will include our DoD’s logistics leaders across the enterprise. Get excited…ask not what your National LOA can do for you, but what you can do for your National LOA. This is our organization to continue to embrace and move forward.... Since 1982, LOA has been providing professional development opportunities and support to logisticians around the globe. The significance of the Logistics Officers Association’s role cannot be over overemphasized in the turbulent defense environment we expect. To meet this requirement, your National LOA leadership will execute in line with our purpose:
Supporting logisticians by focusing on the most important and pressing professional and logistics issues of the day to ensure informed, developed, and mature professionals prepared to enhance successful operations of the DoD. We will pursue this commitment as a team, and together the members of this organization will navigate to excellence by aligning local LOA actions with our National purpose. Your LOA National Executive Board is here to serve the needs of the membership and the organization. We stand ready to lead the charge into the future of LOA. V/R,
Colonel Emily Buckman and Your LOA National Board president@loanational.org
The Exceptional Release
A Professional Military Journal written by logisticians for logisticians The purpose of the Logistics Officer Association (LOA) is to enhance the military logistics profession. LOA provides an open forum to promote quality logistics support and logistic officer professional development. Policy on Written Submissions: The editor invites articles and other contributions on issues that support LOA’s purpose. Direct manuscripts, letters and other communications to: editor@loanational.org. Deadlines: The 15th day of January, April, July, and October. Story Format: Double-spaced, typed and electronically submitted to editor@loanational.org. Please visit the LOA website for more details. Photos & Graphics: Send individual electronic files (hi-res JPG, TIFF or EPS with type as outlines for ads) along with stories (as separate text files) and include cutlines/captions (numbered). Name your photo files with the author’s last name and number them according to their match with the caption, such as ‘smith1.jpg,’ ‘smith2.jpg,’ and so forth. All photos and ads should be at least 300 dpi or greater resolution. Submitter data: Should be typed at the end of the story file. Information included should be: Rank; full name; service; home mailing address; business name and address; business phone (DSN and commercial); email; three to five sentence biographical sketch; and a photo (as a separate file – see “photos and graphics” specs above). Editorial Policy: The editors reserve the right to edit all submissions for length, clarity and libel. All submissions become the property of LOA. Advertisement Formats: Each ad must be sent as a composite hi-res (300 dpi or greater) EPS file with fonts saved as outlines. Full-page ads with bleeds should allow at least 3/8” bleeds. Ad rates visit: http://www.loanational.org/exceptional-release/advertising-rates.php Advertising Contact: Ms Marta Hannon, Managing Editor | PO Box 2264 – Arlington, VA 22202 | email: marta@loanational.org | Phone 703.568.5651 Subscriptions: The ER is published quarterly and is available via membership in the Logistics Officer Association at the annual rate of $35. Access membership forms on the website at www.loanational.org.
3 | The Exceptional Release | SUMMER 2013
VOICES | EDITOR’S DEBRIEF
Editor’s Debrief Fellow Loggies: By the time you receive your electronic ER, Memorial Day will have passed us. I hope you were able to take time to reflect on your service to our nation--whether you are an active or retired industry partner, civil service or uniformed member. Not every nation appreciates the members of their armed forces like the United States…because of a few, the American people are able to reflect on what this great nation represents and celebrate freedom. After 2 years as the editor of the ER, I am constantly amazed at the quality of the articles that continue to pour in to me. This edition is no exception. This edition contains articles on a potential vulnerability to our logistics community and ultimately our warfighting capability...cyber attacks. Both articles are extremely valuable to our Lt Col Rich Fletcher understanding of the threat to our logistics processes/procedures and highlight the need for change. On another note, I read a biography on the late Lt Gen Leo Marquez last year. In the biography, the author described an attack on an airbase in Vietnam that challenged then Captain Marquez to defend the airfield. Through his heroics that included towing a loaded F-4 fighter and establishing fields of fire as he and others defended the airfield, the airbase remained in the hands of US Airmen. I was reminded of Lt Gen Marquez’ heroics when I reviewed Lt Col Rudy Cardona’s article. He truly describes the realities of life as an Aircraft Maintenance Technician in Afghanistan. Every Airman a sentry. This is even more appropriate today was we retrograde while maintaining security. As our nation shifts focus to the Pacific, so does logistics. Check out a couple of articles from our comrades in the Pacific AOR as they posture themselves for success. Finally, as Lt Gen Fedder pointed out in her “Call to Action” DCO session, Space logistics is an integral part of our Air Force logistics community. To that end, there are two articles from Air Force Space Command that will brighten your logistics horizons. Speaking of brightened horizons, this edition of the ER contains the Logistics and Maintenance Awards for 2012. Congratulations to all those selected “The Best of the Best!” For those who were not selected, the standard has been set…who is going to win this year? Bring it. Keep ‘Em Flying!
Fletch
Lt Col Rich Fletcher and your ER Worldwide Staff Contact Us: Editor@loanational.org or Marta@loanational.org
Maintenance Awards 2012 LIEUTENANT GENERAL LEW ALLEN, JR.TROPHY Base Level Officer Category Major Jennifer L. Gurganus 380 EAMXS, Southwest Asia, ACC Base Level Senior NCO Category MSgt Christopher M. Davis 748 AMXS, RAF Lakenheath, USAFE 2012 SECRETARY OF DEFENSE MAINTENANCE AWARDS Depot Level: Air Force C-130 Programmed Depot Maintenance Team at Warner Robins Air Logistics Center Field-level, Small Category: 353rd Special Operations Maintenance Squadron, Kadena AB, Japan, AFSOC Field-level, Medium Category: 3rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, PACAF Field-level, Large Category: 23rd Maintenance Group, Moody AFB, Georgia, ACC 4 | The Exceptional Release | SUMMER 2013
VOICES | EDITOR’S DEBRIEF
VOICES | EDITOR
LOGISTICS READINESS AWARDS THE LOGISTICS READINESS INDIVIDUAL AWARDS - BASE LEVEL: - FGO: Maj Jason M. Garrison, 20th LRS, Shaw AFB (ACC)
- CGO: Maj Ricardo R. Garza, 721st APS, Ramstein AB (AMC)
- SNCO: MSgt Melissa A. De Oleo, 87th LRS, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (AMC) - NCO: TSgt Andrew J. Hackett, 92nd LRS, Fairchild AFB (AMC)
- Airman: SrA Sammie L. Ervan, 355th LRS, Davis-Monthan AFB (ACC) - Senior Civilian: Mr. John F. Malone, 99th LRS, Nellis AFB (ACC)
- Civilian Supervisor: Mr. Stephen E. Howell, 96th LRS, Eglin AFB (AFMC)
- Civilian Technician: Mr. David Cummings, 48th LRS, RAF Lakenheath (USAFE) THE LOGISTICS READINESS INDIVIDUAL AWARDS - STAFF LEVEL: - Staff Officer: Maj Antonio V. Salazar, A4RM, HQ AFSOC (AFSOC) - Staff Enlisted: SMSgt Matt E. Sides, A4RE, HQ ACC (ACC)
- Staff Civilian: Ms. Jennifer H. Coyne, A4R, HQ USAFE (USAFE) THE LOGISTICS READINESS UNIT AWARDS:
- The Daedalian Major General Warren R. Carter Logistics Effectiveness: 99th LRS, Nellis AFB (ACC) - Logistics Readiness Squadron, Non-Flying Unit:: 39th LRS, Incirlik AB (USAFE) - Air Force Large Air Terminal Unit: 436th APS, Dover AFB (AMC)
- Air Force Small Air Terminal Unit: 729th AMS, Lajes Field (AMC) THE LOGISTICS READINESS AIR RESERVE COMPONENT (ARC) AWARDS: - ARC Base Logistics Activity: 439th LRS, Westover ARB (AFRC)
- ARC Air Transportation Activity: 81st APS, Joint Base Charleston (AFRC) (AMC) LOGISTICS READINESS UNIT AWARDS - EXTERNALLY SPONSORED
- The American Petroleum Institute (API) Award Finalists (listed below in alphabetical order by command): -- 99th LRS, Nellis AFB (ACC)
-- 2nd LRS, Barksdale AFB (AFGSC)
-- 87th LRS, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst - THE DEFENSE POLICY PACKAGING GROUP (AF Nominations)
-- (Excellence Category) - AF Packaging Technology & Engineering Facility (AFPTEF) Packaging Engineering Team from the Air Force Sustainment Center (AFMC) -- (Achievement Category) - 437th APS Packing & Crating Team, Joint Base Charleston (AMC)
- THE DOD AWARD FOR SUPPLY CHAIN OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE (AF Nomination)
-- The Air Force Sustainment Center - Increasing Warfighter Readiness and Reducing Costs through AFSC Commodity Sourcing Program (AFMC)
5 | The Exceptional Release | SUMMER 2013
VOICES | FROM THE E-RING
FROM THE E-RING
From the E-Ring Our New Norm 2013 is shaping up to be a pivotal year. Across our Air Force we see transition, change, and dynamics even the most
seasoned of us have not experienced. For example in the CENTCOM Area of Responsibility we’re on the cusp of a sizeable drawdown in Afghanistan—bringing home some force structure and equipment—but at the same time posturing for a footprint in the theater that will endure. We are also in the throes of change, shaped in part by
Lt Gen Judith Fedder
adapting to a lower budget topline—an effect of the Budget Control Act and sequestration—and challenged further
by our need to restore health to weapon systems and infrastructure. Among the most severe shifts of the year is the impact to readiness we see from standing down flying squadrons and halting the training necessary to be combat ready.
It would be easy to dwell solely on the factors and events that are driving our year…to just keep working the many logistics requirements that demand our attention every day. We can’t lose our focus on those, as Airmen and team members like you figure out how to adapt and overcome. But
amid the transition/change/dynamics is a need to help shape our Air Force for the future; the Air Force that will emerge in the next 10 years even more capable, focused, and ready than we have been after over 22 years of combat.
So let’s keep looking ahead. For starters, I’m sure you are aware of our national military strategy that shifts some focus to the Pacific region. Logistics in the Pacific theater is expected to be considerably different than the CENTCOM AOR, where over time we have come to rely on an expeditionary basing structure and evolution of prepositioned assets. Across the PACOM AOR we are challenged by access to certain locations, the constraint
of time and distance needed to get forces in place, and operating at much greater distances from the conflict. But we’ve got insightful logisticians working it—a prime example is increasing resiliency through hardening and dispersal activities at Andersen Air Base, Guam...specifically, hardening
certain aircraft hangars to prepare for future conflict. In this edition of the ER, you’ll read how we are addressing munitions transportation and stor-
age in the Pacific to reduce storage challenges and “right size” our stockpile. You’ll also read an AMMOS student award-winning paper addressing our ability to adapt maintenance and logistics in a Contested, Degraded, and Operationally Limited Environment. All must-reads!
Looking farther out, I can’t talk about the future of logistics without reiterating the value and intent of your Enterprise Logistics Strategy (ELS). Last year we embraced a 10-year vision for logistics, one that would enable all of us to lead ready, affordable logistics in a joint world. Air Force
logisticians at different levels have been driving successes in the strategic shifts that lead to achieving our strategic priorities in joint competencies, posturing logistics resources for the next fight, and delivering cost-effective readiness. These aren’t just words on paper—they represent the direction and define the success of our strategy. Interestingly, our Secretary and Chief of Staff are driving a similar effort to shape the Air Force of the next 10 years, and the ELS feeds beautifully into what we need to be doing to support that bigger effort.
In October we plan to provide an “Annual Report” on our progress along with the strategy execution focus for FY15. Through these measures and your tireless efforts, we will continue to ensure mission success through logistics.
I know you are busy…the results of your work and leadership are evident every day through logistics innovation and mission accomplishment. But the pace isn’t likely to let up much—if anything, it will probably challenge us more. I need you to stay aware, engaged, and ready…the future of the Air Force really depends upon it. As always, it is an honor to serve with you in the greatest Air Force in the world! Lt Gen Judith Fedder Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Installations and Mission Support Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
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VOICES | SES SPEAKS
SES Speaks Beyond the PowerPoint: What’s Expected Isn’t Always Taught Mr. Ross E. Marshall, is a member of the Senior Executive Service, Executive Director, Air Force Sustainment Center, Air
Force Materiel Command, Tinker Air Force Base, Okla. He is responsible for assisting the commander in providing opera-
Mr. Ross E. Marshall
tional planning and execution of Air Force Supply Chain Management and Depot Maintenance missions for a wide range
of aircraft, engines, missiles, and component items in support of AFMC missions. He assists in overseeing operations which span three air logistics complexes,
three air base wings, two supply chain management wings, and multiple remote locations that incorporate more than 32,000 military and civilian personnel. In addition, he helps ensure installation support to more than 75,000 personnel working in 140 associate units at the three AFSC bases.
American troops will fight their way into a Taliban-controlled village in Eastern Afghanistan. They’ll use their combat skills and training to ac-
complish an objective and flush out the enemy. But, an hour after “cease fire” is called; they’re inside the village handing out water bottles and candy to the children running barefoot through the streets. This wasn’t part of their training, but it’s every bit as important as knowing how to launch a mortar or deliver supplies.
What we’re asking of our military members and government civilians is nothing short of a miracle. We need them to excel in their profession and
have the compassion, interpersonal skills and composure to deal with some of the most difficult situations that life has to offer. We’re repeatedly asking them to go above and beyond what we’ve trained them to do.
Time and time again I’m taken aback by the caliber of our logisticians. We talk a lot about reaching “Art of the Possible” results. When doing so, we tend to think of achieving results in our maintenance areas, or the supply chain, life cycle logistics, or our functional support areas. We’ve placed
more and more emphasis on the importance of the leader’s role in creating an environment and culture for success. Sometimes however, we forget about the importance of the soft skills.
I once heard an Army General say, “What we need desperately today on all fronts are leaders willing to stand for something. We need people who are honest, decent, moral, truthful and full of integrity, who respond to their consciences even when it is unpopular”. These are the skills I’m talking about. I realize we’re asking more of our logisticians, on a human level. We’re asking them to rise to the occasion and not only ensure our supply chains are running smoothly and our parts are being delivered, but also asking them to care for and lead their people.
So, as we look at the logistics career field in the next 10 years, I encourage you to look beyond the new technologies and improvement programs. I implore you to look within yourself and discover how you can be a better leader, a better communicator, and overall a better human being.
My challenge to you is become the person we need to get the job done. Whether you’re retired, an intern, a new officer, contractor, or a civilian, you’re
all part of the logistics team. We have some challenging times ahead and we all need to work on becoming what our country needs us to be. Now is the time for each of us to step up and be superb leaders, compassionate co-workers, and great patriots. Mr. Ross E. Marshall Executive Director, Air Force Sustainment Center, Air Force Materiel Command, Tinker Air Force Base, Okla.
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VOICES | PERSPECTIVES
PERSPECTIVES “Bending Logistics” to the Mission In Step With Major General John Cooper, Director of Logistics, Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Installations and Mission Support, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
Maj Gen John Cooper
Never before in the history of our Air Force have we had such financial challenges. Until this year the process for funding logistics was fairly simple
(well…..straight-forward might be a better way to describe it)--MAJCOMs and the Air National Guard projected flying requirements, AFMC turned those requirements into maintenance and supply support requirements. The requirements were turned into a budget submission, and we received our funding levels as determined by Congress to execute the plan.
Senior Airman Daniel Babis, left, and Airman 1st Class Anthony Rodriguez install an umbilical connector into a training AGM-86B Conventional Air-Launched Cruise Missile during a B-52 Stratofortress load demonstration at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Oct. 17, 2012. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Benjamin Wiseman)
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COOPER In 2013 this model was turned upside down by the effects of sequestration. For the first time, the USAF was forced to take an approximate $12-bil-
lion top-line reduction in the remaining eight months of FY13 (with further cuts projected in FY14 and beyond). To mitigate the effects of these drastic cuts the Air Force has broken into all accounts allowed to meet the $10B bogey. Air Force logistics equals about 36% of the overall Air Force topline budget (including fuel and personnel, Air Force Logistics equals ~$40B of the $110B FY13 Air Force total budget), so we expected and
received proportional cuts that effect our business. The results have been significant. Huge and immediate cuts in flying hours have forced about a third of our fighters, tactical airlift, and tanker flying squadrons to be grounded or manage significantly reduced flying programs. Minimum flying
training is the norm in AETC and is projected to last through 2013. Corresponding cuts have been made in weapons system support (depot and
contract funding). Compounding all of these cuts, furloughs for our civilian workforce will slow our ability to provide even reduced logistics support. Finding a solution to this problem set is no small challenge. In our favor--we have been consolidating, centralizing, and refining an important logistics activity for over a decade, and we are now able to use that activity to help manage our way through Sequestration.
The activity I’m talking about is the global supply chain. In my opinion the Air Force’s global supply chain is widely underappreciated. Before I
describe how we’re using the supply chain to combat the effects of the budget cuts, I offer a brief history lesson. In 1996, the Air Force was structured so each Air Force base had, essentially, their own supply chain. Each wing’s Chief of Supply searched for, found, and purchased parts for the
wing, often at the expense of other squadrons and wings in the Air Force. Over the course of 10 years the Air Force consolidated and centralized funds, and then consolidated the base supply chains first into regional support squadrons, and then later into a single, global supply chain operated
by the Global Logistics Support Center. The latest update occurred in 2012 with the establishment of the Air Force Sustainment Center (AFSC),
who assumed the supply chain, and is further aligning maintenance and supply chains across the entire Air Force, for both depot and field activities. The challenge for Air Force logistics when facing sequestration—how to ensure we spend only what we need to and where we need to, in order to keep the flying units flying and keep the non-flying units in some form of mission readiness while restricting expenses. Said another way, we
needed to “bend logistics” with laser-focus on priority units, still taking care of non-flying units by installing rules to prevent too much spending. Also, at the Air Force-level we needed to understand and measure the results, and have the ability to act swiftly to adjust if needed. This is a major
Ü
An RQ-4 Global Hawk gets prepared for a mission while deployed Nov. 23, 2010, at an air base in Southwest Asia. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Andy M. Kin)
9 | The Exceptional Release | SUMMER 2013
VOICES | PERSPECTIVES challenge to us because the current rules promote mission generation, and we, in fact, wanted to establish rules restricting mission generation to only prioritized units.
It was clear early on that the best way to attack the problem was to combine good, restrictive maintenance rules with good, restrictive supply chain
rules at a MAJCOM-level. HQ ACC and HQ AMC A4s stepped up and devised innovative maintenance rules while the AFSC devised corresponding supply chain rules. To ensure we got it right, key maintenance, supply chain, and financial management subject matter experts met in early
April to build and finalize the rules, then conduct “rock-drills” to determine if we could actually be as agile as we planned. Another problem--we had to more dynamically update the key/essential supply chain IT systems with the most accurate and current flying hour information so that the
systems could appropriately adjust the repair pipeline and send the right parts to the right units. Making our challenge even more difficult was the constantly changing priorities and the need to constantly adjust flying hour projections based on operational needs.
To help manage this dynamic environment, our colleagues in A3 built and shared what we termed “the Patch Chart”. This chart identified the flying
Squadrons (which “patch”) who were prioritized to receive parts from the supply system. Now, if a part is ordered for a Squadron not on the patch chart, AFSC’s automatic rules allows documentation of the requirement but does not fill the requisition. The Patch chart allows us the flexibility to re-prioritize units (remove/install patches) to meet the mission. With just the push of a button new units are prioritized. Initial reports indicate that the system is able to “bend” as we had hoped, and was only possible because we had centrally managed, global supply chain.
The net results—a set of Air Force-level maintenance and supply business rules to meter supplies and maintenance activities according to the evolv-
ing operational plan were implemented on 8 April 2013, the first day of Sequestration. Metrics are in use and are being watched by our Air Forcelevel team to ensure we stay on course. Our first 30-day review of the metrics showed that non-flying units are constraining their activities to allow
flying units the funds needed to meet the mission. This effort is not over, but has so far proven that the Air Force has the ability to control logistics
at a global level. Fiscal year 14 and beyond will bring new challenges, and fortunately the efforts applied this year have us positioned to successfully transition our flying units back to an acceptable level of readiness as quickly as possible.
Is Sequestration “preview of coming attractions”, and if so are we prepared to bend logistics even further? I recently celebrated 30 years in the Air Force, and as I look back I see three distinct eras while I’ve served; the Reagan build up era (’83-’90), the Air Force re-structure era (’89-
A C-17 Globemaster III takes off April 15, 2010, from Fort Pickett Maneuver Training Center, Va. The aircraft, carrying a group of Navy SEALs, was part of a joint training exercise with members of the 517th Airlift Squadron from Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska and SEAL Team 10. (U. S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Brian Ferguson)
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COOPER ’94), and the Expedi-
tionary Air Force era (’90-XX). I believe we
entered a new era in
April 2013—the budget era (’13-XX). We will remain the dominant Air Force in the world and an Expedi-
tionary Air Force long into the future.
But
the coming years will
challenge us to meet
mission requirements, while at the same time challenge us to save
money. We must rec-
ognize this new era, and adjust and adapt our processes to en-
sure we are only as big
as we need to be, and spend only the dollars needed to meet the mission, no more.
Every Loggie from
the flight line to the back-shop, from the depot to the Air Staff must search out ways
to preserve mission
while saving money. Our Vice Chief of Staff, General Larry Spencer, recently initiated the “Every Dol-
lar Counts” campaign. I’m proud to say that
as I write this article my staff has fielded
over 750 ideas from
Tech. Sgt. Ronald Johnson pulls a fully rigged pallet onto a C-17 Globemaster III in Southwest Asia. Sergeant Johnson is one of many Airmen working with U.S. Army riggers to resupply isolated forward operating bases in the area of responsibility. Sergeant Johnson is assigned to the 8th Expeditionary Air Mobility Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Anthony Graham)
loggies in the field, and each day more
ideas continue to pour in. These are great ideas, and we are combing through them looking to see where the dollars can be saved in Logistics. Air Force Logistics also has a great list of cutting-edge initiatives in development to help us save money and preserve mission--WRM and BEAR
centralization, Repair Network Integration (RNI), Next Generation Contract Logistics Support, and strategic sourcing initiatives to name a few. Bottom line –Air Force Loggies are innovative, and we’ll continue to find new ways to meet the mission while saving money. K
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VOICES | FOCUS ON A CGO
In Their Own Words… Focus on a CGO Captain Jason Hardman There’s no doubt about it that logistics is a dynamic profession. If one thing remains constant though, it is the need to be flexible and adaptable. This is true at home and abroad. Leave it to the Company Grade Officer (along with many other valued service members) to face that challenge with gusto and get the job done right the first time. It is not always the loggie with the most years in service that is called to the job either. It is time to throw them a bone by putting them in the spotlight. Take for example, Captain Jason Hardman. Captain Hardman began his journey in the Air Force as a Security Forces Airman assigned to the 49th Security Forces Squadron, Holloman AFB, NM where he deployed three times. A graduate of the University of Maryland, Capt Hardman is currently stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska and is the Chief of Plans and Integration, 611th Air Support Group. He deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan on 365-day deployment where he served in an Embedded Training Team and as Deputy J4 Afghanistan Regional Security Integration Command (ARSIC) South. He earned the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal and the Army Achievement Medal. The ER asked Captain Hardman to share his thoughts on being a leader…in his own words. Captain Hardman
on how his enlisted service
impacts his commissioned service:
Just the opportunity to know firsthand what it’s like to be enlisted has been very helpful. I use that experience everyday as I relate and communicate with enlisted Airmen. Captain Hardman
on the biggest lesson(s)
learned while deployed:
That patience is a virtue. My best advice is to take pre-deployment training seriously. Even if it is your third or fourth time going through it, take it seriously. There may only be one new thing that you learn but that one thing could be Top Right: Capt Hardman, ALROC Class 12-A, is presented his certificate of graduation by Brig Gen Scott Goodwin, Commandant, USAF Expeditionary Center, Ft Dix, NJ, 25 May 12. (Photo by Expeditionary Center Public Affairs) Lower Left: Capt Hardman receiving his 11 AF CGO of the Year Award at JBER, Alaska. Award presented by Lt Gen Stephen Hoog, 11 AF Commander and CMSgt Jerry Moore, 11 AF Command Chief. 22 Feb 13. (Photo by 11 AF Public
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HARDMAN what saves your life or the life of your Wingman. Captain Hardman on his proudest moment(s): I’m most proud of the time I served as the 635th Supply Chain Operations Wing Commander’s Exec. I learned so much from Col Mark Johnson during my time. It really opened my eyes and allowed me to view the Air Force and our career field in an entirely different way. Captain Hardman on keeping leadership skills honed: I try to learn all that I can from my current Air Force leadership. I take the good stuff and put it in Site visit with PACAF A4R, King Salmon, Alaska. With Col Herbert Phillips, Col Robyn Burk, Lt Col Spencer Van Meter, and my tool belt so I have it available TSgt Kelley Harpole. 14 Nov 11. (Photo taken by Jack White) to me in the future. Captain Hardman on the leadership skills/traits that are most important to logistics officers: The ability to communicate effectively. At the end of the day, communications skills (or lack thereof ) will make you or break you. Captain Hardman on his aspirations: I want to keep living the Air Force dream, keep meeting new people and seeing new places along the way. When I am retired, I want to look back and have no regrets. K
Above: During travels to outlying areas while deployed to Kandahar Province, Afghanistan. 30 Oct 09. (Photo taken by MAJ Micahel, USA) Left: With wife Misty Hardman just before the start of the Mayor’s Half Marathon in Anchorage, AK. 23 Jun 12. (Photo taken by daughter Hanna Hardman)
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EDUCATION
Growing Specialized Logistics Readiness Officers By Captain Amanda J. Shumaker The Headquarters (HQ) United States Air Force (USAF) Program Action Directive (PAD) 02-05 dated 20 June 2002 created the Logistics Readiness Officer (LRO) by combining the Logistics Plans, Supply and Trans14 | The Exceptional Release | SUMMER 2013
portation career fields into one (HQ USAF, 2002). The previous 21G (Logistics Plans), 21S (Supply) and 21T (Transportation) Air Force Specialty Codes (AFSC) merged to become the 21R (LRO) AFSC. Since then, LROs have become generalists with a vast breadth of knowledge, while lacking a depth in any one area. However, there are still critical jobs in the Air Force and Joint staff requiring specialists. By not stove piping certain LROs into specialties, the Air Force is not preparing for future requirements. A common phrase throughout the LRO community describes LROs as “Jack of all trades, master of none.” By creating LROs with depth, this somewhat negative connotation may be shifted to something more positive, such as “Jack of all trades, master of some.” LROs attend the basic course upon first entering the career field where they are taught a foundation of the three logistics core competencies of Contingency Operations, Distribution, and Materiel Management. After completing the basic course, LROs typically work in one of the numerous areas within a Logis-
tics Readiness Squadron (LRS) or Aerial Port Squadron (APS), where they move from section to section in order to complete the learning objectives in the Career Field Education and Training Plan (CFETP). While this allows LROs to gain a breadth of knowledge, a depth in any one area is not obtained. When the LRO career field was originally created, it had six Special Experience Identifiers (SEIs) associated with the six proficiencies: Materiel Management, Fuels Management, Vehicle Management, Airlift Operations, Contingency Operations, and Distribution Management (Department of the AF, 2002). The current CFETP dated 2009 reduced the number of SEIs to only two: Fuels Management and Aerial Port Operations (Department of the AF, 2009). The CFETP, still in draft format, with a tentative 2013 release date, changes the SEIs again. This time the SEIs align with the three core competencies of Contingency Operations, Distribution, and Materiel Management (Talley, 2013). By further reducing and changing the LRO SEIs, the number of functional experts in those critical
SHUMAKER areas is being reduced. Without specific SEIs, the assignment team at AF Personnel Center (AFPC) as well as the Development Team (DT) is now required to view an entire duty history in order to see the LRO’s experience. The SEIs gave a quick snapshot of which officers, while still generalist LROs, had a depth of knowledge in certain areas. The Career Path Tool (CPT) is a new guide to help with this process, as it provides an overall report of every area an officer has worked as well as the duration in each position. However not all LROs are aware of the CPT and its potential impact, nor has its use been implemented as a mandatory item to have updated similar to the Airman Development Plan (ADP), prior to a Permanent Change of Station (PCS) or meeting of the DT. The importance of resolving this issue is not necessarily something directly affecting LROs today, as the senior leaders currently filling the jobs requiring a specialty, entered the AF as core logisticians in one of the three areas previously mentioned. The senior leaders have more specific job training and experience in those functional areas than a future LRO will have. Now is the critical time for “purebred” LROs to get the required training and experience in those areas, in order to have enough depth to fill future requirements. The threat exists for future LROs in those senior leader billets, in about ten years, to not be a functional expert and not have a firm knowledge base in these specific areas. Establishing a solid plan now ensures the most skilled LRO is in the seat at the right time.
The goal for this research was to provide possible solutions for creating specialized LROs. This was accomplished by answering the research questions along with analyzing research data. The goal for this research was to provide possible solutions for creating specialized LROs. This was accomplished by answering the research questions along with analyzing research data.
Figure 1: LRO Questionnaire Results 1. Courtesy of Capt Shumaker, USAF (2013), March 31, 2013.
Figure 2: LRO Questionnaire Results 2. Courtesy of Capt Shumaker, USAF (2013), March 31, 2013.
The expected outcome of this research is for the Air Staff to develop and implement the LRO Specialist Program (LSP). Interviews and questionnaires provided a good baseline of information. All but one of the mid-level LROs agrees the LRO community is not doing enough to train future leaders in each of the specialties. These LROs represent
a small pool of potential future senior leaders filling those key billets in ten years. The concern of these officers should also be a concern for the senior leaders making career field decisions. The senior leaders interviewed provided a split response as seen in Figure 1. Q: Do you think the LRO community is doing enough to train future leaders in each specialty
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EDUCATION | GROWING SPECIALIZED OFFICERS (Fuels Management, Air Transportation, Supply)? The five senior leaders interviewed once again provided a split response when addressing the concern for the future LRO in their position in 10-15 years, as seen in Figure 2. While two of the five provided a definitive “yes” to the question, two also provided a “no” response, with the remaining one providing a “somewhat” response. However, all five describe the most important trait for the future LRO is to be a good leader first, and a good Figure 3: Most Unfavorable Factor about Being a 21R, 21RX OAR. Courtesy of Air Education and Training Command OcLRO with some depth in an area cupational Analysis Division (2011). second. The mid-grade LROs who responded “yes” also propected knowledge in a broad range of areas, The occupational analysis survey also gathvided similar explanations that as seen in Figure 3 (AETC OAD, 2011). Al- ered information on where each of the 1,000 LROs are extremely competent and know how though the drawdown in Iraq and Afghanistan personnel surveyed spent the majority of their to get the job done no matter what, therefore will help reduce the number of LRO deploy- time. Greater than one-third (37%) of memtheir concern was minimal. ments, nothing has been developed to reduce bers who provided a response, were found to be Q: Are you concerned for the future LRO who will the stress on LROs who are required to know spending the majority of their job time within such a vast array of information. Even the aerial port, staff officer, and squadron managebe filling senior leader positions in 10-15 years? CFETP requires LROs to complete learning ment activities (Swift, 2011). Four additional The threat exists for future LROs to not have objectives in each area before they are be con- areas together, encompass an additional third enough depth in an area by the time they be- sidered fully qualified, therefore encouraging of the career field: contingency operations, decome a senior leader and are expected to be the LROs to gain breadth, but not depth. ployment and distribution flight, outside LRS, functional expert. It is evident by the research and materiel management activities (each at conducted, that there is an expectation for spe9%). So while the majority of the senior leader cialists within the LRO career field. The Air Force has a $38B LRO jobs are in Materiel Management, most LROs are not spending their time in that area. supply chain enterprise so An occupational analysis of 21Rs was conAccording to the article “The Logistics Offiit is critical for its future ducted by the Occupational Analysis Divicer and Agile Combat Support,” Lt Col Bailey sion of Air Education and Training Command leaders to gain knowledge states “There is no substitute for experience” (AETC) in 2011, in order to help validate or and build a solid foundation and therefore LROs need to spend time in update existing course training standards leadearly in their career Materiel Management sections prior to reaching to the development of a new CFETP. One ing the senior leader level (Bailey, 2003). of the main highlights from the survey was the write-in responses. Of the 2,734 writein comments received, the highest percentage (10%) was in reference to the lack of specialization in the career field. LROs of every rank, who took the time to write a comment, felt they were more of a generalist, stating the difficulty to specialize or gain depth in any one area since they are required to know so much about so many different areas (AETC OAD, 2011).
When asked the most unfavorable factor about being in the LRO career field, the top percentage of responses was the extensive length and/ or frequency of temporary duty assignments, but the second highest response was the ex16 | The Exceptional Release | SUMMER 2013
The draft CFETP removes the current Aerial Port and Fuels Management SEIs. While Aerial Port and Fuels specialties are important, the number of senior leader jobs in those areas is quite small compared to Materiel Management. Fuels Management has three Air Force/ Joint level Colonel positions, while Aerial Port only has two Air Force/Joint level Colonel positions. In comparison, Materiel Management has 24 Air Force/Joint level Colonel positions (LRO, 2013). The Air Force has a $38B supply chain enterprise so it is critical for its future leaders to gain knowledge and build a solid foundation early in their career (LRO, 2013).
So while the majority of the senior leader LRO jobs are in Materiel Management, most LROs are not spending their time in that area. It is extremely important to grow specialists in Materiel Management to meet the majority of senior leader requirements. It is also important to ensure the LRO community continues to grow experts in Aerial Port and Fuels Management to meet those senior leader requirements.
SHUMAKER A Major currently on the AMC staff provided his opinion on where he sees the customer needing LRO experts. He believes the LRO has two customers, the Air Force Warfighter and the Joint Warfighter. The Air Force Warfighter needs LROs with supply chain expertise, while the Joint Warfighter needs Air Transportation and Logistics Planning expertise, as the Joint customer relies on LROs for movement (Rosales, 2013). Major Andrew Hunt shares a similar viewpoint in the article “Air Force Logistics Readiness Officers: How to be Successful in a Joint Environment.” He wrote, “The depth of knowledge is different now than under the old 21S/T/G construct. Your Joint peers don’t care. They expect you to know what you’re doing 100 percent of the time. To them, you are the expert in your field” (Hunt, 2008).
cialty, they are determining how many Lieutenant Colonels need to be developed with the expertise, taking into account LRO attrition rates. They then continue to apply the math backwards to determine the number of Majors, Captains and finally the number of Lieutenants they need to grow with Fuels experience. While the solution is still undergoing development, Figure 4 shows a draft slide of the research the Fuels community has done thus far.
The discussion of specialized LROs is also a hot topic with the Fuels Management senior leaders in the AF, as the Joint Staff Petroleum Officer billet is currently vacant, leaving a gap in arguably the single most important fuels billet in the Air Force (Goyette, 2013). Members of the Fuels community are researching ways to ensure that job does not go vacant again. Specifically they are performing a reverse math equation, to work backwards from the topdown. For example, since Fuels Management has three Colonels’ billets requiring the spe-
The research generated several important findings inferred based upon the data that was presented in this research.
Finding 3: Good leadership skills remain the most important trait for officers. The LRO community currently has various career field broadening programs such as Education With Industry (EWI) and Logistics Career Broadening Program (LCBP); however none address the current need to create specialists in each area. Establishing a solid plan now for LROs to gain depth will ensure skilled LROs are able to meet future senior leader billets. There are several potential solutions available to address the problem. An important point to identify is that it is not the researcher’s intent to divide the LRO career field back into separate AFSCs. Since the career field is only just approaching its teenage years, now is the time to make adjustments in order to proactively fix any potential foreseen shortfalls in the future.
The research generated several important findings inferred based upon the data that was presented in this research.
The LSP would be similar, in that it would identify LROs early in their career to gain depth in one area, with the intent they could fill key senior leadership positions later in their careers. To be eligible, LROs would apply for the program somewhere between four and eight years as a LRO.
Finding 1: LROs do not think the LRO community is doing enough to prepare specialists for future requirements. Finding 2: Creating specialists in Materiel Management should be the top priority due to the number of senior leader positions which require the specialty.
Figure 4: Fuels Experience Development, Officer Development Pyramid (Draft). Courtesy of Cheney, T. Lt Col, USAF (2012).
The first potential solution is to create a program similar to AMC’s PHOENIX MOBILITY (PM) program, called the LRO Specialist Program (LSP). PM is part of PHOENIX HORIZON, AMC’s leadership development program, recognized throughout the Air Force as a benchmark program that complements Air Force efforts to develop air and space leaders. Its graduates are well positioned for further development later in their careers with the focus on preparing them for senior leadership in AMC and the Air Force (King, 2012). PM establishes a foundation of competencies associated with expeditionary mobility operations, divided into four distinct areas: Air Operations Center (AOC) operations, Contingency Response Wing (CRW ) opera-
Ü
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EDUCATION | GROWING SPECIALIZED OFFICERS tions, En Route Mobility Operations (EMO), and Officer Professional Development (OPD) (King, 2012). The LSP would be similar, in that it would identify LROs early in their career to gain depth in one area, with the intent they could fill key senior leadership positions later in their careers. To be eligible, LROs would apply for the program somewhere between four and eight years as a LRO. The DT would select between 8 to 12 LSP members every year at the same time they select LROs for other career broadening programs. Once LROs get accepted into the LSP, they would be required to fill a base-level job in the identified specialty area selected for, in order to gain depth. The LSP members would fill positions in an Aerial Port, Fuels Management, Supply Chain Operations Squadron or other Materiel Management base-level job. Their next requireFigure 5: Retention Intentions by Paygrade, 21RX OAR Briefing. Courtesy of Swift, M. (2011). ment would not be until staff-level, where they would fill a job in the same area, for instance AMC staff, 2011). If selected for the LSP, an Active Duty In order to draw more interest in LCBP or DLA-Energy, AFPA or the SCOW (Supply Service Commitment could be added to the EWI, it is important for LRO senior leaders Chain Operations Wing, formerly known as members. Or by reducing the stress created and the career field managers to educate LROs the Global Logistics Supply Center). When from being expected to have knowledge in a on the different career paths available. While the member is not filling a LSP job require- wide range of areas as shown in Figure 3, the most LROs would prefer to push pallets onto ment, they would fall under the normal PCS retention levels for the CGOs may increase. a C-17 instead of pull one part from a supply rules, in which AFPC could place them in any warehouse, the higher number of future senior LRO coded job. The LSP members would be leader job opportunities may spark their interAnother solution would be identified in a similar manner to LCPB graduest. Senior leaders need to encourage junior to increase the number of ates, with an SEI as well as LSP duty title on LROs to seek out Materiel Management jobs, their single unit retrieval format or SURF as it LROs selected for EWI and not only for the great learning benefits, but also is referred to in the vernacular (AFI 36-2111, for the potential in their career progression. LCBP, since the critical 2011). The greatest benefit of this solution is In addition to further educating LROs, the need for LRO senior leaders a definitive number of LROs would gain depth CFETP should also be revamped to include is in Materiel Management. in specific areas. a section discussing the plan to create LROs A key factor in the success of the LSP is retention levels. The occupational analysis survey utilized one-thousand responses to develop Figure 5, showing the retention intentions of 21Rs broken-out by pay grade. Once LROs reach the FGO level, most intend to remain in the Air Force. CGOs have a much higher intention to separate. This is one limiting factor for the LSP, as it would be a challenge to select young CGOs for the program, knowing there is still between a 20 to 35 percent chance they would separate from the Air Force (Swift,
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with depth.
Another solution would be to increase the number of LROs selected for EWI and LCBP, since the critical need for LRO senior leaders is in Materiel Management. The DT currently selects seven LROs each year to participate in LCPB, and this could be doubled or even tripled (AFI 36-2111, 2011). The limiting factor with this solution is manpower and funding, as these programs remove LROs from base-level jobs, potentially leaving gaps and also a potential increase in costs due to additional PCSs.
The final solution researched would be to completely shift the LRO career field to match the Army Logistics Officer Corps. The Army Logistics Corps and branch were developed in 2006 following Army guidance requiring officers to become multi-functional leaders earlier in their careers (USA CASCOM, 2007). Upon entry in the Army, logistics Lieutenants are placed into one of the three Logistics branches (Ordinance, Quartermaster or Transportation). They remain in that branch until they attend the
SHUMAKER Combined Logistics Captains Career Course (CLC3) at which point they are inducted into the Logistics branch (LG). Army logisticians are still required to maintain one functional area of expertise, which they choose upon entering the LG. Most members choose the area they have spent the most time in, but ultimately the decision comes back to needs of the Army. The Army requires its logisticians to keep a functional area of expertise because the Army has positions requiring a deep functional expertise, in which case the multi-functional officer would not be the best fit. The main drawbacks from this solution would be the increase in cost associated with the additional training, as well as a potential pushback from leaders who may view this solution as simply reverting back to the three original Logistics Plans, Supply and Transportation career fields. In conclusion, this research proved, through qualitative data, the LRO career field needs to develop some type of program in order to grow specialists. Additionally, further guidance needs to be provided in the CFETP, in order for LROs at all levels to understand the direction the career field is headed and what programs the career field managers intend to implement now in order to fill senior leader positions in the future.
The best way to develop that concept further would require a joint project between the Air Staff and AFPC in order to determine the specific specialty required for each of the senior leader billets. The researcher recommends developing a career broadening program to ensure at least a minimum number of LROs receive depth in each of the specialties. The LSP solution would be fairly simple to implement, as it is similar to the existing LCBP. While the LSP cannot guarantee to develop the precise LRO for the senior leader billet, implementing the program now will ensure the career field has at least a minimum number of LROs with depth to fill the billets in 10-20 years.
There are several areas for future research. Although Figure 5 is still in draft format and only developed for the Fuels Management specialty, the same reverse math concept could be applied across the LRO career field for the other specialties. The best way to develop that concept further would require a joint project between the Air Staff and AFPC in order to determine the specific specialty required for each of the senior leader billets. If that information could be developed and released, then research could be conducted to determine the calculated number of lieutenants to feed into each area. Regardless of which solution is implemented, a shift needs to happen soon to position additional junior LROs in Materiel Management jobs. The AF will also potentially require some mid-level LROs to gain the Materiel Management experience now, in order to get ahead of the potential shortfall in approximately ten years. While depth in LRO specialties needs to remain at the forefront of career field progression, continuing to develop strong leaders should remain the top priority. With more focus placed on growing specialists, future LROs may come to be known as “Jack of all trades, masters within.� About the author: Capt Amanda Shumaker serves as the Director of Operations for the 727th Air Mobility Squadron. She is a graduate of the Advanced Logistics Readiness Officers Course at Joint Base McGuire Dix Lakehurst in New Jersey. The following references are provided for additional information: Air Education and Training Command (AETC) Occupational Analysis Division (OAD) (2011). 21RX OAR [Excel worksheet]. Retrieved from personal communication. February 28, 2013. Air Force Instruction (AFI) 36-2111. (2011). The Logistics Career Broadening Program. April 4, 2011. Bailey, P. Lt Col, USAF (2003). The Logistics Officer and Agile Combat Support. Logistics and Warfighting: Thinking About Agile Combat Support. April 2003. 109-119.
Department of the Air Force. (2002). 21RX Logistics Readiness Officer Career Field Education and Training Plan. Washington, DC. November 18, 2002. Department of the Air Force. (2009). AFSC 21RX Logistics Readiness Officer Career Field Education and Training Plan. Washington, DC. November 1, 2009. Goyette, C. Col, USAF (2013). RE: ALROC Assistance. Retrieved from personal communication. March 6, 2013. Headquarters United States Air Force, Program Action Directive 02-05. (2002). Implementation of the Chief of Staff of the Air Force Direction to Establish a new Combat Wing Organization Structure. Washington, DC. June 20, 2002. Hunt, A. Maj, USAF (2008). Air Force Logistics Readiness Officers: How to be Successful in a Joint Environment. Air Force Journal of Logistics. 32(3), 64-65. King, B. Maj, USAF (2012). Phoenix Horizon Selection Board Talking Paper. Retrieved from Air Force Portal website: https://www.my.af.mil LRO. (2013). In Facebook [Private]. Retrieved March 29, 2013, from https://www. facebook.com/#!/groups/214703535227658/ Rosales, C. Maj, USAF (2013). RE: ALROC Research Paper Assistance. Retrieved from personal communication. March 15, 2013. Swift, M. (2011). 21RX OAR Briefing [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from personal communication. February 28, 2013. Talley, M. Col, USAF (2013). Draft CFETP. Retrieved from personal communication. March 12, 2013. United States Army (USA) Combined Arms Support Command (CASCOM) (2007). Army Log Officer Transformation OPD Master-Log Off Corps v9 [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from personal communication. March 6, 2013. K
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EDUCATION
CDO: An Emerging Threat to Logistics and Maintenance Operations By Captain Kenneth McCall
ENDURING FREEDOM draws down, we must now make a concerted effort to understand and mitigate the impact of new advanced technology threats. This article is a first step toward understanding these threats and potential impacts to logistics and maintenance operations. Key terms will be defined, and a methodology to identify potential risks and to develop mitigation TTPs will be discussed.
For more than a decade we have been engaged in a low tech fight with a low tech adversary. For good reason, our training and Tactics, Techniques and Procedures (TTPs) development has been focused on winning this fight. While our heads have been down operating in this low tech environment, the capabilities of non-state actors and potential state adversaries have draAs logisticians, we rely matically increased due to the worldwide prolifon dependable networks, eration of advanced technology. Weekly, there computer hardware and are reports of cyber “attacks” against civilian and government institutions. As logistics and software, and electronic maintenance professionals, it is imperative that communication to we understand our vulnerabilities to these new accomplish nearly every threats so that we can produce combat airpower aspect of our mission. when called upon by our nation. As Operation 22 | The Exceptional Release | SUMMER 2013
Weapons loaders work together to load a GBU-12 “Paveway II” laser guided munitions asset on a MQ-9 Reaper while the team lead reviews an electronic technical order for accuracy. (Photo courtesy of Capt McCall)
The US Military is more reliant on technology than ever before…and the Air Force has been leading that charge. One could argue that dependence on technology permeates our logistics enterprise from top-to-bottom. Over the past 20 years we have leveraged technology within the logistics enterprise to more efficiently support operations around the globe and effectively generate sorties to meet the combatant com-
MCCALL mander’s requirements. As logisticians, we rely on dependable networks, computer hardware and software, and electronic communication to accomplish nearly every aspect of our mission. This communication and network capability relies, in large part, on the electromagnetic (EM) spectrum. Disruption of our communication capability in the EM spectrum would have significant impacts to the logistics support and sortie production we are able to provide for a given contingency.
As logisticians, we must expand this definition to encompass threats to the entire EM spectrum. We need to consider any system vulnerable to degradation or denial (think cyber) by enemy action to include maintenance information systems, computer systems, internet, intranet, satellite communications, or any electronic system/component we use to accomplish the mission. This threat could come as an intentional denial of connectivity, corruption of hardware or software, or system infection resulting in malicious code or false data injection. For logisticians, Contested Operations are enemy actions that deny the use of electronic tools or infect those tools with corrupt data compromising our ability to support the fight.
In 2010, Air Combat Command (ACC) released a Special Interest Item (SII) directing CAF units to address “operations in a degraded EM environment.” The 57th Wing and the USAF Weapons School have taken this direction and integrated “contested operations” into their advanced training syllabi. The Weapons School, further divided Degraded Operations as defined by the Weapons School are those opthis one term into three—Contested Operations, Degraded Operations, erations involving “EM and Battlespace degradation caused by failed and Operational Limitations—collectively referred to as CDO. Unless systems,” to include “aircraft malfunctions…battle damage” or high reliunderstood and prepared for, all could lead to mission degradation or ability rate systems encountering repeated system failures. This refers failure. Understanding CDO facilitates common knowledge across the to failed systems (not caused by enemy action) that reduce the combat Air Force when planning for operations in this capability of friendly forces. For operators this To understand this environment. While the Weapons School admay be a failed aircraft system that prevents dresses CDO in terms of flight operations, the munitions employment. As logistics profesrelationship, we must relationship to logistics and maintenance operasionals, we must consider Degraded Operaunderstand how CDO is tions cannot be overlooked. To understand this tions from two angles. First, maintainers have defined from a logistics relationship, we must understand how CDO is a responsibility to ensure all aircraft communiperspective. defined from a logistics perspective. cation, armament, radar, and EW systems are fully functional and combat ready. Fleet health, Contested Operations, as defined by the Weapons School, are those op- technician training, disciplined maintenance, and full system operational erations involving “EM degradation caused by enemy action” to “include checks cannot be compromised or we risk causing our pilots and aircrew electronic attack, jamming/spoofing, GPS jamming…and data link de- to operate in that Degraded environment. Second, all logisticians should nial/degradation.” This refers to actions taken by an enemy to degrade consider and plan for failed systems that inhibit our ability to support friendly use of the EM spectrum. These actions are not limited to those combat operations. This could be a failed computer system preventing capable of interfering with flight operations or munitions employment. the location of a spare part. It could also be a test set malfunction that delays or prevents sortie generation. These are challenges overcome daily to support operations, but we may not have fully considered the impact of Degraded Operations on our ability to produce combat airpower in a high ops tempo contingency.
Personnel of the 624th Operations Center, located at Joint Base San Antonio - Lackland, conduct cyber operations in support of the command and control of Air Force network operations and the joint requirements of Air Forces Cyber, the Air Force component of U.S. Cyber Command. The 624th OC is the operational arm of the 24th Air Force, and benefits from lessons learned during exercises such as Cyber Flag 13-1. (U.S. Air Force photo by William Belcher)
Operational Limitation, as defined by the Weapons School is “reduced mission effectiveness caused by the physical/ operational environment.” Theater rulesof-engagement, munitions shortages, airspace restrictions, and command and control (C2) structures are examples of operating conditions that could reduce mission effectiveness. Op-
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23 | The Exceptional Release | SUMMER 2013
EDUCATION | CDO: AN EMERGING THREAT erational Limitations also include factors like weather, runway availability, and aircraft parking space, etc. If these limitations are not considered and planned for properly, they could prevent mission accomplishment. Logisticians deal with and overcome Operational Limitations everyday whether at home station or deployed, but Contested and Degraded operating environments are less familiar.
We need to fully understand the nature of the CDO threat to the logistics enterprise. A standard methodology to identify vulnerabilities, assess risk, and develop TTPs must be developed and implemented across the logistics enterprise.
We need to fully understand the nature of the CDO threat to the logistics enterprise. A standard methodology to identify vulnerabilities, assess risk, and develop TTPs must be developed and implemented across the logistics enterprise. Each logistician must first become educated about the cyber-threats we face. This education will allow us to identify risks within every organization by methodically assessing the vulnerability of each system and piece of equipment to the CDO threat. Once vulnerability is determined, we must evaluate the impact that system or equipment would have on mission accomplishment if its use were denied or corrupted. Determining vulnerability and risk to mission accomplishment for each system/piece of equipment will allow us to fully understand potential impact to combat capability when we find ourselves operating in the CDO environment. Additionally, understanding vulnerabilities and risk to mission accomplishment will allow us to prioritize CDO TTP development to counter threats that pose the greatest risk to mission accomplishment. Once CDO TTPs are developed and codified, we must educate, train and exercise
to conduct combat operations in the CDO environment. Future exercise scenarios must include CDO threats to ensure TTPs preserve our ability to produce combat airpower. CDO-based exercise injects will require careful timing and application to maximize training, develop awareness, and further refine CDO TTPs for logistics and maintenance.
The 57th Wing, Weapons School, and RED FLAG exercises have begun training for operations in the CDO environment. This “train like we expect to fight� approach to CDO must spread across the Air Force and the logistics enterprise. The USAF Advanced Maintenance and Munitions Officer School (AMMOS) is committed to fully understanding CDO threat implications to logistics and maintenance operations. In the coming months, AMMOS will begin developing and codifying TTPs to improve and sustain combat capability in a CDO environment. AMMOS is working closely with the Weapons School, the 57th Maintenance Group, and the 57th Information Aggressor Squadron to develop a complete understanding of the CDO threat but we need your help. Inputs and feedback as you consider CDO and your individual units will be critical to fully understanding the implications of CDO to logistics and maintenance operations across the Air Force. Your contributions will be essential to the development of comprehensive and MDS specific CDO TTPs.
Senior Airmen Kimara Duncan, left, and Jonathan Millan refer to their computer during routine maintenance on an F-22 Raptor at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., Sept. 25, 2012. Crew chiefs perform preventative maintenance, pre- and post-flight inspections, and maintain and repair the aircraft inside and out. Duncan and Millan are 94th Aircraft Maintenance Unit tactile aircraft maintainers. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Racheal Watson)
24 | The Exceptional Release | SUMMER 2013
As advanced technologies become more affordable and proliferate around the globe, our logistics and maintenance TTPs must keep pace with CDO threats to ensure we can produce and sustain air power when called upon. Logistics is the engine that drives the Air Force mission and we must be prepared for combat operations in a Contested, Degraded or Operationally Limited environment. It is our responsibility to ensure we can produce in combat, no matter the operational environment. We will be challenged in the future; we must prepare now for combat operations in the CDO environment. This may well determine future mission success or failure. About the author: Capt McCall is assigned to the Advanced Maintenance Munitions Officer School. K
EDUCATION
Maintenance Operations Management Course Available on ADLS The 367 TSS completed and uploaded Maintenance Operations Management (MOM) to Advanced Distribut-
now available. This course is designed
“Mx Ops Mgt is a great online familiarization course. Literally touches all of the key points; we recommend any Mx supervisor take this course. Course navigation is user-friendly, content is extensive enough to learn ... and light enough to attain. Kudos to ‘The Griffin’ on this one!”
ciated with maintenance career fields.
-PACAF/A4MM
ed Learning Services (ADLS). With over 8,000 hours of production, contributions from 12 subject matter experts from multiple MAJCOMS, and
a great amount of ingenuity, Main-
tenance Operations Management is to teach management principles asso-
26 | The Exceptional Release | SUMMER 2013
Senior Airman Bethany Lamb and Tech. Sgt. Travis Wheeler load an inert missile onto a MQ-1 Predator during the load crew competition April 5, 2013, at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Airman 1st Class Michael Shoemaker)
Not only can TSgt selects gain from the information delivered in the course, but ju-
nior officers, civilian managers, and Airmen of any rank can also benefit. The course is
organized into eight lessons: Maintenance
Management Roles and Responsibilities, Safety Management, Supply Management, Status Reporting, Plans Scheduling and Documentation,
Maintenance
Metrics,
Aircraft/Equipment Maintenance Manage-
ment, and Emergency Management. Each
“This course is a great first step for someone who wants or needs to know more about aircraft maintenance management. I encourage not only 2A TSgts to take the course but also young officers new to aircraft mx or ops…yes I said ops. The more you understand the better leader you are. This is not an easy course, on average it takes five hours to complete. I encourage you to login and see what you can learn….you might be surprised.” -Major Michael R. Bliss, Commander, 367 TSS lesson covers a variety of topics organized into sub-lessons
that help to convey the information in a more straightforward way. To keep the information interesting; videos, graphics, and pictures are used in conjunction with written information.
Maintenance Operations Management can be viewed on the ADLS Gateway. Once Airmen login to ADLS, they need
to click the ADLS Gateway link on the home page, click on A4MXTNG (the Mx badge), and find the course. Or they can
click on the following link to go straight to the A4MXTNG site: https://a4mxtng.csd.disa.mil/kc/login/login.asp?kc_ident=kc 0015&blnAccess=TRUE
The 367th Training Support Squadron, “The Griffin”, is the leading Instructional Technology Unit (ITU) in the Air Force
today. They have been a training support squadron since 1992, and focus on innovating the way Air Force maintainers get the mission done. With over 20 years of experience, “The Griffin” has produced countless training aides, interactive multi-
media, and analyses on maintenance procedures in an effort to streamline and increase productivity in the maintenance
community. “The Griffin” currently supports the MAF and the CAF, with a staff of highly trained performance analysis
personnel. They can help identify the root cause of problems, offer solutions, and even develop state of the art Interactive Multimedia Training to tackle issues. “The Griffin” finds solutions to your problems…contact them today.
For additional information on offerings from 367 TSS contact
SSgt Kevin Spalding: kevin.spalding@hill.af.mil, DSN: 5864014. K
LEADERSHIP
Defense Acquisition University offers various training and education programs for the AL&T Workforce. (DoD photo by Lapedra Tolson.)
Responsibilities for Life Cycle Logistics Coded Positions— Both Supervisors and Employees 28 | The Exceptional Release | SUMMER 2013
By Ms. Leslie D. Reed So, you landed a life cycle logistics (LCL) coded position…what does that mean? Or, you have an em-
ployee that is assigned to a LCL-coded position in your organization; what do you do? First, let’s revisit
some history behind occupying LCL-coded positions—which are acquisition positions. According to
the Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) signed into law November 1990, DoD is
required to establish education and training standards, requirements, and courses for the civilian and military workforce. DoDI 5000.66 established that acquisition members are expected to have the competencies
necessary to perform their job; those competencies
REED are acquired by the required education, training, and experience for that
accountable for completing their DAWIA requirements by getting certi-
site, “Certification is the procedure through which a military Service or
provide the resources needed to take acquisition training, ensure the em-
functional area. As noted on the Defense Acquisition University web-
DoD Component determines that an employee meets the education, training, and experience standards required for a career level”. Certifica-
tion is how the AF documents that an individual meets the minimum mandatory education, training, and work experience requirements.
So what are my responsibilities as an employee in a LCL coded position?
fied to the level of their position. That means the supervisor needs to
ployees are completing the training certification, and make certain that
they are current in their 80 CLP requirements. Additionally, all military acquisition personnel may request to get their OPRs/EPRs reviewed by an Acquisition Examiner (typically Block VII for OPRs, functional
Examiner/Acquisition Examiner/AF Advisor). AFI-36-2406, Officer and Enlisted Evaluation Systems, dated 02 Jan 2013, provides an op-
portunity for review by an Acquisition Examiner “only when the ratee
All personnel on an acquisition position have two years to get certi-
requests a review, and is filling an acquisition-coded position and neither
standards (career field/path and level) assigned to the position. If you
same acquisition position category.” If someone in the ratee’s chain is
waiver must be submitted to the Air Force Director of Acquisition Ca-
ficers the Acquisition Examiner must be an O-6/Civilian equivalent and
complete the training. If you fail to meet the certification requirements,
in the ratee’s chain, then the evaluation can be forwarded to an Air Staff
prudent to note that you are required to maintain professional currency
examiner.
fied to the level of the position; in other words, achieve the certification
the rater, additional rater nor reviewer are on a coded position in the
fail to meet the certification requirements within two years, a position
filling an acquisition coded position in LCL, they may review; for Of-
reer Management (DACM) to include a training plan of when you will
for enlisted, he or she must be an O-4/Civilian equivalent. If none exists
it is possible that you could be removed from your position. It is also
functional (Ms. Leslie Reed), or SAF/AQX to identify an acquisition
by earning 80 continuous learning points (CLPs) every two years. The
Air Force manages the acquisition workforce through the Acquisition
Relevant Links:
Professional Development Program (APDP), and is focused on develop-
Please visit the SAF/AQH website on the portal for AF policy on acqui-
What are the supervisor’s responsibilities?
Please visit DAU for certification standards (required training for certi-
ing a highly qualified acquisition workforce.
When a new employee is assigned to an acquisition position, or an ex-
sition and APDP POCs.
fication) and to apply for training.
isting position is newly LCL-coded with an incumbent on it, it is the
Employees can apply for LCL Certification, by visiting here.
on an acquisition coded position to the employee (especially when you
About the Author: Ms. Leslie D. Reed is the HAF Life Cycle Logistics APDP
supervisor’s responsibility to communicate the requirements for being
have new military that PCS’ into the office) and to hold the employees
Functional Manager Civilian Logistics Force Development. K
29 | The Exceptional Release | SUMMER 2013
LEADERSHIP
AFIT Masters Degree Program By Mr. Paul L. Hartman Over the next couple of newsletters, we will highlight unique opportunities for the 21X career fields. The first opportunity we would like to highlight is the AFIT Master’s Degree program. The AFIT program is a great opportunity to earn a top rate master’s degree, go to school full time, and get a degree relevant to your career. The program is open to officers with 2-10 years Total Federal Commissioned Service. Those officers who are declared academically eligible by AFIT will be boarded by the Development Team (DT) for selection to attend. If you are interested, start the application process now to ensure eligibility for the 2014 academic year. You can apply for academic eligibility to AFIT at any time but must be declared eligible before the DT meets in the Fall to be considered to attend in 2014. The Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), Department of Operational Sciences, offers a Master of Science Degree in Logistics and Supply Chain Management. The program requires 18 months of full-time study and begins each August. AFIT students are grounded in core curriculum topics such as Quantitative Decision Making, Logistics Information Systems, Maintenance and Production Planning, and Supply Chain Management. Students are also able to choose from a broad collection of 30 | The Exceptional Release | SUMMER 2013
specialty sequence courses structured to provide them with advanced knowledge in areas of military relevance including Operational Logistics, Operational Maintenance, Petroleum Management, Life Cycle Logistics, or Nuclear Logistics Management. The Master of Science in Logistics and Supply Chain Management requires each student to complete a research thesis on a topic of interest to a military sponsor. We believe that effective logistics and supply chain managers must be able to structure a problem, apply current technical literature, integrate analytical techniques, and communicate insights. The department’s Center for Operational Analysis (COA) has achieved recognition as a leading provider of defense research addressing significant issues across USAF logistics domains. Selected students will have an opportunity to work with the COA to address unique issues faced by sponsoring agencies such as Air Force Materiel Command, Life Cycle Management Center, and the Air Force Sustainment Center. About the Author: Mr. Paul L. Hartman is a Professor at Air Force Institute of Technology. K
For more information on AFIT programs, please visit http://www. afit.edu/en/admissions/index. cfm or contact the Department of Operational Sciences at DSN 7852549 or Commercial (937) 2552549. Again we cannot stress enough that if you are interested, start the application process now to ensure eligibility for the academic year starting in 2014.
RATHERS
Integrated Receipt Process To integrate the cargo/materiel receipt process, we directed implementation of the Integrated Receipt Process (IRP) on 8 Jun 10. Our staffs have been working together through the IRP Working Group since this time to accomplish all actions required for implementation. One of the key actions is the transfer of manpower authorizations to support the integration of Traffic Management (AFS 2T0) inbound tasks and Materiel Management (AFS 2S0) receiving tasks into a seamless process under the control of the 2T0 AFS to support the transfer of responsibilities. To support this effort, Maj Gen Cooper signed Program Guidance Letter #AF-12-02, Implementation of the Director of Logistics, Deputy Chief of Staff Logistics, Installations & Mis-
sion Support Integrated Receipt Process on 20 Aug 12.
ing. The former V1.0 course had 2,788 users attempt the course with 2,603 users successfully passing the course.
We are proud to announce all Authorization Change Request (ACR) to transfer appropriate manpower authorizations between the specialties were successfully processed by all MAJCOMs. Authorization changes will sit on the Unit Manning Documents “1 quarter plus 2� before authorization changes are effective.
Insert Rathers 1: Staff Sergeant Daniel Harrington (right) awaits a signature on a delivery receipt, while Senior Airman Adam Hall, Senior Airman Peter Yurgin and Airman 1st Class Cody Pratt unpack a part Dec. 28 for a B-1B Lancer receiving maintenance at an air base in Southwest Asia. Sergeant Harrington is supply journeyman assigned to the 379th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron. Airmen Hall, Yurgin and Pratt are maintainers with the 379th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Michael Boquette)
The IRP Working Group (IRPWG) meets quarterly to address emerging issues and resolve open IRPWG action items. MAJCOM POCs submit quarterly IRP MAJCOM status reports to the IRPWG co-chairs to track Cross Utilization Task (CUT) Training. Currently, AF-wide, 2T0 IRP CUT training is 57%. This is an increase from 54% last quarter. Next report is due 7 Apr 13. As of 10 Jan 13, the revised IRP Course V1.1 is available on ADLS under AETC Misc. Train-
Questions may be directed to CMSgt Pamela Rathers, LogR Enlisted Force Development (pamela.rathers@pentagon.af.mil, DSN: 2278137), CMSgt Dennis Beougher, Traffic Management AFCFM, (dennis.beougher@pentagon. af.mil, DSN: 612-4364) or CMSgt Tony Skinner, Materiel Management AFCFM, (tony. skinner@pentagon.af.mil, DSN 612-4214). K 31 | The Exceptional Release | SUMMER 2013
LEADERSHIP
New Application Process for Civilian Career Broadening Program Recently, our Civilian Logistics Career Field Team at AFPC conducted a Rapid Improvement Event (RIE) on the application process for the Civilian Career Broadening Program. The RIE included surveying current and former career broadeners, collecting and analyzing process data from other career field teams and identifying best practices to leverage. Our team recommended several changes to streamline the career broadening application process which was approved by the Logistics Executive Board and Logistics Advisory Council. The major goals of the new career broadening application process are to increase the applicant pool and decrease the admin requirements associated with applying for a career broadening position. What has changed? 1. Applicants submit/upload all nomination documents through USAJOBS. 2. An applicant’s signed senior logistician endorsement letter is valid for the entire calendar year. 3. Current and projected career broadening vacancies will be announced quarterly. 4. The follow-on agreement is eliminated. If selected for career broadening, the applicant must sign a mobility agreement IAW AFMAN 36-606, Para 1.9.4.1.2. 32 | The Exceptional Release | SUMMER 2013
Mr. Clarence Anderson, 21 LRS at Peterson AFB, performs operations in the cargo movement section. Photo by Capt Dave Alvarez, 21 LRS/DO
The old career broadening application process: The old process involved the applicant submitting two nomination packages for eligibility and consideration of the position. First, the self-nomination package was submitted through USAJOBS; second, the senior logistician endorsement package was submitted to the Logistics Career Field Team workflow box at AFPC. The new career broadening application process: The new process will allow the applicant to submit one application package through www.USAJOBS.gov. It is imperative that the applicant read the entire announcement and comply with all instructions when applying for vacancies. The closing date is strictly enforced; therefore, extensions are NOT allowed. 1. Pre-application procedure: At the logistics webpage (https://gumcrm.csd. disa.mil/app/answers/detaila_id/13240/ p/1,2/c/1075), type in “Specific Qualify” in the search block. The search results will bring you to “Eligibility Requirements for Nomination in a Logistics Career Broadening Position. Click on the title and scroll down to the paragraph titled “Qualification Requirements.” 2. If you meet the qualifying requirements, scroll to the bottom of the page and
download the Sample Endorsement Letter and Logistics Resume Format to your desktop or My Documents. Develop your endorsement letter and resume and staff to the endorser for signature. Determining the appropriate endorsing official for your letter is listed on the logistics website “Career Broadener Package-Endorser.” Please remember to sign your resume, as an unsigned resume will disqualify you from competition. 3. Once completed, upload the signed endorsement letter and resume into your USAJOBS account under your saved documents. 4. You are now ready to apply for any career broadening vacancy within that calendar year. Your endorsement letter will be on file and can be used for all career broadening vacancies occurring within that calendar year. There is no need to resubmit another letter, unless you change organizations/ MAJCOMs. 5. Click and complete the occupational questionnaire on USAJOBS.gov for each vacancy you apply for.
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leadership
The Civilian Expeditionary Workforce Many of our civilian logisticians possess unique or specialized skills that are needed to support contingency operations around the world. However, they may not be aware these skills can be used to volunteer for expeditionary requirements. In 2011, 10 Loggies volunteered for expeditionary requirements. In 2012, the number of volunteers jumped to 86. However, there are many more requirements than volunteers. OSD identifies new civilian requirements every day and posts them on their Civilian Expeditionary Community of Practice (COP) http:// www.cpms.osd.mil/expeditionary/. The intent is to identify a pool of volunteers who are interested, well-qualified, deployable, and vested in directly supporting the Warfighter.
Civilian Expeditionary Workforce (CEW ) is one component of a process that involves the COCOMs, our applicants, and those who are selected for contingency operations positions. Each has distinct roles and responsibilities. COCOMs define the requirements and make the final selection on all candidates. Air Force civilian employees interested in volunteering to fill a CEW requirement should download the volunteer statement from the CEW COP. Applicants are required to obtain their Wing/CC’s recommendation, their civilian personnel flight’s recommendation, their MAJCOM FAM’s recommendation, and finally their HAF FAM’s recommendation. OSD has identified that successful candidates
Erin Dunn listens as an “Iraqi official” touches on security and a stalled construction project Feb. 10, 2011, during one of several scenarios students undergo at the 11-day Civilian Expeditionary Workforce pre-deployment training course.
recognize the volatility associated with contingency support and remain flexible throughout the application and deployment process. Those fortunate to be selected to fill expeditionary requirements spend a year working side-by-side with their military colleagues. The challenge is great but the rewards and pride associated with the sacrifice are greater. For those interested in volunteering for CEW, please access the CEW CoP to learn more about the program. Randy Samples, Civilian Logistics Career, Field Manager K
New Application Process... Continued from previous page 6. If you need or want to update your resume, you must do so prior to applying for a career broadening position. Ensure the USAJOBS vacancy announcement number is included on your resume for each vacancy you apply for. 7. The new Sample Endorsement Letter, Sample Logistics Resume Format, and Career Broadener Package - Endorser are available on the logistics webpage: https:// gum-crm.csd.disa.mil/app/answers/detail/a_ id/13240/p/1,2/c/1075.
The streamlined career broadening application process makes it easier for candidates to submit their nomination packages for these unique and challenging assignments. We look forward to providing these executive developmental opportunities to broaden high-potential and exceptional civilian employees. Questions should be directed to the Logistics Career Field Team: Ms. Patricia Poole, Chief, Logistics Career Field Team, DSN: 665-1009 Mr. Ronald D. Turk, Chief, Workforce Development, DSN: 665-0213
Mr. Keith Holderfield, Chief, Workforce Management, DSN: 665-1558 Mr. Douglas Smith, Career Broadening Program Administrator, DSN: 665-2209 Ms. Gevonka Denson, Career Field Counselor, DSN: 665-2174 Ms. Angela Newcomer, Career Field Counselor, DSN: 665-2897 Randy Samples, Civilian Logistics Career, Field Manager K
33 | The Exceptional Release | SUMMER 2013
leadership
What is DCoL?
The AF Logistics Board has laid out an explicit vision for logistics workforce development, called “The Deliberate Continuum of Learning” (DCoL). DCoL is a high priority strategy to ensure the AF develops and equips logistics officers with the requisite experience and business acumen to effectively lead and transform a $17B supply chain and the even greater logistics enterprise. So, what is DCoL in laymen’s terms? DCoL is a purposeful education and focused training roadmap that supports career path progression across key logistics mission sets to include deployment & distribution, supply chain, repair network, life cycle logistics, and joint logistics. The roadmap will better align education, training, and force development throughout a logistician’s career.
Based on this comprehensive study, we will identify knowledge and skill gaps among AF logisticians and, where economically feasible, centralize logistics training to build a Logistics Center of Excellence.
In order to foster this improvement, it is important to learn more about the AF’s key logistics positions and the education, training and development required to fill them. Therefore, A4LF is conducting a strategic vision study that provides both near-term focus and a forward looking perspective.
This important study will guide our logistics community actions to ensure we are building the logistics capability required to support the AF and Joint warfighters of the future. It will allow us to suggest potential avenues, within the context of overall AF logistician career development.
Above: Airman 1st Class Manuel Fralick, left, and Senior Airman Jason Becker assist Senior Airman Justin Salinas as he loads old munitions into a shipping container at Kunsan Air Base, South Korea, Aug. 2, 2012. The 3 million pounds of ammo being shipped is worth $94 million. Fralick is with the 51st Logistics Readiness Squadron at Osan Air Base, South Korea, and Becker and Salinas are with the 8th Maintenance Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Marcus Morris)
Lt Col Eric Ellmyer, Chief, 21R Education & Training K
Airman 1st Class Ryan Lee documents issue quantity after refueling a C-17 Globemaster III at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, March 6, 2012. Airmen assigned to the fuels management flight are responsible for refueling all aircraft at Ramstein AB, 24-hours a day, seven days a week. They issued more than 130 million gallons of fuel in fiscal 2011. Lee is a fuels distribution mobile operator assigned to the 86th Logistics Readiness Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman Brea Miller)
34 | The Exceptional Release | SUMMER 2013
leadership
Centralizing Senior Leader Maintenance Course By Lieutenant Colonel Reggie Christianson
In October 2012, MAJCOM Vice Commanders proposed centralizing the Senior Leader Maintenance Course (SLMC) with the Commanders’ Professional Development School at Maxwell AFB in an attempt to create more “white space” for senior leaders and reduce TDY costs. The Air Force Council voted on this initiative and set it into motion. Following that decision, HAF/A4L led a cross functional team to redesign the SLMC into a Senior Leader Mission Generation (SLMG) Course that is slated to begin in March 2013. SLMC is an AFI 21-101, Aircraft and Equipment Maintenance Management mandated course for wing commanders and vice commanders, operations, maintenance, mission
support group commanders and deputy commanders and all Air Logistics Center equivalents. The purpose of SLMC is to strengthen teamwork between operations, maintenance and support commanders by educating wing leadership on cross-functional support in expeditionary and in-garrison environments. Previously each MAJCOM ran their own independent SLMC and senior officers traveled to different locations throughout the year. There were also several other courses they were required to attend by virtue of the position. Air University consolidated these courses and put them into a three week block at Maxwell AFB. The first week begins with the individual Group Commanders Course, followed by the Wing/Group Core Week and ending with the SLMG course.
The new SLMG Course will continue to focus on strengthening teamwork between the commanders and educating them on the support that is needed in today’s operational environment. It will be offered five times per year and is projected to have over 300 attendees a year. With these senior leaders coming to one location, it is estimated the Air Force will save nearly $400,000 a year in TDY costs. A memo was recently sent out from Lt Gen Fedder to all MAJCOM Vice Commanders allowing them to cease teaching their individual SLMCs so that they may begin to reap the benefits of these centralized courses. Furthermore, the mandate for Major Commands to operate their SLMCs will be replaced with SLMG Course in the upcoming AFI 21-101 rewrite and eliminate the need for deputies to attend. The first SLMG Course was taught 4-5 Mar 2013. About the Author: Lt Col Reggie Christianson is the Chief, 21A Education & Training. K 35 | The Exceptional Release | SUMMER 2013
leadership
Force Development? The Air Force has a multitude of personnel systems designed to assist the career field and you. For the next couple of newsletters, we will try to shed some light on the roles of these systems and what you can do to make the systems work for you. In this newsletter, we will discuss the Career Path Tool. If you haven’t seen it already; check out the Career Path Tool (CPT https:// afvec.langley.af.mil/af-cpt). In an attempt to answer the mail for the Total Force, AF/A1 is developing a solution to provide not only the capability for Career Field Managers to determine career field needs and the capabilities of the Airmen assigned, but simultaneously ad-
dress the integration issues with several other systems that will be discussed in future articles (Airmen Development Plan (ADP) program, Assignment Management System (AMS), and My Development Plan (MyDP). These systems can all be accessed through AFPC Secure (https://w20.afpc.randolph.af.mil/afpcsecurenet20/PKI/MainMenu1.aspx). CPT takes all of your past assignments and categorizes them into experience buckets, allowing your leadership to understand what you’ve done and, more importantly, what you need to do to be a better developed logistics of-
ficer. The coding of experience in CPT is done by the Logistics Force Development Team at the Pentagon. This means that no matter how “unique” your duty title is, it is translated into a standard nomenclature so the career field can compare “apples-to-apples.” The coding gives the AF the ability to “see” the career field in aggregate and make informed decisions on what the Air Force needs each officer to do for professional development in meeting the needs of the Air Force. These codes are called Airman Capabilities Management (ACM) Codes. CPT allows the DT and AFPC to use the knowledge gained by analyzing the infor-
21A Pyramid Leadership (Wing/Base Flt/CC, SPO/SPD) CJCS/J4 HAF A4/7
* AEF ECS Deployment (O-3 through O-7)
HAF A4/7 H AFMC/A4
ALC/CC
HAF/A4x COCOM/J-4
JTF/J-4
MAJCOM/J-4
COMAFFOR/J-4
HQ USAF/A4Lx
MXG/CC
Prof. Education: LOG 499, E2WC
NAF/A4
MAJCOM/A4
Developmental Assignment Special Duty
MXG/CD
Joint/OSD/DLA Developmental Assignment
Squadron Commander
Det CC
AMMOS
Flight Commander GSU
MAJCOM Staff
NAF Staff
DRU, FOA, Center
IDE: ACSC, AAD (AFIT, NPS), NWC, Fellowships Prof. Education (O-4) : AMIC, Log 199, CWPC
Special Duty (PME Instructor, AFIP, FAO)
BDE: SOS
Career Broadening/Developmental Assignments Operations Officer
Officer in Charge
Unit Equipped Strat Air
SDE: AWC, ICAF, NWC, Fellowships, DoD Schools Prof. Education (O-5) : LOG 399, LOG 492, JCL
Air Refueling
Fighter
Classic/ Active/ ARC Associate Rescue
Spec Ops
Sortie Generation
Sortie Support
Prof. Education: AMIC, CWPC, Log 199
BDE: MX Officer’s Basic Course, ASBC
1
36 | The Exceptional Release | SUMMER 2013
gillaspie & walker
21R Pyramid Leadership (Wing/Base Flt/CC, SPO/SPD) CJCS/J4 HAF A4/7
* AEF ECS Deployment (O-3 through O-7)
HAF A4/7 H AFMC/A4
ALC/CC
HAF/A4x COCOM/J-4
JTF/J-4
MAJCOM/J-4
COMAFFOR/J-4
HQ USAF/A4Lx
Grp/CC
MAJCOM/A4
NAF/A4
Prof. Education: LOG 499, E2WC
Developmental Assignment Special Duty Joint/OSD/DLA Operations Officer Det CC
Dep Grp/CC NAF MAJCOM Staff Staff Squadron Commander
Developmental Assignment
Flight Commander GSU
SDE: AWC, ICAF, NWC, Fellowships, DoD Schools Prof. Education (O-5) : LOG 399, LOG 492, JCL IDE: ACSC, AAD (AFIT, NPS), NWC, Fellowships Prof. Education (O-4) : IROC, Log 399, JCL
DRU, FOA, Center
LCBP, Acq Log Special Duty (PME Instructor, AFIP, FAO)
Wing/Base Tactical Duties: LRS AMS APS LSC COS
Wing/Base Operational Duties: LRS AMS APS LSC COS
BDE SOS
Prof. Education AAD (AFIT), ACQ, ALROC, LCBP LOG 099, LOG 199, Log 299, CWPC, JAOP, DRIS
BDE LRO Basic Course, ASBC
1
mation provided by CPT to vector personnel to the areas identified for AF requirements or individual development needs. Overall assignments are provided based on 1. the needs of the Air Force, 2. your development needs, 3. the needs of the career field, and 4. personal desires, in that order. CPT along with ADP input allows for more informed vectoring and assignments. CPT is divided into 4 modules. The first module is the Dashboard and shows any global or career field messages. The second module (Duty History) is the capability to review your duty history and an aggregated picture of your experience as coded in CPT. The third module of CPT is the career pyramid. While the pyramid itself is not unique, the capability it provides is. Not only does the pyramid highlight the types of jobs that you performed by grade, the module allows you to select different experience areas to provide
you ideas where experience can be gained by grade. For example: If you select the experience Distribution Management, the module will highlight all of the types of jobs in red that can provide that experience. The capability of the module does not end there. If you rotate the pyramid to the education side, you can see your education and general education opportunities available to you. Additionally, a click on the education block and a click on the details will give you not only your own information but also the career field’s aggregate information. The deployment side of the pyramid is still under development. The fourth module, ACM Disputes is for disputing job codes. As mentioned earlier, an action officer codes your job using a matrix rule set to ensure consistency between jobs. However, not all duty titles are clear on what a job entails, so the ACM Dispute module allows you to provide a suggestion for the coding of the job. The action officer will then adjudicate
the dispute to ensure the coding is consistent with the overall matrix rule set. While CPT works very well for the individual and the Career Field team, the system is still in development. Some of the upgrades in work are a mentoring capability to allow commanders with the ability to see the experience of the officers assigned to them for mentoring. In the following newsletters, we will cover additional personnel systems. Two final thoughts: No one will care more about your career than you, so be proactive Nothing is more important than job performance. Lt Col Tim Gillaspie, Deputy Chief, Logistics Force, Development Division Capt Joel Walker, Deputy Chief, Force Development Analysis and IT, Integration Branch K
37 | The Exceptional Release | SUMMER 2013
leadership
Logistics Readiness (LogR) SNCO Course The Air Force LogR SNCO Course was developed to broaden our SN-
Training Managers. Once the SNCO successfully completes the course,
supply chain has become more complex requiring our LogR SNCOs to
toward a CCAF degree.
COs understanding of the logistics enterprise.
Clearly, DoD’s global
be competent across multiple logistics processes. These factors neces-
sitate a focused, comprehensive, and deliberate LogR SNCO Course. Additionally, the must course meet one of the A4L strategic priorities, “to deliberately mature logistics organization and the workforce to improve performance”.
The LogR SNCO Course was created to provide SNCOs with current and relevant training to handle tactical level logistics enterprise challenges.
The course
signed
to
curriculum SNCOs
is
in
he or she will receive a training certificate and earn 7 semester hours
Personnel in the grades of MSgt through CMSgt in any Logistics Read-
iness AFSC (2F0, 2G0, 2S0, 2T0, 2T1, 2T2, 2T3) and equivalent LogR civilians are eligible for enrollment. Interested personnel should register
through their Unit Training Managers. LogR SNCO Course validation began in November 2012 and will end upon completion of 30 student
surveys or one year from the course start date, whichever comes first. After validation, the course will become mandatory for award of the 9-skill level.
de-
nel
engage active
to the mandatory date will be
material. As SNCOs
g r a n d f a t h e re d
progress through the
as well as those
curriculum, they gain
personnel
insight into the wide of
Logistics
level
ron Superintendent,
blocks with an examination at the end of each block. Students schedule
exams at their education office in coordination with their respective Unit
38 | The Exceptional Release | SUMMER 2013
guidance
can be found in
with a focus on tac-
that is offered through ADLS. The course curriculum is delivered in five
students
tion
operations
The LogR SNCO Course is a self-paced, six-month, web-based course
137
Further applica-
of
Readiness enlisted responsibilities and functions.
ap-
course.
are able to provide an
tical level Logistics
are
enrolled in the
of the course, SNCOs
logistics
there
proximately
staff
functions. By the end
view
to
valida-
tion. Currently,
QA Manager, Squad-
enterprise
prior
course
ship functions such as
various
who
hold the 9-skill
Readiness key leader-
and
completing
the course prior
learning of enterprise
array
Person-
the
Education
and Training Course Announcement on ADLS. Contact 344trs.log-r@ us.af.mil or DSN 945-7846 for information on course administration
procedures or CMSgt Pamela Rathers at pamela.rathers@pentagon.af.mil
or DSN 227-8137 for any other questions. K
leadership
New Fuels Courses Released to Supplement Fuels Operation Readiness Capability Equipment Training Taking advantage of training opportunities can help broaden one’s perspective, hone deployment skills, and provide a brief introduction to new types of support equipment. It is an activity we need to take advantage of and exploit. As a community, we have leveraged the computer based training (CBT) environment to provide our experts this type of training. In December 2012, two new pre-deployment courses were released by the Fuels Community through Advanced Distributed Learning Service (ADLS), which can be accessed via the Air Force Portal. Both courses are located under the ADLS Gateway tab, AFCESA Virtual Learning Center module and can be found under the Logistics Training category. 1. Fuels Support Equipment (FSE) Mission Readiness Spares Package (MRSPs) Familiarizes fuels personnel with managing a MRSP. The course outlines the purpose and importance of accurate asset management by covering the processes associated with inventory, storage, and issue of assets from the MRSP kit. The course material takes users from the Airman 1st Class Anthony Goodwin pours a jet fuel sample into a recycling container inside deployment phase to the procedures needed to reconstitute the fuels laboratory at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Nov. 7, 2012. The recycled fuel is then reintroduced into the main storage tank for future use in aircraft. Goodwin is a fuels the kit’s inventory. laboratory technician with the 52nd Logistics Readiness Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo/
2. Tactical Automated Service Station (TASS) Acquaints fuels personnel with the TASS by going over the system’s major components, their function, and how they interface with other components on the TASS. Additionally, the course runs through
inspection and SETUP procedures, system operation, shutting down the unit, and preparing TASS for shipment and storage. Prerequisites exist for both courses, focusing on fuels personnel who have been awarded their 5-skill level (2F051) and completed the FORCE CBTs Parts 1 and 2. Furthermore, both MRSP and TASS CBTs require completion prior to attending the inresidence FORCE course at Sheppard AFB. Additionally, the MRSP and TASS CBTs will require completion prior to attending the Petroleum Logistics Management Course. These new requirements are outlined in the JFAFS, FORCE SETUP Team, Unit Type Code Mission Capability Description and currency must be maintained for those postured against this UTC. Refresher training will be accomplished every two-years or when tasked to deploy as a member of a Fuels Operation Readiness Capability Equipment SETUP Team. With the introduction of these two new courses, fuels personnel will possess the knowledge and information needed to successfully use and manage these pieces of Fuels Support Equipment.
Senior Airman Tyler Fontane, 99th Logistics Readiness Squadron fuels lab technician, rotates fuel through a hose to ensure it is serviceable during the Logistics Compliance Assessment Program inspection at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., Aug. 23, 2012. Members of the 99th LRS are assessed in three categories: evaluations, inspections, and observations. (Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Christopher Hubenthal)
CMSgt Shayne Somavia, Fuels Career Field Manager K
39 | The Exceptional Release | SUMMER 2013
from the flightline
A Collection of Experts: DLA Team Leading the Modernization of Logistics Systems By Lieutenant Colonel Scott Hopper The DLA Logistics Management Standards Office (DLMSO) has headed the transformation of logistics systems for 26 years. This exceptional collection of experts has led the Department through an impressive modernization effort. DLMSO leads modernization of the business processes and supporting transaction formats that govern DoD logistics. A common data language is needed for transactions to convey requisition, inventory, transportation, billing, and other data among the different information systems of the military services and defense agencies. The Defense Logistics Management Standard (DLMS) is that common language.
The modernization mission began when the DoD directed the replacement of the 1960s-era technology used for logistics data exchange. A 1987 study recommended the DoD replace fixed-length transaction formats with a variable length commercial standard. “We were all proponents of ANSI X12,” said Ellen Hilert. Hilert was with DLMSO when the modernization effort began. “Variable length transactions allow us to support new data requirements and business process enhancements that weren’t possible with the old standard.” The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) chartered the X12 committee to develop uniform methods for inter-industry electronic exchange of business transactions. Using the ANSI X12 data standard, DLA HQ. (Photo courtesy of Lt Col Hopper)
40 | The Exceptional Release | SUMMER 2013
hopper the DoD adopted the Defense Logistics enterprise standard. “We are excited to see Using the ANSI X12 data Management System – a.k.a., the DLMS a date for compliance,” said D.C. Pipp, the (pronounced “delms”). The initial transition Director of DLMSO. Pipp, started workstandard, the DoD adopted the plan stated “to avoid the trauma and expense ing with DLMS in 2002 when he assumed Defense Logistics Management of a ‘turn-key’ implementation, a more subtle the duties of the Deputy to the Assistant System – a.k.a., the DLMS migration to the DLMS will occur. I had no Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Sup(pronounced “delms”). idea we would still be implementing DLMS ply Chain Integration. “This is the sharp23-years later,” Hilert stated. Her two deest group of logisticians I have ever worked cades of experience in logistics standards with,” Pipp stated. “I am very confident that and supply processes is unmatched in the DoD. “We thought it might we have the right team on board to meet the challenge of full DLMS take 10-years,” said Dale Yeakel, a DLMSO support contractor. Yeakel implementation by 2019.” started working data exchange for DLA in 1968; he is the original author of the DoD Directive that established DLMSO as the Depart- About the author: Lt Col Scott Hopper is the Deputy Air Force National ment’s executing agent for logistics Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) Account Manager at Headquarters, Defense Logistics Agency. He acts as the standards. DLA focal point for Air Force business, customer readiness and logistics support. Lt Col HopInitiatives like Radio Frequency In 2003, an OSD memo directed, “effecper is a 1997 graduate of the Air Force Reserve Identification Data (RFID) and tive Jan 1, 2005 all information exchanges Officer Training Corps at the University of among DoD systems shall use the DLMS Item Unique Identification Connecticut. A career Logistics Officer, he has ANSI X12.” To action officers, the short served in a variety of logistics assignments at Data (IUID) require DLMS timeline seemed unrealistic given the numthe joint and wing levels. K transactions to be fielded ber of logistics systems still operating in successfully. fixed-length formats. “While the timeline was ambitious, OSD paved the way for integrating new technology in logistics business practices,” Heidi Daverede said. Initiatives like Radio Frequency Identification Data (RFID) and Item Unique Identification Data (IUID) require DLMS transactions to be fielded successfully. Daverede is a pioneer in modernizing data exchange. Over the past 23-years she has led EDI transformation in both transportation and supply with five different DoD Components. DLMS experts like of Hilert, Yeakel and Daverede have succeeded in modernization. Seventy three percent of logistics transactions going through the Defense Automated Addressing System are DLMS variable length transactions. That equates to 137 million DLMS transactions a month. A breakthrough came with the release of the 2013 USD (AT&L) Acquisition and Logistics Functional Business Strategy. The strategy’s business requirements focus on transaction efficiencies and established full DLMS The 19 people on the DLMSO team have a combined 260 years of experience working Electronic Data Interchange (EDI). Eight compliance by 2019 as an of them have been working EDI for more than 20 years. (Photo courtesy of Lt Col Hopper)
41 | The Exceptional Release | SUMMER 2013
from the flightline
LRS Meets the Blackhawk By 1st Lieutenant John S. Whitehouse Airmen in today’s Air Force are expected to be ready for a host of challenges. The nature of today’s threats is diverse and can appear without warning. LRS personnel are key players in today’s fight. From managing supply warehouses, to maintaining Air Force motor transportation, to ensuring deployed personnel are where they need to be in a timely manner, the LRS needs to be ready for whatever challenges arise in completing the Air Force mission. During the summer and fall of 2012, Airmen from DavisMonthan AFB took part in the “Dog Tag Days of Summer.” The training was established by 42 | The Exceptional Release | SUMMER 2013
Davis-Monthan Airmen lift off and guard the LZ during October’s “Dog Days of Summer”. (Photo by TSgt Anthony Ashbeck, 355 CES)
Lt Col Kjäll Gopaul. Being a Pathfinder and former Army officer, Lt Col Gopaul worked with the Arizona Army National Guard 2-285 Aviation Regiment to bring their rotary assets to Davis-Monthan. UH-60 Black Hawks trained Air Force personnel in helicopter sling loading operations, MEDEVAC litter carries, tactical passenger loading, hot re-fueling operations, and landing zone establishment/operations. While transporting people and equipment using helicopters is typically a US Army function,
While transporting people and equipment using helicopters is typically a US Army function, the distinction between Army and Air Force core activities can be blurred in a deployed environment.
the distinction between Army and Air Force core activities can be blurred in a deployed environment. As 11 years of the Global War on Terror and Overseas Contingency Operations have demonstrated, today’s Airmen need to be prepared to adapt to whatever complexities the mission demands. Sling loading cargo onto a hovering helicopter is one deployment competency Airmen can learn. Knowing how to do this important process properly promotes the safety of all personnel involved. Aerial Transporters (those with the 2T2 AFSC or “Port Dawgs”) from the 355th Logistics Readiness Squadron (LRS) took part in the training sessions in August, September and October of 2012. In total, nine 2T2s, five Logistics Readiness Officers (21Rs) and civilians from the 355 LRS have received this training. Airmen going through the training start by driving out to an austere landing strip used for helicopter operations. The pre-flight training ensures the Airmen are properly outfitted with eye and ear protection, dog tags, and a rubberized M16 or equivalent weapon. Helicopter
whitehouse loading operations begin in folding chairs used to simulate the passenger seating configuration of a Black Hawk helicopter. Airmen are then broken up into “chalks” where they practice chalk loading, strapping in, flying and exiting the helicopter while maintaining the correct weapons posture. Upon exiting the simulated helicopter, the chalk practices securing the Landing Zone (LZ) by going to a prone supported firing position. Once the LZ is secured, the on-loading chalk commences with taking
Airmen are then broken up into “chalks” where they practice chalk loading, strapping in, flying and exiting the helicopter while maintaining the correct weapons posture.
the empty seats while the prone chalk remains to protect the LZ. Airmen practice each of these steps several times until everyone is comfortable with the entire process. The UH-60s arrive and the Airmen are ready to swiftly execute what they have been taught. Upon landing, the aircraft crew members observe and assist with the buckling process while confirming all are properly secured. The “thumbs up” signal is given and the Black Hawks depart the LZ. Upon landing, the Airmen swiftly exit the UH-60s where they hold fast to their folding chair training, hitting the ground immediately after exiting the aircraft while another team moves into the helicopter in behind them. SSgt Joseph Primas, a 2T2 with the 355 LRS commented that, “the training was a unique experience to say the least. The fact it was a joint training experience was even better.” He went on to say that, “some of our people that are deployed or are deploying to FOBs would, and will, benefit from this experience.” Following passenger on-load and off-load training, the Airmen conduct sling loading with the hovering Black Hawks. During this day’s training event, 2T2s loaded A-22 bags containing water barrels and High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWVs) underneath a hovering Black Hawk. The 2T2s attach the load to the cargo hook of the aircraft; ensure a good connection, and the Black Hawk takes-off with the load. Upon the cargo’s return, the pilot releases the load and the 2T2s re-rigged the load in preparation for the next sortie. MSgt Derrick Evans, Air Terminal Manager at Davis-Monthan AFB said of the training,
...[B]eing able to do this training in a low-threat environment is the correct way to enable our warriors for a highly intense operation
355 CES Airmen board a UH-60 Black Hawk in on-load and offload training held at Davis-Monthan AFB in October 2012. (Photo by TSgt Anthony Ashbeck, 355 CES)
“In my own experience during deployment, sling loading was conducted with only a safety briefing. It was very scary. Having the opportunity to slow down the process and have someone explain everything that’s going to happen before it happens, makes the event much safer. It’s not your first time seeing and executing the task. For our 2T2s, it’s very likely that they may deploy to a joint location and
Ü 43 | The Exceptional Release | SUMMER 2013
from the flightline | lrs meets the blackhawk work with the Army, Special Forces, etc. So, being able to do this training in a low-threat environment is the correct way to enable our warriors for a highly intense operation.” The 355 LRS logisticians continued training with MEDEVAC litter carries. In these litter carries, four-person teams lift a casualty on a stretcher into and out of the UH-60 with rotors turning. The teams used hand-and-arm signals to overcome the noise from the engines and rotors. They worked in sync to fight the rush of air coming down from the rotors. POL personnel also played a key role in the training. The 355 LRS Fuels Flight certified personnel on hot refueling procedures during the training. MSgt Morrison, Section Chief of Fuels Operations for the 355 LRS, was grateful to have the chance to train on Black Hawk helicopters. “We were able to have seven of our folks certified in hot refuels as a part of this training event. Doing this training on our own base with Army airframes is a great opportunity to gain experience with Joint equipment and capabilities.” As aircraft completed a series of sorties, Lt Deanna Franzen, OIC for 355 LRS Trans-
44 | The Exceptional Release | SUMMER 2013
portation Operations, would divert the Black Hawks to the Forward Area Arming and Refuel Point (FAARP) using a tactical radio, and then re-integrate them back into the pattern upon their return. “This was a rare opportunity to lead operationally outside of the AOR. It was my first time talking to and directing aircraft using a VHF radio. My job here was to ensure the helicopters were maintaining a steady rate of training while monitoring their fuel consumption. My ability to make quick decisions under operational stress was tested and proved here. This training provided a fantastic opportunity to practice making such decisions in a real world environment.” While the average 2T2 Airman may not regularly encounter operations like sling loading, knowing these vital skills makes these Airmen an integral part of the joint fight. This training gave 355 LRS’s logisticians a valuable opportunity to take part in a joint training event that maximizes joint effectiveness in a deployed environment. Sling loading saves time by moving cargo directly where it needs to go and provides immediate movement of tactically important ground assets. Additionally, sling loading allows ground operators to overcome cargo and equipment obstacles that hinder
other modes of movement. Further, helicopter sling loading operations are used extensively in ship-to-shore movement of cargo during amphibious operations, movement of supplies and equipment over the battlefield, vertical replenishment of ships and firepower emplacement across a battlefield. The training not only provided valuable training to the 355 LRS, but gave the Army aviators time in the air and experience conducting required sling load training. The 355 LRS now has sling loading in their expeditionary toolbox to employ whenever they’re called upon to support the Warfighter, “355 LRS… Out in Front!” About the author: 1st Lt John S. Whitehouse is the 355th Logistics Readiness Squadron Vehicle Maintenance Flight Commander. Lt Whitehouse graduated from the United States Merchant Marine Academy in 2010 and received his commission upon graduation. His first and current assignment is Davis-Monthan AFB. K Davis-Monthan Personnel move away from a UH-60 lifting a HMMWV. (Photo by TSgt Anthony Ashbeck, 355 CES
from the flightline
The Health of Your Support Section is Impacting the Health of Your Fleet By 1st Lt James Bowron
Every unit tracks lost duty days due to mishaps and incidents. We also try to capture the amount of time our maintainers spend behind computer screens working on Computer Based Training (CBT). Yet, how many of us evaluate other day-to-day support operations and their impact on the amount of time our maintainers spend on the flightline working? When was the last time you watched shift turnover or stood in line in the tool room with your maintainers? Whether it is a lost tool requiring a thorough search, SrA Samantha Whisman looks over her tools before preparing an F-22 Raptor for a training mission standing in line, damaged tools, or simply a lack of during Red Flag at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. (USAF photo by TSgt Michael R. Holzworth) tools, a support section with issues will remove your maintainers from the flightline for more time than ing. After a few weeks of hard work and many long hours, we had a any CBT. pretty good handle on the programs that needed shoring up. The fixes I was introduced to this firsthand when I was selected to be the OIC of the AMXS support flight at Ellsworth AFB to prepare for a LCAP Re-look Inspection. After my initial analysis, the biggest areas that needed overhaul were: the broken tools program, the spare tools program, the shop stock/expendable supplies program, the shop use only tools, the equipment account, the hazardous material/ waste program, TC-Max, and housekeep-
... [T]he biggest areas that needed overhaul were: the broken tools program, the spare tools program, the shop stock/expendable supplies program, the shop use only tools, the equipment account, the hazardous material/waste program, TC-Max, and housekeeping.
46 | The Exceptional Release | SUMMER 2013
we enacted proved to be very effective, and carried the flight to a 97% inspection pass rate during the LCAP Re-look. A support section is all too easy to neglect. A medium to large support section must run with good efficiency, otherwise you will incrementally take thousands of maintenance man-hours away from your fleet every year. I calculated that the issues we were having at Ellsworth were costing the flightline between 1,000 and
bowron 2,000 man-hours every month. Can your • Neglect will go unnoticed until it’s too late A medium to large support maintenance operation deal with that kind to make easy changes of lost productivity? A tool room functionsection must run with good • A poor support section will make it very ing with average efficiency will never get efficiency, otherwise you will difficult for flightline ops to run smoothly noticed, nor will it adversely impact your incrementally take thousands of operations, however, a poor tool room will • The flight chief or OIC needs to be somemaintenance man-hours away cause you an incredible amount of lost proone with strategic vision, who can support ductivity. No tool room will ever be perfect, from your fleet every year. the flight, and understand the needs of the QA will always be able to find a write-up flightline if they look hard enough; however, keeping your tool room in top-shape will ensure that • Adherence to AFI 21-101 is critical to your maintainers spend more of their time working the jets than standkeep the tool room running efficiently ing in line or searching for lost tools. • Proper management of equipment accounts is important The MXG and AMXS leadership at Ellsworth decided that the lost • Quality tools help produce quality maintenance productivity directly attributable to the AMXS support flight was too much, and implemented far reaching changes to the processes, people, and attitudes in the flight. Even after passing the LCAP Re-look, enormous effort was required to finish institutionalizing the changes essential to make the flight function with efficiency. The effort and money put into the flight has proven to be well worth it. Lost tool events are a bi-monthly occurrence, morale is high, and flightline maintainers now spend less time waiting for tools than ever before. Here are some lessons learned as well as some AFSO21 Events that may help your Support Sections.
Lessons learned: •
Support sections must be consistently and properly manned with good workers
•
Proper accountability in the tool room is essential
•
Tool abuse by maintainers can be reduced by instituting mandatory rotations through the tool room for all E1-E3 maintainers
AFSO21 Events Reorganization of the tool room at Ellsworth AFB, SD. The layout of the tool room was not conducive to easy check-in or check-out of tools and equipment. There were no designated lines for tool checkin or check-out. Each flightline maintainer stood in the same line and waited for their turn. This posed a few problems for the Airmen working the counters. It forced them to constantly shift mentalities from checking tools out, to checking tools in. Checking tools out is much easier, and requires less concentration than check-in, and switching from that mentality to inventorying large amounts of tools upon check-in, causes issues of accountability when the counter worker skips over a missing tool or misreads a MIL or discrepancy sheet. Additionally, the tool room only ran three terminals at the same time. For a flight supporting a unit of 700+ members, and processing 1,500 TCMax transactions daily, this created exceptionally long wait times. Finally, the computers in the tool room only
SSgt Robert Wilson reaches for a tool in the consolidated tool crib at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. The consolidated tool shop is made up of Airmen in the 15th Aircraft Maintenance and 735th Air Mobility squadrons. (USAF photo by SrA Gustavo Gonzalez)
Ü
47 | The Exceptional Release | SUMMER 2013
from the flightline | health of your support.. had one monitor, which prevented the people receiving the tools to see that the CTKs were being properly assigned to them. We reorganized the tool room to have two distinct areas, one for check-in and one for check-out. We designed the flow, with existing doors, so that no one would ever be fighting traffic while dragging tool boxes through the doors. There were distinct entrances and exits for both lines. We more than doubled the number of computer terminals available from three to seven. We set up three for each section of the tool room, with one in the middle to make it easy to switch from check-in to check-out or vice versa depending on demand. Most of the time, the shift supervisor occupied this computer terminal so he/she could maintain visibility over tool room operations. The final action we took was to turn each station into a dual monitor setup with one facing the counter worker, and the other facing the maintainer. The dual monitor set up SrA Fred Egan performs a daily tool inventory inspection at an air base in Southwest Asia. All tools are inspected within allowed the flightline maintainer the tool shed prior to a shift change to ensure accountability. (USAF photo by SSgt Joshua Garcia) to verify that the TC-Max transthan about three computers. The AMXS actions were accurate. The new We set up three for each support flight was processing between 800 tool room setup allows the counter workers section of the tool room, with and 1,500 tool transactions daily, and found to focus on one task during the heaviest dethat the system was only able to handle three mand without being forced to switch back one in the middle to make it computers at a time. This forced people to and forth. It allows the maintainers clear easy to switch from checkwait in line for 90-120 minutes every day. traffic flow to speed them through their tool in to check-out or vice versa Compounding the issue was the fact that turnovers, and the dual monitor setup gives depending on demand. the database would corrupt 2-3 times a day. the tool room workers a second set of eyes to Depending on the severity of the corrupverify the accuracy of their work. tion, the flight would lose transaction data Revamp of the tool accountability system in use by the tool for anywhere from 10 minutes to 2 hours. The worst event corrupted room. When TAS lost funding in the late 2000s the 28th MXG made over three weeks of data. When these corruptions happened, the flight the decision to switch to TC-Max as an interim solution until ECSS would have to send personnel out to the flightline to locate all the items came online. At that point ECSS was still viable and was expected to that were now considered unaccounted for. Hundreds of man-hours be fully operational within a couple of years. The MXG did not want were being lost weekly, just in the support flight. After talking to the to invest an excessive amount of money into the new system because company that makes TC-Max, I discovered that we were operating the it was supposed to be a stop-gap measure until ECSS was pushed out. database ten-fold beyond the capabilities of Microsoft Access. We were Therefore, the group went with the most economical solution available also told that there was a better way of running the database for such from the people who make TC-Max. It involved using an access da- large amounts of data transfer. Ellsworth bought a dedicated server, tabase to store transaction data on a shared network drive, while still maintained by the 28th Communications Squadron, to run the new TCallowing multiple computers to have access simultaneously. This solu- Max database. The database designed for large numbers of transactions tion was cheap and proved to be very effecis called Microsoft SQL or “sequel� and can tive for most of the support sections within handle hundreds of simultaneous connecEllsworth bought a dedicated the MXG. However, within a year of the tions and thousands of simultaneous transserver, maintained by the 28th system coming online, the support flight in actions. This purchase allowed the AMXS Communications Squadron, to AMXS began to struggle. Microsoft Access tool room to run seven terminals dedicated is not designed for simultaneous and conrun the new TC-Max database. only to flightline related tool turnover, one tinuous heavy data transfers utilizing more terminal dedicated to the equipment ac48 | The Exceptional Release | SUMMER 2013
bowron count, one terminal dedicated to the PMEL custodian, and one terminal for the TO custodian; for ten total computers all accessing the same database at the same time. Part 2 of TC-Max revamp. Worldwide Identification (WWIDs) numbers were previously entered into the user interface of TC-Max by hand. This left the system open to human error, either from misreading a label, “fat fingering” the number, or from a WWID becoming illegible. The flight pushed for the purchase of bar code scanners and the associated support equipment required to make bar code labels. The flight researched and found that it was possible to print bar codes made of plastic. The obvious advantages are that oil, grease, fuel and maintainer’s hands cannot degrade the bar code at the same rate as barcodes printed on paper. In addition, new technology allowed the flight to buy scanners capable of scanning 2D bar codes – the square bar codes you see in magazines and in shop windows that you scan with cell phones. These 2D bar codes can be the size of a dime, allowing even very small items to be tagged. Additionally, it is possible to laser etch the bar codes onto tools, provided the tool isn’t too shiny (i.e. made of chrome). The last benefit of having scanners is that the common access card every military member now carries can be scanned instead of using a man-number. Combined with the reorganization of the tool room traffic pattern, and the improved TC-Max system, the wait times were cut from about 2 hours a day for each maintainer, to approximately 30 minutes per day. Maglite flashlight battery consumption. The flight constantly fielded complaints that the batteries in the Maglites went dead during maintenance on the jet. We tried implementing a rule where every Maglite being checked-in would be tested for light output before going back on the shelf or in the tool box. However, due to the cold winters in
South Dakota, even a fresh set of batteries could die during a single shift. Additionally, the light output of a three D-Cell Maglite was not great, which would lead to poor nighttime pre/post-flight inspections. With a dim light, damage, bird strikes and loose fasteners would not always be spotted. Finally, the support flight was consuming approximately 500 D-Cell batteries each month to keep our fleet of 250 Maglites in good working order. I researched numerous options and settled on changing every flashlight to a rechargeable LED flashlight. Through multiple phone inquiries I found that the company Streamlight gave us the best quote for 250 new LED flashlights with charging stations that could handle five flashlights at a time. Taking into consideration that we would have to replace the batteries in the new flashlights an average of every two years, combined with the initial cost of the purchase, just the money savings from not buying 500 D-Cell batteries every month, the new flashlights would pay for themselves in 12 years. I know that’s not very impressive, however, the impressive part of the equation is that in those 12 years, we would save about 70,000 D-Cell batteries from going to the landfill. 70,000 D-Cell batteries would weigh over 10 tons, and if they were laid out on the floor, would cover almost 8,000 square feet. About the Author: 1st Lt James Bowron is an Aircraft Maintenance Officer assigned to Det 93 of the 495th Fighter Group at Homestead ARB. He has served as the Ops Officer for the Munitions Squadron, Flight Commander in Fabrication, MX, Support, Production, Storage, and deployed Munitions Flight. He is currently the Maintenance OIC for the TFI efforts between the 495th FG and the 482nd MXG. K A1C Eric Smith and SSgt Walter Nogra gather tools to perform maintenance on a B-1B Lancer at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D. (USAF photo by SSgt Desiree N. Palacios)
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from the flightline
Strategic Pivot: Logistics Strengthen Asia-Pacific Relations By Captain Steve Massara and Captain Mike Nishimura
Enduring Importance With the recent strategic pivot in United States foreign policy to the Asia-Pacific region, the importance of friends and allies has never been more crucial to our nation’s joint security and prosperity. The US Air 50 | The Exceptional Release | SUMMER 2013
TSgt Jeremy Humphries stands-by while his interpreter explains a diagram in the TO as RTAF students look on. TSgt Humphries instructed three engine and propeller based classes. (Photo Capt Steve Massara)
Force has many programs that help strengthen these international friendships and alliances around the globe and the Military Personal Exchange Program (MPEP) Asia-Pacific region is one such program. MPEP offers over 33 positions in seven countries in the region, many of which represent the full breadth of the logistics community. In Thailand alone there are: F-16 maintenance; C-130 maintenance; and logistics exchange officers all working directly with the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) either at the headquarters or wing level. As cooperation between Thailand and the United States celebrates its 180th year, the relationship continues to be strong and continuously expanding. In 2003, President George W. Bush designated Thailand as a major non-NATO ally helping to further secure Thailand as a pivotal nation in the region. Additionally, the 2012 Joint Vision Statement for the Thai-US Defense Alliance states, “the Thai-US defense alliance supports Thailand’s position as a regional leader...and the United States’ enduring presence in the Asia-Pacific.” This ongoing strong relationship provides numerous opportunities for growth and mutual benefit for both countries.
Logistics Partnering The RTAF base at Don Muang has its very own LOA chapter started in 2011 by Capt Michael Nishimura, a USAF MPEP Logistics Readi-
Massara & nishimura ness Officer. Since the RTAF has a strong in the unit since the final aircraft acquisition The RTAF 601st Squadron has cadre of skilled logistics officers, many of in 1992. Much of the training comes in the whom have served as exchange officers and form of On-The-Job (OJT) training and from operated C-130s for over 30 foreign liaison officers at bases such as Hill the NCO corps. All aircraft technical data is years, yet still confronts many AFB and Wright-Patterson AFB, setting up in English, thus presenting yet another chalof the same maintenance and a LOA chapter in Thailand seemed fitting. lenge for maintainers with only basic knowllogistics challenges that USAF The mission of the local Siam Chapter is to edge of English. Recognizing this deficit was develop logistics professionals in both the easy, but coordinating a training event proved units face. RTAF and the USAF. One of the goals of to be more challenging. After almost 2 years the chapter is to send a RTAF logistics ofof coordination, USAF MPEP Thailand officer to the annual LOA conference in the United States. The hope is to ficers and USAF members from Joint Unites States Military Advisory share best practices and help further cement friendly relations between Group sought to address this training deficit by working with a variety of “loggies” from both nations. US Defense and State Department offices. Ultimately, funding became available and a group of nine, highly-qualified C-130 Mobile Training Another critical aspect of strengthening the ties between the two coun- Team (MTT) instructors from Little Rock AFB arrived to teach for tries involves the Royal Thai Air Force C-130 fleet. Through Foreign twenty days of formal classroom and hands-on instruction. Military Sales (FMS), the RTAF procured twelve aircraft starting in 1981 and continues to use this reliable airframe for a variety of military Formal Training and humanitarian missions. The RTAF 601st Squadron has operated C130s for over 30 years, yet still confronts many of the same maintenance The MTT arrived in early February and immediately set about adapting and logistics challenges that USAF units face. Use of proper personal their curriculum to the realities of maintaining aircraft at the RTAF’s protective equipment (PPE), use of Technical Orders (TO), and access 601st Squadron. The MTT willingly adjusted their class duration and to suitable tools and test equipment creates a challenging maintenance content to the requests made by RTAF leadership. Seven classes were environment. Catastrophic floods in 2011 further compounded this taught including: engine backshop, engine flightline, propeller maintechallenge, subsequently destroying much of the unit’s maintenance in- nance, electric and environmental, hydraulics/fuels, and aircraft general/ aircraft rigging. The nature of the RTAF division of labor between the frastructure to include backshop support equipment. various specialties accounted for this specific combination of classes. Most fundamental to improving maintenance practices was a focus on formal training. There had been no regularly occurring formal training Previous experience with visiting USAF units called for Thai language interpreters to be used for every hour of instruction in order to facilitate questions and to afford our Thai counterparts full understanding of the material. While slides were presented in English, the MTT provided custom made notebooks for students to take notes in their native language. Furthermore, RTAF leadership emphasized the importance of using diagrams and schematics as well as hands-on OJT. The interpreters relayed critical information and details to the RTAF team, especially when conducting large-scale maintenance operations After hours of classroom instruction and answering questions, the MTT instructors were ready to lead OJT. SSgt Curtis Franklin led the efforts by using translators to direct the installation of a flap. (Photo Capt Steve Massara)
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from the flightline | strategic pivot such as installing an outboard flap. SSgt Curtis Franklin, who led the flap installation, remarked that it was an “opportunity to demonstrate the theory of maintenance practices and safety principles taught in the classroom in a real practical world situation…[the] RTAF maintainers learned reliance on safety principles and technical data.” After spending a month embedded with the RTAF, members of the MTT remarked about how skillful the RTAF maintainers are considering their circumstances. “The skill of the RTAF maintainers overall was very high…we showed them a few small things that should go a long way to eliminating some of the problems they are facing…having said that, what they are able to accomplish with the limited resources they have is nothing short of amazing,” said SMSgt Nathan Lakin, Detachment Chief, 373 TRS, Detachment 4. Overall, the month-long MTT was deemed a success by both US and Thai leadership. Noted improvements were made in PPE use, TO usage, and use of properly calibrated equipment. Air Marshall Thammanit Singasa, the three-star equivalent Director of the RTAF’s Directorate of Aeronautical Engineering (DAE), presided over the graduation ceremony with over 100 graduates from operational, intermediate, and depot level maintenance. Squadron Leader Puttinun Mahayossanun, 601st Squadron Maintenance Officer who was a former RTAF exchange officer stationed at Little Rock AFB, remarked, “I am very happy with the outcome; the USAF MTT members were great role models and shared much knowledge with members of our unit.” Squadron leader Mahayossanun hopes to have the training occur every 2 years.
Lifelong Friends While the MTT provided much needed formal training to the RTAF’s 601st Squadron, more intangible benefits were also noted. A common passion for maintaining the mighty “Herc” was apparent and transcended nationality throughout the training. TSgt Jacob Hicks reflected that “seeing the ‘light bulb’ turn on [and the] RTAF maintainer’s understanding
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of a newly explained topic brought tremendous job satisfaction.” Many young RTAF maintainers were elated to be able to practice speaking English, especially about aircraft and the USAF. Finally, the MTT ate meals every day at the unit’s cantina, sharing food while listening to Thai music and learning about Thai culture. SMSgt Lakin summarized it best, “We both learned from each other, took away valuable lessons, and made great friends… this is something my team and I will never forget, and are very proud to have been part of [this program].” Squadron Leader Mahayossanun echoed SMSgt Lakin’s sentiment, “we are a great team and we certainly made life-long friends.” The relationship between the United States Air Force and the Royal Thai Air Force remains strong because of lasting bonds of common interest and friendship furthered by a strategic pivot. With special care and focus, the friendship between these two countries will likely be blessed with another 180 years of cooperation. About the Authors: Captain Steve Massara is the Royal Thai Air Force C-130 Maintenance Exchange Officer stationed at Don Muang Air Force Base, Bangkok, Thailand. He is the current Siam LOA Chapter Vice-President and past Northern Lights Chapter Vice-President. He served four years at Joint-Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska before attending the Defense Language Institute in 2011. Captain Mike Nishimura is the Royal Thai Air Force Logistics Exchange Officer stationed at Don Muang Air Force Base, Bangkok, Thailand. He works at the RTAF’s Headquarters in their Foreign Military Procurement Division. Capt Nishimura is the Siam LOA Chapter President. He served as an Embedded Team Trainer in Afghanistan before attending the Defense Language Institute in 2009. K Following the MTT graduation ceremony with over 100 RTAF graduates, it was time for a photo. The MTT provided the first formal training for the RTAF 601st Squadron in over twenty years (Photo Capt Steve Massara)
Author Name足
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from the flightline
Fifteen F-22 Raptors from the 90th Fighter Squadron at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Cynthia Spalding)
BP Alaska Maintenance Team Visits US Air Force Flightline at Anchorage’s JBER By Mr. Frank E. Baker BP Alaska’s operations and maintenance team visited the crew of the 3rd Maintenance Group on the flightline at Anchorage’s Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson ( JBER). Crews with the 3rd Maintenance Group at Anchorage’s Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson ( JBER) review a final checklist before releasing the world’s most advanced fighter aircraft, the F-22 Raptor, for duty. Six hundred miles to the north at Prudhoe Bay, maintenance teams and integrity specialists with BP Alaska review inspection data on powerful gas turbine engines inside the largest facility of its kind in the world – the Central Compression Plant (CCP). Comparisons would seem unlikely. One group of people work on a sophisticated aircraft powered by two engines — each capable of delivering 54 | The Exceptional Release | SUMMER 2013
35,000 lbs. of thrust that can hurl a pilot across the sky at more than twice the speed of sound. The other focuses its attention on a stationary bank of large gas turbine engines that compress gas up to 4,500 lbs. per square inch. But those who think the two have little in common would be wrong. From the perspective of crews responsible for ongoing maintenance, there are similarities, particularly when it comes to the highest priority for either organization — personal and process safety. That was one of the takeaways of Maintenance Team Lead (MTL) John Haberman during the recent visit to JBER with his BP Alaska colleagues.
“The maintenance crews on the 3rd Wing’s flightline have a very sharp focus on safety, just as we do,” says Haberman, who works at the BP Alaska-operated CCP. “While their crews are responsible for a human life (the pilot) and military assets worth millions of dollars, we are also responsible for the lives of workers in the plants and also, very valuable assets. In brief, we’re both risk managers.” “Maintenance on a fighter aircraft involves a lot of elements such as the air frame and associated controls, radar, the oxygen system and weapons systems,” says Haberman. “It became obvious to me why they need more people and their need to follow checklists to the letter, with standardized procedures worldwide.” Dave Flippo, BPXA preventative maintenance program lead, who set up the tour, is a retired lieutenant colonel in the US Air Force, where he had three assignments as an aircraft maintenance commander. “I was amazed when I started at BP Alaska by the similarities between the Air Force and BP Alaska maintenance processes,” he says. “Organizationally, there are some differences but basically, maintenance management principles are universal and it is critical to effective production,
baker whether it’s launching aircraft or producing oil. I believe it can never hurt to visit other maintenance organizations to better understand processes and practices.” “I appreciate having seen how JBER’s 3rd Wing handles their aircraft maintenance and I was able to glean some new information around better planning and scheduling,” says Eric Ernest, Gathering Center 2 MTL. “I liked how the 3rd Wing maintenance BP Alaska Maintenance Team and 3rd Maintenance Group at JBER teams analyzed “The Air force leverages the teamwork that is dictated by their organidata for future zational structure and supported by job scope, definition and accountplanning and scheduling, but it requires time and resources for folks to ability,” he says. adequately perform that function.” Ernest noted that a better apples-to-apples comparison would be benchmarking the Boeing plant where they maintain facilities and equipment used for aircraft production. “At such a facility there undoubtedly would be production interruptions that are closer to what we experience on the North Slope,” he says. Gordon Schmidt, BP Alaska’s rotating equipment technical authority, said the lines of authority at JBER are clear and accountabilities are well understood.
“The staff knows their jobs, what the deliverables are and who they are accountable to. The mission is understood by everyone and their management has clear definition of what the situation is, what decisions are required, and who has to make those decisions.” The JBER visit included a tour of the 3rd Wing Hangar 21, a C-17 aircraft undergoing a Home Station Check (Complete Aircraft Overhaul), the Engine Shop, non-destructive testing lab, Plans and Scheduling Flight office, the Maintenance Control Center and other facilities. “I’d like to attribute the success of this visit to the LOA (Logistics Officers Association) for being the primary host in putting it together,” says Flippo. “This association is a key conduit for logistics professionals to share best practices and new technologies. We look forward to having these Air Force maintenance professionals visit us on the North Slope to give them an idea of our operations and maintenance activities.” K Central Compression Plant at Prudhoe Bay. (Photo courtesy of BP).
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expeditionary logistics
SSgt Ariel Maldonado, 455 EAMXS A-10 weapons loader, postured at his DFP. (USAF photo by SSgt Jeff Nevison)
Maintainers: Defending the Flightline… Posturing for the Future
By Lieutenant Colonel Rudy W. Cardona
His adrenaline is pumping, he can feel his heart thumping, and he can see his breath rise from within his concrete fort on this crisp, autumn, Afghan night. What little is left of the moonlight shimmers within this rocky desert valley enabling points of reference to better 56 | The Exceptional Release | SUMMER 2013
aim his M-16 toward what could be enemy insurgents. Over his mobile radio he hears direction being given to others on his team dispatched to nearby areas. “DFP 6 in position,” wavers over the radio network. This is not a security forces defender or an army outpost. This is a United States Air Force aircraft maintainer defending the flightline perimeter from his Defensive Firing Position (DFP). The voices over the radio come from the Maintenance Operations Center (MOC) controllers and the Production Supervisors coordinating efforts to ensure insurgents don’t penetrate the perimeter and surge onto the flightline. Today will end well since our maintainers were well-trained
and this was only an exercise. This is just one security exercise of many conducted within the 455th Expeditionary Maintenance Group (EMXG) at Bagram Airfield. The exercise will be de-briefed, processes tightened, and the lessons-learned shared among those who have been deployed for a while, as well as for those freshly rotating into theater. And our Airmen at their DFPs, still covered with grease, oil and hydraulic fluid from troubleshooting aircraft, will return to the flightline to continue where they left off in supporting the day’s air tasking order. The use of DFPs is not new, but the faces of those manning them have changed, and the way they are used has evolved. In the past, we selected and trained security forces augmentees to man DFPs. Due to increased threats in theater and the fact that there aren’t enough Security Forces (SF) personnel to counter them all, deployed units are now responsible for protecting their own assets. As for aircraft maintenance squadrons, there are many assets to protect across expansive areas, and combat sortie generation must continue.
Cardona tions. Threat response is not limited to SF personnel. The ground combat skills and tactics area is applied to selectively armed personnel and organic UTC personnel who perform armed force protection, convoy operations and integrated defense duties. In short, “Every Airman a Sensor, Every Airman a Sentry.”
SSgts Christopher Ecle (left) and Justin Woodard, 455 EMXS’ electricians postured to protect aircraft from a ground attack. (USAF photo by SSgt Jeff Nevison)
On 14 September 2012, two Marines were killed and several more were injured when Afghan militants armed with rocket-propelled grenades and small arms breached the perimeter of Camp Bastion/Leatherneck in southern Afghanistan. The ground attack was precipitated by an indirect fire attack using rockets and/or mortars to disorient US forces. During that complex attack, buildings were damaged, an aircraft hangar was destroyed, and eight AV-8B Harriers were damaged or destroyed. The attack could be seen as an indication of fundamental changes in enemy tactics; a move away from headline-grabbing suicide attacks on personnel to the deliberate destruction of our combat capability.
are expected to fight, survive and operate from “Day-1” at our deployed locations. At deployed locations unit personnel must be prepared to identify, report and impede threat activity that occurs within their area of opera-
In most home station unit exercises, it is assumed our SFs are sufficient in number to patrol outside the wire, defend the base perimeter, and protect assets inside the wire. In reality, budget cuts, manpower reductions, Boots-On-theGround (BOG) constraints in Afghanistan, and growing threats to remaining installations as forward operating bases in the region are forcing the need to rethink that assumption.
How we organize, train and equip our units is at the heart of successful Air Force operations. This is especially true when we require personnel to perform activities outside of their core competencies. As such, improvements in all three areas should be made to better prepare maintainers to defend their assets.
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The incident at Camp Bastion is a reminder that we must be ready to defend our prime assets at the unit level. Much of our Air Force training is still locked into Cold War methods and may not realistically prepare expeditionary aircraft maintenance personnel for insurgency warfare. The enemy has changed his tactics, so Airmen must posture themselves to meet the threat. As expeditionary CMSgt Hopwood coaching maintenance SrAs Luis Rosales (left) and Sean McNabb, both engine specialists, at their DFP. Airmen, we must train the way we (USAF photo by SSgt Jeff Nevison) 57 | The Exceptional Release | SUMMER 2013
expeditionary logistics | maintainers
Organize Bagram Airfield is no stranger to insider threats, indirect fire attacks, or heightened postures in perimeter security. CMSgt Matthew Hopwood, Superintendent for the 455th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (EMXS) and architect of the maintenance group’s Flightline Defense Program (FDP believes the Air Force must re-posture if we are to meet the challenges of current and future operations. “Training is a must, because hoping the enemy doesn’t attack isn’t a plan,” said Chief Hopwood. Integrating SFs, C2 nodes, civil engineering, airfield management, and maintenance resources is an on-going effort at Bagram Airfield to properly defend the flightline and backshop aircraft maintenance infrastructure. Chief Hopwood went on to say, “Successful operations will increasingly depend on our ability to defend our assets utilizing the total team concept.”
In the wake of the tragic Camp Bastion attack, the Combined Forces Air Component Commander directed Air Expeditionary Wings (AEWs) to take a fresh look at their base defenses in light of the enemy’s change in tactics and the increased threat of ground or complex attacks. As the 455th Expeditionary Support Group continued to shore-up the base’s perimeter defenses and and the 455th Security Forces Group focused patrols outside the wire, the 455 EMXG crafted a FDP that utilized Close-Bound Sentry (CBS) tactics and stoodup DFPs to protect aircraft and maintenance facilities. At Bagram Airfield, the SF’s Flightline Sector Chief helped each maintenance squadron determine precisely where CBSs and DFPs should be placed to maximize asset protection. Tapping into SF’s expertise, maintainers learned how to identify opposing forces, overlap fields of fire, communicate effectively
to focus SFs, and minimize the potential for friendly fire. Today, when the ground attack bugle call is played over Giant Voice, armed maintainers post sentries at each aircraft and building entrance, and man DFPs to form concentric protective layers around our aircraft and facilities. Flightline vehicles serve as roving patrols, and runners position themselves to resupply ammunition. Because maintainers man fixed DFPs, the experts (SF personnel) remain mobile and ready to respond to the point of attack, wherever it may occur. Meanwhile, those directly involved in sortie generation keep working to launch and recover aircraft. After all, our prime directive is to survive and operate. Bagram Airfield’s FDP became an AFCENT benchmark during the 455 AEW’s 2012 Muli-Major Command Staff Assistance Visit and has been demonstrated for many visitors to collect lessons learned, as well as the USAFCENT Commander, the Chief Master
Maj Clarence “Mack” McRae (right of center), 455 EMXS/CC, briefs General Mark A. Welsh III and CMSAF James A. Cody at Bagram Airfield during a flightline defense demonstration. Author Lt Col Cardona is pictured on the far right. (USAF photo by SSgt David Dobrydney)
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Cardona Sergeant of the Air Force, and the Chief of Staff of the Air Force. Organizing maintenance personnel into units that are able to defend against ground attacks is not enough. They must fully integrate into the base’s larger protection effort. Both maintenance and SF organizations are optimized for managing their unique operating environments, but as maintainers take a role in active defense, there is a gap in the base defense command and control process. If forces aren’t working together, they can end up working against each other. Better links should be established between maintenance sentries and SF’s defenders to enhance attack response and mitigate friendly fire. One such example is the co-location of Bagram Airfield’s MOC and the SF’s Flightline Sector Control Center. The synergy between the two coordination cells has significantly increased command and control and situational awareness across the flightline, resulting in more precise and rapid attack responses, as well as follow-on emergency response actions.
The changing role of deployers providing point defense increases the need for defensive fire training to be recurring or targeted just prior to deployment. Train AFI 90-201, The Air Force Inspection System, specifies the need for unit defensive measures as well as exercise grading criteria, but maintenance units rarely experience the practical application of those measures as described therein. Yet training is the very foundation of successful operations. It develops instinctive responses, increases technical proficiency, and maximizes safety, especially where firearms are concerned. The changing role of deployers providing point defense increases the need for defensive fire training to be recurring or targeted just prior to deployment. For maintainers, recurring training in attack response comes in the form of Operational Readiness Exercises (OREs). Operational Readiness Inspections (ORIs) are used to evaluate a unit’s ability to meet wartime/contingency taskings, primarily through the Major Graded Areas (MGAs). According to AFI 90201, units with a wartime, or contingency, mission are rated in four MGAs: 1.) Positioning the Force; 2.) Employing the Force; 3.) Sus-
taining the Force; and 4.) Ability To Survive and Operate (ATSO) in a hostile and/or contaminated Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosives (CBRNE) Environment. The ATSO MGA is dynamic and will be applied during the conduct of all the other MGAs. It evaluates the unit’s ability to conduct the full range of contingency operations while simultaneously responding to or recovering from an enemy attack, the use of CBRNE weapons, major accidents, natural disasters, or HAZMAT incidents. Yet even the ATSO portion of the evaluation does not test a maintenance unit’s ability to defend an area or operate against hostile force ground attacks. The grading criteria are centered on the identification of unexploded ordinance and protection against chemical-biological attacks. In AFI 90-201, Base Defense is evaluated under the area of Mission Support; specifically, SF’s ability to employ and control base defense forces and other organic defense forces. SFs are integrated into the wing’s Base X plan to secure the flightline, a portion of the flightline, or a single key resource (e.g. Wing Operations Center). As for the those Airmen identified to augment SFs, the ACC supplement to AFI 90-201 states, “All personnel armed with M16/M-4 rifles, including opposing forces, will carry and use blank ammunition during the ORI.” This is great training for SF augmentees, but in reality all Airmen at certain deployed locations carry firearms and integrate into base defense plans. In these locations, it is every unit’s responsibility to protect and defend their area and assets until SFs arrive onscene, then augment in continuing the fight. This direct responsibility for defense is part of a unit’s ATSO, especially when those operations include generating sorties that defend the base or continue the fight elsewhere. As such, maintenance units should add ground attack response into ORE scenarios and that capability should be evaluated during ORIs. A viable, though more costly, alternative to incorporating ground attack response into recurring training is to provide targeted training to units and individuals projected to deploy to areas where ground attacks are likely to occur. This training could be in the form of a 1-2 week Combat Airmen Skills Training (CAST)-like course that focuses on defense against a ground attack, coordination with SF personnel, weapons training, and advanced self-aid buddy care.
Equip Anyone who has deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan in recent years will tell you that almost ev-
ery soldier is armed with at least an M-4 fitted with an Advanced Combat Optical Gunsight (ACOG) scope, yet most Airmen lug around a much bulkier M-16 with iron sights. Further, annual small arms training has been replaced with pre-deployment training to stretch our eroding Operations and Maintenance (O&M) funding a little farther. As a result, our Airmen are neither appropriately trained nor equipped to safely and effectively counter a ground attack. As the planned drawdown in Afghanistan progresses and weapons more advanced than the Vietnam-era M-16 become available, new requirements beckon the need for reallocation to locations where Airmen are required to man DFPs.
As this “long war” continues and Airmen are expected to defend their resources at the unit level, the Air Force needs to effectively organize, train and equip Airmen if it expects positive outcomes in areas troubled with insurgents. Recommendations The sub-area of Active Defense in the ACC supplement to AFI 90-201 incorporates the ability of the deployed installation and each unit to recognize threat information, apply measures to mitigate risks and to protect personnel and resources during contingency and convoy operations. At deployed locations unit personnel must be prepared to identify, report and counter threat activity that occurs within their area of operations. Threat response is not limited to SF personnel. The ground combat skills and tactics area is applied to selectively armed personnel and organic UTC personnel who perform armed force protection, convoy operations and integrated defense duties. As this “long war” continues and Airmen are expected to defend their resources at the unit level, the Air Force needs to effectively organize, train and equip Airmen if it expects positive outcomes in areas troubled with insurgents. The Air Force is mistaken if it doesn’t think base defense isn’t on the minds of Airmen. One of our motivated young maintainers in his CBS posture told me, “Sir, what happened at Bastion won’t be happening here!” Our Airmen get the “big picture” and want to hone this new Expeditionary Airmen skill set.
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expeditionary logistics | maintainers Our exercises need to have realistic expectations by MAJCOM evaluators as well as wing leadership in the team’s ability to generate aircraft while defending the flightline and backshops. The fog and friction of flightline defense while generating sorties requires creative leadership and resilient airmen that can flex to the dynamic environment. “Like our sister services, when combating terrorism, every airmen needs to be a sentry first,” said Major Clarence McRae, Commander of the 455 EMXS. He went on to say, “in-garrison training and intheater posturing needs to be synonymous”. The more we streamline the way we fight, the more important defense-minded expeditionary airmen need to be. “A refinement in our current combat training will provide us a bridge from a Cold War mentality of state-on-state action to the current and foreseeable fight of the future,” said McRae. Perhaps the Air Force could study adding to Phase 2 exercises the manning of DFPs at the unit level and a CBS program where Airmen are expected to think on their feet and take a roving defensive scheme of maneuver when a
455 EAMXS maintainers protecting their aircraft. (USAF photo/SSgt Jeff Nevison)
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DFP is not available. And yes, issue small arms to every individual in the exercise…true expectations in combat. The exercise scenario should deliberately incorporate the operational friction of an insurgency attack. Maintenance may be delayed and air-ground forces will need to coordinate efforts, much like during CBRNE injects. Imagine a maintenance team that had the following in the exercise: •
Hangar or shop with postured rifle racks and assigned DFPs with DFP Leads
•
MOC personnel who know how to respond and coordinate efforts with SF
•
Pro Supers who know how to continue managing aircraft turns while leading the integrated efforts of airmen at multiple DFPs, patrolling expeditors, and CBS personnel
All of the above is expected of our maintenance team, not in the future, but today. Our Airmen
are learning these tactics not at their home station, but the moment they arrive in theater. The sun has begun to set on Bagram Airfield and tonight the 24-hour sortie generation cycle continues. A new batch of maintainers has stepped-off of the rotator. They begin to settle into their new surroundings after a long journey while the in-place seasoned veterans prepare to commence with turnover. “[Ground attack bugle call] Attention all radios this net…!” About the Author: Lt Col Rudy Cardona is the 455th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Commander, Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. He is a career aircraft maintenance officer who has commanded three squadrons and served in staff, center and depot assignments. Acknowledgements: A special thank you to CMSgt Matthew Hopwood and his team for identifying the need for a stronger flightline defense program at Bagram Airfield. CMSgt Hopwood was the 455 EAMXS’s Superintendent at Bagram Airfield while deployed and his home station assignment is as the 849 AMXS’s Superintendent, Holloman AFB, NM. K
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SUSTAINMENT
Enhancing Guam’s LOX Capability
A technician operating a forklift is loading the air compressor into a container for shipment via sealift. (Courtesy of 65 LRS, Lajes Field, Portugal)
lief operations, and operational plan requirements. Yet, as with many of our bases time, a harsh, corrosive environment, and a demanding operations tempo, has taken their toll on the infrastructure at Andersen. One such victim
of these factors is a cryogenic plant that enables the production of liquid oxygen (LOX), a vital product used to support many of our missions. The cryogenic plant at Guam has deteriorated over time and required many repairs
By Captain John Hays
In 2011, President Barak Obama announced a shift in US foreign policy focus from Europe and the Middle East to the Asia-Pacific region. This shift focuses on ensuring peace and prosperity in the region through diplomacy, strong strategic partnerships, a sustained presence, and the ability to project force. As logisticians, we play a significant role in enabling that presence and force projection by ensuring resources are available to support our military forces. One of our Pacific bases, Andersen AFB in Guam, is a key strategic and logistical location for the USAF. This base enables a variety of missions supporting combatant commander priorities, humanitarian assistance/disaster re62 | The Exceptional Release | SUMMER 2013
The cryogenic plant at Lajes Field prior to disassembly. From left to right: the cold box, the RPSA beds, and the air compressor. (Courtesy of 65 LRS, Lajes Field, Portugal.)
HAYS which were often accomplished using parts scavenged from other cryogenic plants on the base that were no longer in use. The plant has reached the point where it can no longer reliably provide the needed production capability. The local off-base LOX capacity is limited and obtaining LOX outside of Guam requires movement of additional supply from off-island, incurring additional procurement and transportation expenses.
In collaboration with United States Air Forces Europe (USAFE), logisticians found a modern cryogenic plant no longer required at Lajes Field. Working with Headquarters Air Force (HAF), PACAF was able to acquire $1.7 million in refurbishment and transportation funding to move the plant to Guam. Instead, at Headquarters, Pacific Air Force (PACAF) and Andersen AFB, logisticians recognized this problem and have been working diligently for months to augment LOX production on Guam. In collaboration with
Three technicians guide the cryogenic plant’s cold box into a 40-foot container. This component had to be lifted by crane through the roof of the cryogenic facility. (Courtesy of 65 LRS, Lajes Field, Portugal)
United States Air Forces Europe (USAFE), logisticians found a modern cryogenic plant no longer required at Lajes Field. Working with Headquarters Air Force (HAF), PACAF was able to acquire $1.7 million in refurbishment and transportation funding to move the plant
to Guam. In the summer of 2012, a team at Lajes Field began disassembling the cryogenic production plant and preparing it for shipment. The disassembly proved to be a complicated task involving a crane and several forklifts to move the major components of the plant, to include the air compressor, the Rapid Pressure Swing Adsorption (RPSA) beds (which remove impurities from the air), and the cold box. The components, piping and spare parts were loaded into 40ft containers and packed for sealift. The first stop for the plant was to Innovative Nitrogen Systems in California, for refurbishment. With restoration complete, the plant is en route to Guam and expected to be at full production capability by early spring 2013, thus enabling the base to meet cryogenic production requirements for current and future missions. This project is an outstanding example of what can be accomplished when MAJCOM, field unit, and commercial industry logisticians work together. The high level of teamwork and effort that logisticians bring to the Pacific is essential to ensure our forces have the support needed to respond to any crisis.
The Rapid Pressure Swing Adsorption (RPSA) beds purify air to produce high purity oxygen. Here a crane lifts the RPSA unit as technicians help guide the apparatus into the shipping container. (Courtesy of 65 LRS, Lajes Field, Portugal)
About the author: Capt John Hays is currently assigned to the HQ PACAF Logistics Readiness Division and is an active member of the Kanaloa Chapter, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. K
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SUSTAINMENT
Munitions Positioning in the Pacific By Mr. Greg Osbun The COCOM specifies a “level” of munitions expected to be prepositioned ashore or afloat to support initial combat operations until sustainment arrives. In a perfect world required munitions would be available, as would adequate storage, and there would be sufficient transportation capability for the COCOM’s service components to keep stockpiled inventory at their mandated levels. Since the world is not perfect, each requirement comes with a host of problems. Our goal is to provide the solutions. The munitions themselves are an operations issue, but the rest of the issues fall to the service component logistics element. In the case of PACAF, the Logistics Directorate (A4) has the job of meeting the COCOM’s Air Component requirements. The action agent is the Munitions Branch of the Maintenance Division.
Storage
Based on the date of existing site plans, concern about age of facilities, and a lack of detail regarding construction, 7AF requested an Explosive Hazard Reduction (EHR) survey on all US munitions facilities; essentially a top-to-bottom resiting.
Munitions (especially go-to-war types) are big, bulky, and feature complicating factors such as Net Explosive Weight (NEW ), Storage Compatibility Groups, etc. that preclude “stuffing” storage structures to obtain the maximum utilization of their square footage. Weapons Safety evaluates each facility, its relationship to other facilities, hazards to on and off-base facilities and personnel, along with a host of other checkpoints to produce an Explosive Site Plan (ESP). Munitions managers will use this as a template to build their storage plan. The ESP is reviewed and approved by the Air Force Safety Center and Department of Defense Explosive Safety Board (DDESB). Site Plans are refreshed periodically, or for cause, as in the recent case of the Munitions Storage Areas in the Republic of Korea. Based on the date of existing site plans, concern about age of facilities, and a lack of detail regarding construction, 7AF requested an Explosive Hazard Reduction (EHR) survey on all US munitions facilities; essentially a top-to-bottom re-siting.
The output from the EHR was a resulting loss of about 50% of our NEW capacity and we would either need to 1.) obtain waivers to allow us to continue to store the stockpile or 2.) adjust the stockpile to meet site plan criteria. We opted to first size the problem by measuring the 64 | The Exceptional Release | SUMMER 2013
COCOM’s “level” against available storage from the NEW perspective. Results ranged from 100% supportable to 41% supportable, the latter in one of the most critical locations. Due to the study, PACAF has recently had success in obtaining funding for critical projects. The host nation for one of our crucial locations has recently funded 14 munitions igloos that will allow us to store maximum capacity NEW and move vital components indoors and out of the elements. There is still more work to be done, and we have projects on COMPACAF’s “Top 10” priority list that have a good chance for funding support. Furthermore, the host nation has indicated a willingness to provide additional support in our most critical areas. Still, the reality is that it will take years to be able to satisfy both safety and combat requirements.
Transportation
Transportation opportunities and funding to “right size” our munitions stockpile are also a challenge. The piece of Second Destination Transportation (SDT) funding assigned to move munitions (nicknamed PACER AMMO) has been underfunded. We hovered around 50% of required funds for PACER AMMO until FY12, when we received only 34% of the required funding. FY13 is looking worse, with an initial estimate that PACER AMMO will receive about 25% of the required amount. Relief often comes in the form of End of Year (EoY ) Fallout, usually in the last quarter of the Fiscal Year. It’s always a last-minute scramble to tie available airlift to the EoY spending closeout dates. We’ve actually been reasonably successful and if fallout comes earlier (i.e. late second quarter or third quarter) as it did in 2008, we may be able to lease a Navy vessel and dedicate it to our effort.
We were able to take advantage of JCS funding, as well as TRANSCOM and PACOM, through a series of exercises nicknamed “TurboCADS”. CADS refers to “Containerized Ammunition Delivery System”. The idea behind TurboCADS was to ensure all personnel involved have the proper skillsets to ensure uninterrupted munitions flow should a Time Phased Force Deployment Data (TPFDD) event be executed. This would necessitate the mass movement of munitions throughout the world, likely in 20’ International Standardization Organization shipping containers. JCS
OSBUN generally supported the annual exercise (which rotated between CO- by a class of vessel that transports a wide variety of cargo and requires COMs) by leasing a ship, while the supported COCOM components and fewer trips to the West Coast for maintenance, thus reducing opportunitheir service headquarters provided funds for port handling, and inland ties from three or four a year to one at the most. transportation. Service components offered high priority cargo to ensure To mitigate this challenge HQ USAF has realistic exercise play and various scenarios reconfigured the Afloat Prepositioned Fleet were developed to evaluate proficiency. UlIn addition to TurboCADS, an (APF) cargo requirement (reduced NEW timately the TurboCADS series was considoutstanding relationship with aboard ship to all port visits to enable the ered very successful. However, after 10 years, the Pacific Fleet munitions staff fleet to be used as a supply chain enabler). JCS found that all significant lessons learned It’s a win-win strategy – the ship is already enabled us to take advantage of had been accomplished. With other priorifunded under APF contract and the port ties and a shrinking budget, JCS decided to Navy munitions support vessels handling/inland transportation costs are cancel support for the exercise. PACOM as they traveled to and from Second Destination Transportation (SDT)/ J4 is currently in the process of developing theater Navy ports and the US’s PACAF funded. We’ve averaged 1-2 events a COCOM-supported exercise, but without per year and have been able to keep pace West Coast. dedicated funding support the concept faces with our stockpile rightsizing (to be within a rough road ahead. reduced NEW limits) and our annual peaceIn addition to TurboCADS, an outstanding relationship with the Pacific time operating stock deliveries have thus far been realized to ensure unFleet munitions staff enabled us to take advantage of Navy munitions interrupted training/daily operations. In fact, we predict if we stay on support vessels as they traveled to and from theater Navy ports and the course we’ll reach our stockpile level goal by 2017. US’s West Coast. The ships were designed to replenish combat vessels at sea, but often times had space aboard to move other service cargo un- About the Author: Mr. Greg Osbun is a lifelong Ammo Troop and is currently der an arrangement that allowed the “space available” user to receive the assigned as chief of the PACAF Theater Ammunition Control Point. He has “overwater” piece of the movement at no-charge. Users were responsible been assigned to the PACAF staff since 1983 (active duty and civil service) for port handling/inland transportation at both ends of the journey. Un- in various munitions management roles including Munitions Plans Branch fortunately the dedicated ammunition vessels were retired and replaced Chief and Munitions Branch Chief. K
A1C Daniel Kok installs a wing on an AIM-120 missile while evaluators SA Meghan Jarvis, 3rd Maintenance Operations Squadron, and MSgt Francis Clement, 3rd Maintenance Group, look on. (USAF photo by SrA Laura Turner)
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SUSTAINMENT
Air Force Logistics: An Enabler or Casualty in Cyber-Warfare
By Major Michael Boswell
The Story Begins… It was a frigid mid-December Friday afternoon on the island of Okinawa, Japan. Captain Derrick Roberts, a Logistics Readiness Officer and the Materiel Management Flight Commander for Kadena AB grabbed his jacket, gloves and briefing notes, rushing out the door for the 1500 hours Maintenance Operations meeting. As Derrick hurried to the door, he knew that he had only 10 minutes to make it to the meeting and the drive took eight. Just as he flung open the door leading to the parking lot, MSgt Joe Nettles, the Maintenance Supply Liaison Non-Commissioned Officer InCharge (NCOIC), came rushing from the parking lot and yelled, “Sir we have a problem.” Derrick slowed the pace to his car and responded, “Go on.” Nettles began by telling the Capt that the three electro-hydrostatic actuators grounding F-15 tails 6543 and 6756 were not in the FEDEX truck that had arrived a few minutes earlier. In an overly frustrated voice Derrick belted out, “ You have got to be kidding me…again! For the past three days I’ve been briefing that these parts were coming in and now I have to tell the Wing Commander (WG/CC) that these birds will still be down for a few more days? This is unacceptable!” He took a deep breath and softened his Above: TSgt Chris Sterling and SSgt Sean Tracey, 927th Maintenance Operations Flight, take information from a caller while monitoring maintenance logs on several screens at Macdill Air Force Base, Fla. (USAF photo by SSgt Jennie Chamberlin)
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BOSWELL voice, “Nettles, do we know where these parts are now? Sergeant Nettles responded, “No Sir, all the systems showed that they were shipped and should have been on the truck. Also, the driver mentioned that they had been experiencing some computer issues and that their IT guys were working it.” I’m not exactly sure what that means, but they said that it wasn’t a widespread problem and should be resolved soon.” While addressing the issue, Derrick was keenly aware that time was ticking by and he did not want to be late to the meeting, especially in light of this news. He asked Sergeant Nettles to try and get all of the facts surrounding the missing parts. Derrick added that, “We’ll need to contact the other fighter bases to see if they could overnight the required parts. Also, since SrA Christine Lea, 22nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron instrument and flight control technician, browses the Integrated Logistics System - Sup- avionics system maintenance technical orders at McConnell Air Force Base, Kan. Digitalized technical orders allow the maintenance group to have the most accurate and up-to-date information distributed electronically ply is giving us such problems, we need to in the least amount of time. TOs are constantly updated to prevent downtime for maintenance, increasing start calling in the requests and verifying operational readiness. (USAF photo by A1C Andrea Salazar) all parts statuses regardless if it’s a critical part or not. Get with the other section What is the Greatest Challenge chronize actions in a denied, disrupted and dechiefs and work out a plan. All we need now to Logistics Professional in the stroyed cyber-environment. Due to the nature of current threats to the US military and its cyare further downed birds for stupid nuts and Next Two Decades? ber-architecture, the logistics community will bolts.” Sergeant Nettles shook his head be- While this short story is fictional, it may seem need to develop a holistic and comprehensive cause he knew that this would be extremely very familiar to both the logistics readiness approach leading into the next two decades . labor intensive and would slow down oper- community, as well as maintainers. Issues that This article briefly examines the direct threats ations considerably. Nettles sighed, saluted exist within the supply chain have been, and to the logistics communities’ IT environment, will continue to be, a point of contention as specifically in the cyber-domain. the captain and proceeded into the office. long as there are limited parts and unlimited With that, Derrick jumped into his truck needs placed on the system. However, what if For the past three decades, as adversaries to the and headed to the wing building. the story above wasn’t the result of poor sup- US have observed the way that we fight and win During the short drive, he rehearsed how he was going to break this news to the Wing Commander. This was the fourth straight day that parts had been delivered either mislabeled, misdirected, or missing all together. He could not help thinking that it was strange that the only shipments affected involved the fighter squadrons. He shook it off as a coincidence and chalked it up to poor supply discipline by the other bases. As he finished his thought, Derrick pulled into the parking lot of the wing building. He quickly turned off the ignition, grabbed his notes, slammed the car door and started an all-out sprint to the building.
ply chain management or overt parochialism within the logistics community, but rather the workings of state actors disrupting logistics to shape the battle space of an all-out war? To date, there is a perceived lack of the integration of current Information Technology (IT) advancements and the training that will allow for all logistics disciplines to universally syn-
Due to the nature of current threats to the US military and its cyber-architecture, the logistics community will need to develop a holistic and comprehensive approach leading into the next two decades.
wars, there is a belief that an outright war with the US is impractical and difficult to win.1 As a result, nations have sought to develop asymmetric advantages to even the odds when facing the US and its allies. Nations such as the Islamic Republic of Iran, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) have all overtly pursued methods to enhance their cyber-arsenal to threaten the US at home and abroad. Of all of the aforementioned state actors, the PRC poses the greatest risk to the US and allies in the cyber-domain. It’s important to note that the PRC has openly outlined how its military, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), plans to fight and win a war with the US through its cyber-doctrine. But why should a logistician care about cyber-security? The answer is simple: the PLA has specifically
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SUSTAINMENT | AIR FORCE LOGISTICS... addressed the logistics community in its information dominance doctrine.2
Air Force Logistics…a Soft Target for the People’s Republic of China? The Science of Military Strategy and The Science of Campaigns are two PLA documents that are known as the “most authoritative public statements on its [PLA] doctrine for military operations.” As defined in these two documents, “information dominance is the prerequisite for seizing air and naval superiority at the onset of a major battle.” This concept is known to the PLA as ’Zhi Xinxi Quan’.3 The Science of Campaigns further notes that Information Warfare (IW ) “must mark the start of a campaign and, used properly, can enable overall operational success.”4 Both documents identify “enemy Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR), and logistics systems networks as the highest priority for IW attacks, which may guide targeting decisions against the US or other technologically advanced opponents during a conflict.”5 So, the opening salvo of a military operation between the US and PRC will be less likely via land, sea, air or space and more likely in cyberspace with operational and logistics systems as the identified centers of gravity. Figure 1: Operational View of the AFNet Perimeter
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Both documents identify “enemy Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR), and logistics systems networks as the highest priority for IW attacks, which may guide targeting decisions against the US or other technologically advanced opponents during a conflict. The Air Force Network and Logistics Isn’t it the communications community’s responsibility to ensure the computer network operations are running smoothly? Most logicians are less worried with how the ones and zeros work in the systems that they operate day-in and day-out. Their chief concern is how to get the job done and, if the system is broken, then who will fix it. In order to understand “why” in this argument, one needs a basic un-
derstanding of the origin of AFNet and the Logistics Network (LOGNet). During the computer boom of the early 1990s, what was then known as “the Air Force network” was primarily an inter-connection of base local area land networks linked by long haul circuits provided by Headquarters Air Force and Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA). So, from the onset of its creation, the precursor to AFNet was nothing more than a mixture of technologies and computer protocols designed and implemented by local USAF Communications Squadrons. Proceeding this period, the Air Force recognized a need to manage these local networks and in the mid-1990s the “Air Force Intranet” was born. Just as quickly as it was created, it died off and was subsumed by DISA.6 While DISA managed the DoD network and structure, the USAF developed the AF Common User Virtual Private Network (AF CU/VPN).7 This was done primarily to provide direct support to the Warfighters during this period and enable encrypted data links from one AFB to the next. Even at the earliest stages of the Air Force Network Operations, there was a growing concern for network security. So, at the turn of the millennium, the USAF took the leap forward and developed the first Air Force Network (AFNet), Increment 1.8 This initiative moved all web-based and IT systems behind 16 glob-
BOSWELL Figure 2: Expeditionary Combat Support Systems Model
ally dispersed “Information Assurance Suites” or gateways. These gateways collectively are known as the AFNet and are safeguarded by a cyber-perimeter maintained by the 24th Air Force’s 26th Network Operations Squadron at Gunter AFB. All of the USAF A4 logistics systems are behind these gateways. Now how does LOGNet fit into AFNet? To date, the USAF logistics cyber-architecture has seen tremendous change and uncertainty. While the numbers vary from sources, it is estimated that there are more than 200 to 400 logistics systems that aid in day-to-day processes in the Air Force. These systems range from desktop applications responsible for standard base-level aircraft maintenance to enterprise-wide systems that control the flow of Air Force supplies globally.9 All of the aforementioned systems are not critically important to operational success of USAF logistics. As
such, the A4/7 community has identified a list of 50 vital logistics systems. These systems are identified in the A4/7 Functional System List (FSL): Mission Critical Information System. The USAF logistics systems are a patchwork of different ITs that are in some instances duplicative and standalone.10 In short, there is no actual logistics network, but rather a multitude of large and small systems that, in most cases, don’t interact with one another. Additionally, most are managed by different help desks, and that presents major problems when detecting and reacting to cyber-intrusions or attacks across all logistics systems.11 Another complication regarding the current state and future of the logistics network resides in the cancelation of the Expeditionary Combat Support System (ECSS). In anticipation of the release of ECSS, many of the logistics legacy systems were not funded properly to
The USAF logistics systems are a patchwork of different ITs that are in some instances duplicative and standalone. In short, there is no actual logistics network, but rather a multitude of large and small systems that, in most cases, don’t interact with one another. keep up with the demands of the changing IT environment. 12
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SUSTAINMENT | AIR FORCE LOGISTICS... As a result, many programs’ discrepancies weren’t corrected in anticipation of the release of ECSS. In an interview with a representative for USAF/ A4IS, it was noted that many of the current systems were going through what is known as “remediation.” This process is designed to bring all of the delinquent systems up to date as quickly as possible.13 This process includes gathering data from the Warfighters to establish a baseline for the next generation of logistics systems. In short, the cancelation of ECSS has left the logistics community in an unintended and undetermined state of systems repair and remediation. The end result: our logistics systems are decades old, in remediation, and thus present ripe targets for our adversaries.
Figure 3: Cyber-Attack and Exploitation of Log Networks
What Can We do as Loggies? If nations like the PRC are actively seeking to attack logistics systems, and we know there are identified issues inherent in any network, let alone the AFNet cyber-architecture, then what should be done? The first step is for logisticians to acquire a deeper understanding and appreciation of individual users Information Assurance (IA) responsibilities. Every year thousands of loggies log onto their computer and breeze through the obligatory IA training to satisfy the annual requirement. The DoD places a tremendous amount of emphasis on this training because the people on the network create the greatest vulnerability. No matter how fortified a digital perimeter may be, all it takes is one person to click on the wrong link and a virtual backdoor is created, enabling an adversary free access to the entire AFNet, not just an individual user’s account.
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As defined in Department of Defense Directive (DODD) 8500.1, IA consists of “measures that protect and defend information and information systems by ensuring their availability, integrity, authentication, confidentiality, and non-repudiation. This includes providing for the restoration of information systems by incorporating protection, detection, and reaction capabilities.” 14 In short, the IA paradigm is built on protect, detect and react model for network security. All users have a responsibility in this equation. It’s imperative that organizations expect attacks and have the ability to react to them.15 Organizations such as the logistics community and their vital systems should anticipate cyber-intrusions and attacks every day. Another area of focus is on how the log community postures all of its disciplines to operate
absent an IT environment. The logistics community should develop Tactics, Techniques and Procedures (TTP) for cross-discipline logistics reliance. This can be codified as a “LOGNet Resiliency Concept of Operations (CONOP)”. This CONOP should aim to address how all logistics disciplines will functions in a cyberdenied, degraded or destroyed environment. For example, how will 21Rs, 21Ms and 21As all coordinate in a cyber-contested environment? A close examination will need to be conducted to capture lessons learned on how each discipline reacts to an IT denied environment. In addition to CONOPs, cyberresiliency must be taught throughout the logistics deliberate continuum of learning. From technical school, higher education schools (e.g. Advanced Logistics Readiness Officers Course and Advanced Maintenance and Munitions Officer School), to basic OJT, logisticians need
BOSWELL
A1C Justin Crumbley, 757th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief, reviews the checklist in the Integrated Maintenance Information System on an F-15 Eagle prior to take off at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. (USAF photo by SSgt William P. Coleman)
to understand that adversaries will seek to exploit their lack of understanding -- and adversaries are posturing to specifically attack their systems. Additionally, the community as a whole will need to search for technological avenues to ensure fast and reliable detection, and to deny, restore and react to cyber-threats. As much as logisticians would like to believe that the Communications community has every facet of the USAF cyber-infrastructure secure, each loggie plays an important a role in this security as well. The most critical recommendation with respect to this issue is taking all existing logistics systems and securing them behind a single network. While potentially creating a single point of cyber-failure seems counterintuitive, this concept provides greater security throughout the community and would provide nearly instantaneous reaction once an intrusion or attack has occurred. In short, the logistics community must begin to take a more proactive approach in safe-guarding its systems, as well as the training of its warriors.
The Story’s Conclusion… As Derrick made it around the corner, he noticed that there were still people meandering around the conference room door. He slowed his pace and entered the room. As he took off his jacket and gloves, Derrick glanced at the WG/CC chair and noticed that it was empty. This was unusual because the commander was typically a few minutes early for this daily brief. Catching his breath, Derrick asked the Green Aircraft Maintenance Unit Operations Officer, Major Jared Smith, “Where’s the boss?” Smith shrugged his shoulders and replied, “The Crisis Action Team (CAT) activated a few hours earlier and the Wing King and GP/CCs should still be there. Something big is going, don’t know what it is, I am sure we will find out soon enough though.” Derrick placed his gloves in his pocket and hung up
Additionally, the community as a whole will need to search for technological avenues to ensure fast and reliable detection, and to deny, restore and react to cyber-threats. his jacket. Smith asked Derrick if he had the Electro Hydrostatic Actuator that was currently downing the fighters. Derrick replied “Not yet, Sir. There are some issues with FEDEX and ILS-S. I’ll discuss further during the brief.” Smith observed that the Captain was a bit flustered and decided not to give him too hard a time. He did add, “The boss is not going to be happy. You and your supply folks are severely hurting our ability to
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SUSTAINMENT | AIR FORCE LOGISTICS... generate sorties. I know it’s probably not your fault, but the problem needs to be fixed, like yesterday”. Derrick sat at his seat and started organizing his papers for the meeting. Ten minutes passed and the Wing Commander’s Executive Officer entered the room, declaring that the 1500 was on hold. He told everyone to say close because as soon as the commanders were done in the CAT they were going to start the Maintenance Operations meeting. Derrick decided to walk across the hall to the Deployment Control Center (DCC) to use their phone to get an update on the missing parts. He also was planning on saying a quick hello to his friend Capt Maria Ericson, who was the Installation Deployment Officer and also a fellow LRO. Upon entering the DCC, Derrick could not help but notice the flurry of activity. The DCC was pretty quiet on most days, so this change was a bit surprising. He walked past the Airmen
feverishly working on the computers and answering phones. Derrick stuck his head into Maria’s office and softly knocked on the door frame to let her know that he was at the door. In the middle of an intense conversation Maria looked up and motioned for him to come in. Derrick walked into the office and took a seat. He could not help overhearing the conversation. It seemed as though the Logistics Modules (LOGMOD) was locking up and had been nonresponsive for hours. Her logistics planners had been working to fix the problem with no luck. She was on the phone with the LOGMOD Program Management Office (PMO) at Gunter AFB in Montgomery, Alabama, trying to determine why they were experiencing problems. Maria hung up the phone with no resolution and a promise from the PMO that she would receive a call once the problem was solved. As she hung up the phone, Derrick proceeded to comment on how busy there shop was.
Maria immediately replied, “Haven’t you heard? The Chinese have positioned several destroyers near the Senkaku Islands and fired warning shots at the Imperial Japanese Navy. The President of Japan has officially requested that the US provide support under the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security. The President issued an execute order to begin receiving troops and support for OPERATION Wish Bone. We have less than 12 hours before we start staging for deployment and onward movement to the other bases. The CAT was activated a few hours ago, and I have to brief on the deployment timeline as well as equipment flow. To make matters worse, we’re experiencing major issues with LOGMOD. Derrick mentioned, “This can’t be a coincidence. We’re having issues with ILS-S too.” Just then, the Installation Deployment NCOIC SMSgt Steven Willis rushed into Capt Ericson’s office and began explain-
SrA Diego Granillo, 55th Helicopter Maintenance Unit crew chief, looks through technical data at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. The technical data shows what needs to be done to complete the in-air refueling probe installation. (USAF photo by A1C Josh Slavin)
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BOSWELL ing that several of the other logistics NCOs had contacted him wondering if they were having IT problems. It seemed as though ILS-S, Cargo Movement Operations Systems (CMOS), Combat Operations System (CAS), Purple Hub (bases jet fuel system), and several other logistics-based systems were severely degraded, non-operational, or the data was corrupted. He further noted that, “We’ve contacted the communications help desk, but they’re flooded with requests and mentioned that they too are having network issues. We’ve also tried calling the other system PMOs, but because of the time difference, no one’s in the office yet.” Then he uttered the words that no logistics professional wants to hear, “Ma’am, we have no visibility of cargo or passengers from other bases and our ability to push people and cargo forward is severely crippled. We can’t even account for the amount of fuel on base or where the supplies are in the warehouses. For all intents and purposes, we’re dead in the water and we need to let the WG/CC know now!”
The greatest misunderstanding regarding cyber-attacks is the notion that an enemy will take down the entire network and that is when “we” will know that we are being attacked. Closing Comments The greatest misunderstanding regarding cyber-attacks is the notion that an enemy will take down the entire network and that is when “we” will know that we are being attacked. What nation would deny them the ability to actively collect intelligence on an adversary? This author would submit that the greatest threat to the logistics community from the US’s adversaries is not a shoot-to-kill cyber-attack, but rather shoot-to-wound cyber-deception operation. If an enemy was able to hack into the Air Force’s logistics systems and alter shipments or rewrite supply details, and that would
be more damaging in the long run. The shootto-wound cyber-policy would create a lack of trust within the system and effectively slow down operations by creating controlled chaos. While not a point of discussion by the news networks or at the smoke pit, every day the DoD and Air Force are experiencing intrusions and attacks. Arguably, some of these attacks and intrusions go virtually undetected.16 In 2011, United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) experienced more than 44,551 “computer network events and it is feared that those numbers will continue to increase.” 17 Regardless if individual loggies believe that this is some sort of “cyber-hysteria” or an issue outside of their lane, the increasing reality is that the enemy sees the US military logistics systems as a critical center of gravity. Since this is a fact, the A4 community should collectively start to protect and defend its cyber-infrastructure at all costs, or at minimum, develop steps to operate in a cyber-denied environment. About the Author: Major Michael Boswell is a career Logistics Readiness Officer with experience in Supply/Fuels, Transportation, and Logistics Plans. He earned his commission through Alabama State University in 2001. Currently, Major Boswell is attending the Naval War College at Naval Station Newport in Rhode Island. Prior to attending Naval Command and Staff College, Major Boswell held the position as the Chief, Logistics Transformation Headquarters USAFE at Ramstein AB. K
Notes: 1. Krepinevich, A. (2010). Why Airsea Battle? Retrieved from http://www.csbaonline.org/publications/2010/02/why-airseabattle/ 2. Krekel, B. (2009). Capability of the People’s Republic of China to Conduct Cyber Warfare and Computer Network 3. Exploitation. McLean, VA., Northrop Grumman Corporation 4. Guangqian, P., & Youzhi, Y. (2005). The Science of Military Strategy. Beijing: Military Science Publishing House. 5. Xingye, Z., & Houqing, W. (2000). The Science of Campaigns. Beijing: National Defense University Press.
6. Krekel, B. (2009). Capability of the People’s Republic of China to Conduct Cyber Warfare and Computer Network 7. Exploitation. McLean, VA., Northrop Grumman Corporation 8. Officer, 2.N. (2012, December 3). Email Question and Answer. (M.L.B., Interviewer) 9. Xingye, Z., & Houqing, W. (2000). The Science of Campaigns. Beijing: National Defense University Press. 10. Xingye, Z., & Houqing, W. (2000). The Science of Campaigns. Beijing: National Defense University Press. 11. Officer, 2.N. (2012, December 3). Email Question and Answer. (M.L.B., Interviewer) 12. N.A. (2008). United States Air Force Expeditionary Combat Support System. Retrieved February 4, 13. 2013, from https://www.clickcommerce. com/ckcm/Doc/0/5FO8H29092K4P1E7G N9JKLTE7F/ECSS%20FAQs.pdf 14. Officer, A4IS. (2012, December 3). Email Question and Answer. (M.L.B., Interviewer) 15. N.A. (2008). United States Air Force Expeditionary Combat Support System. Retrieved February 4, 16. 2013, from https://www.clickcommerce. com/ckcm/Doc/0/5FO8H29092K4P1E7G N9JKLTE7F/ECSS%20FAQs.pdf 17. A4IS, H. A. (2012, December 11). Cyber Vulnerabilities. (M. L. Boswell, Interviewer) 18. N.A. (2002). Department of Defense Directive (DODD) 8500.1. Washington D.C.: Department of Defense. 19. N.A. (2002). Defense in Depth. IATF Release 3.1, 2-1 to 2-14. 20. William, M. (2010). Cyber chief: Military failing to catch hackers in the act. Navy Times, 32. 21. Miles, D. (2012). Transcom strives to protect networks against cyberthreats. Lanham: Federal Information & News Dispatch, Inc.
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SUSTAINMENT
High Velocity Maintenance‌ Actions Speak Louder Than Words
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By Lt Col Daniel D. Mattioda and Ms Megan Leiter Federally mandated fiscal constraints, limited military budgets, and dwindling defense dollars are just a few of the financial hardships affecting the DoD and the USAF. Being a good steward for the taxpayers’ dollars and wanting to do its fair share to streamline the budget, the Air Force has decreased the purchase of new aircraft, and extended the service life of existing aircraft resulting in an aging aircraft inventory. Maintaining this aging fleet is a never-ending battle with Aircraft Availability (AA) always on the mind of commanders at all levels of the Air Force. Aircraft Availability is defined as the percentage of a fleet not in a depot possessed status or Non-Mission Capable aircraft (that are unit possessed). The calculation is AA = (Mission Capable hours/Total Possessed hours) x 100. In more general terms, Availability = Uptime/(Uptime + Downtime). There are two ways to increase Availability, increase uptime or decrease downtime. Air Force logistics leaders looked at the airline industry to find innovative ways of decreasing downtime. For the airline industry, aircraft need to be in the air transporting people or cargo, generating revenue; not sitting idle on the ground waiting for maintenance or repair (downtime). One notable way the airline industry decreases downtime of their aircraft is by spreading their maintenance checks out across four inspections called A, B, C, and D checks. Spreading the inspections and maintenance across the four checks reduces the time the aircraft is unavailable at any one time for inspection and repair (Figure 1). Per the availability formula, reduced downtime increases availability. The Air Force embraced this philosophy and the
MATTIODA & LEITER
concept of High Velocity Maintenance (HVM) was outlined in FY07 at Robins AFB. The C-130 depot was the seminal organization to use and develop HVM techniques. Once in place, Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) directed that each Air Logistics Center (ALC) would pick one airframe on which to implement HVM. Thus, HVM practices were implemented on the C-130 (Robins ALC), B-1B (Oklahoma City ALC), and the F-22 (Ogden ALC).
Figure 1: Aircraft Maintenance Cycle (Airline Industry vs. USAF) (Warner Robins Air Logistics Center. High Velocity Maintenance (HVM) Briefing. 9 Sept 2009: http://www.robins.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD090909-033.pdf)
Each category of aircraft was asked to implement a HVM type practice. This is where problems developed. In theory, HVM should “move aircraft through the depot faster by increasing man-hours per day”.1 How is that accomplished? What is needed? These are just a few of the questions that arose. AFMC defined the HVM framework with the following four tenets:
1. Understand aircraft condition prior to induction, 2. Ensure supportability prior to work package execution, 3. Establish a mechanic-centric focus and sequenced daily standard work, and 4. Accomplish high touch-labor rate to schedule earned hour/velocity goals.
While these tenets lay out the framework for HVM, no direction on how to operationalize the HVM tenets exists. Basically, what should organizations be doing for each of the tenets? In order to define the actions, a Delphi study was conducted by the Air Force Institute of Technology under the direction of AFMC/A4D. A Delphi study is a way of gathering knowledge and information via surveys sent to subject matter experts. The use of surveys decreases and
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A Coast Guard C-130 undergoes maintenance at Warner Robins Air Logistics Center, Robins Air Force Base, Ga. The ALC’s C-130 Programmed Depot Maintenance team was awarded the Robert T. Mason Depot Maintenance Excellence Award for outstanding achievement in weapon system and military equipment maintenance.. (USAF photo by Ms Sue Sapp)
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SUSTAINMENT | HIGH VELOCITY MAINTENANCE... Table 1: Operational Factors of HVM Tenets partially eliminates the concept of group think. Two types of Delphi studies exist, Tenet 1: Understand Tenet 2: Ensure Tenet 3: Establish a Tenet 4: Accomplish high each with a particular purpose and goal. aircraft condition supportability prior to mechanic-centric focus touch-labor rate to A Policy Delphi has the goal of gathering prior to induction work package and sequenced daily schedule earned execution standard work hour/velocity goals information from subject matter experts Kitting Kitting Target burn Rate Budgeted Scheduled and advocates. A Ranking Delphi has the Work Package goal of achieving agreement on a subject, Forecasting Work Area Layout Maintenance History Standard Operating for example the order of importance of a Report Procedure series of tasks. The main difference beAircraft Inspection Funding Aircraft Maintenance Aircraft Maintenance tween the two types of Delphi studies is Support Team (AMST) Support Team (AMST) the determination of point of completion. Pre-plan of Tasks Engineering Analysis Daily Standard Work Work Area Layout Concurrent Work With the Ranking Delphi, a Kendall’s CoMaterial Availability Checks efficient of Concordance (W ) score of 0.7 must be met to conclude strong agreement implementation level of HVM for any weapon Round 2 of the survey was comprised of two among the subject matter experts surveyed. parts. Part one asked each participant to state Each question in the survey must achieve this system. whether they agreed or disagreed with the facW score of 0.7 in order to complete the survey Round 1 of the survey comprised four open tors as defined for each tenet. If they disagreed, process. With the Policy Delphi, a Kendall’s ended questions; one for each of the four tenets the participant was asked to state why and how W score is not required. of HVM. This survey was intended to gather the factor or definition should be changed or Both the Policy and Ranking Delphi study information about each of the tenets in the eliminated. Part two asked each participant techniques were used with subject matter ex- form of operational factors that describe each to rank the influence of each factor on each perts from each of the three ALCs: Warner tenet and the metrics used to measure the fac- tenet. The intent of this round of the survey Robins (C-130), Oklahoma City (B-1B), and tors. The survey was sent to 18 participants and was to clarify that the factors defined by the Ogden (F-22). The goal was to gather the received 13 responses. These 13 responses were research team were indeed the factors reprecurrent ‘state-of-art’ knowledge on HVM in- used to define a list of four or five factors for sented by the participant panel and then detercluding understanding of the tenets, current each tenet. Metrics received from the Round mine which factors had the most influence on implementation of the tenets, and metrics 1 participants were not well defined and many each factor, with the goal of determining which to measure the tenets’ success. The final goal noted they are still a work in progress. The lists factors should be addressed first in implemenof the research was to create a checklist that of factors were used in creating the survey for tation. This survey was sent to the 13 particiwould aid in determining the applicability and Round 2. pants that responded to the Round 1 survey.
Senior Airmen Erica Plymale (left) and Angelique Hasz work on a B-1B Lancer engine, March 11, 2010, at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D. The Airmen are aerospace propulsion journeymen with the 28th Maintenance Squadron. (USAF photo by A1C Joshua Seybert)
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AUTHOR NAME Ten responses were received. These 10 responses were analyzed using the Kendall’s W measure of agreement. The majority of the responses agreed with the definitions of the factors presented for each tenet, thus providing the research team with the information they required from the survey. The ending operational factors for the four tenets of HVM are shown in Table 1 below. To validate the results of the Delphi study, the research team visited the C-130 and C-5 depots at Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex (ALC), the B-1B and KC-135 at Oklahoma City ALC, and the F-22 at Ogden ALC. Their mission was to discuss the results of the study and to gain input on the factors from those airframes identified as using HVM or have made strides in reducing depot days. These visits demonstrated that the factors defined by the Delphi study did line-up with the concepts, operations and actions of the groups implementing HVM or have reduced depot days. The visits also showed that while not all the airframes indicated they were using HVM per se, the general concepts and ideas of HVM are being implemented. Some organizations are hesitant to completely institutionalize HVM since there is no defined policy. HVM and its associated tenets are alive and well in the depots, if not by name but by action. The concepts and ideas are present and observable. The organizations are accomplishing the general intent of HVM which is to increase communication amongst all levels of maintenance. This ensures the depot knows the condition of the aircraft before the aircraft arrives; the correct parts are on order or are available; and, the work area is mechanic-centric much like a surgeon’s operating room, which results in higher touch labor on the aircraft. These concepts reduce aircraft depot days and in turn decrease aircraft downtime, resulting in increased Aircraft Availability which is the overall goal of HVM. About the Authors: Lt Col Daniel D. Mattioda is Deputy Department Head, Department of Operational Sciences, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright Patterson AFB. He has served as a Maintenance Operations Officer; Chief Fixed-Wing Requirements Logistics Branch HQ/AFSOC, Exec Officer, Section Commander, and Assistant AMU OIC. Ms Megan Leiter is a Booz Allen Hamilton Consultant supporting the Air Force Institute of Technology and Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Simulation and Analysis Facility at Wright Patterson AFB. She is an Industrial Systems Engineer and Operations Research Analyst. The following references are provided for additional information. Warner Robins Air Logistics Center. High Velocity Maintenance (HVM) Briefing. 9 Sept 2009: http://www.robins.af.mil/shared/ media/document/AFD-090909-033.pdf Air Force Factsheets. High Velocity Maintenance. 2010: http:// www.robins.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=10795 Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command/A4. High Velocity Maintenance Program Review Briefing. 24 Jun 2011 K
Notes: 1. Air Force Factsheets. High Velocity Maintenance. 2010: http:// www.robins.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=10795
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MAJCOM/NAF
Every Pallet Counts: The Untold Story
Figure 1. 463L Aircraft Pallet
By Mr. Michael Felton
I have been involved in every peacetime, humanitarian and wartime operation since I was created and I’m critical to the Defense Transportation I am used to move all types of cargo, big or small, short or tall and on System. I’ve carried everything from household goods, passenger bagvarious military or commercial airplanes. I was born in April, 1963 in gage, weapons and ammunition, to United States Parcels and Mail, airthe small town of Cadillac, Michigan. My unique core is constructed craft parts, and vehicles. DOD and non-DOD Agencies use me for the of balsa wood, while my external shell is transportation of cargo, and I am comcomposed of aluminum with 22 steel This validation provides AMC/A4T patible with over half of all DOD-owned tie-down rings capable of restraining and controlled cargo aircraft and several and Warner Robins AFLCMC/WNZDA 7,500 pounds each. I am 108 inches NATO aircraft. Customers everywhere visibility of all user requirements to wide, 88 inches long and 2 inches tall, rely on me to carry items to their destinaand I can lift 10,000 pounds. I am an ensure correct distribution of pallets tion on-time, every time. My full name avid traveler, visiting all 7 continents, to support all needs. is 463L Air Cargo Pallet, but you can call crossing four oceans and traversing 150 me Pallet and this is my story. of 193 independent countries on earth. On 10 February 2005, USTRANSCOM appointed HQ AMC/A4T as the Department of Defense (DOD) Operational Managers for the 463L Asset Program. As Operational Managers, A4T personnel are responsible for timely accountability, oversight, and management of all pallets worldwide. In addition, Warner Robins AFLCMC/WNZDA serves as the Program Manager responsible for depot repair and procurement contracts. Every September, the DOD validates operational requirements for 463L Assets for all Service and DOD agencies. Each agency determines requirements to successfully conduct daily mobility operations. This validation provides AMC/A4T and Warner Robins AFLCMC/WNZDA visibility of all user requirements to ensure correct distribution of pallets to support all needs. Challenges: In FY12, DOD Services and Agencies’ operational requirements for Pallets worldwide were 160,000. The challenge in meeting this requirement is not the sheer numbers needed, but maintaining visibility of pallets already in use. Only 124,000 pallets are visible, which means 36,000 required pallets are misplaced, misused, or unreported, equating to ~$72M in losses. Several factors have contributed to the decline of pallet inventories with the lack of retrograde of pallets from austere locations contributing to the majority of the decline.
Figure 3. RFID Tagged Pallets
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Factory-to-fox-hole support and sustainment; otherwise known as Pure Pallet Operations, expedites supplies directly to the warfighter. However, pallet visibility is often lost is the process. Remoteness of final destinations also contributes to an inability to recover assets. This challenge hinders the ability to maintain sufficient inventories at CONUS asset distribution centers and affects support of the CENTCOM AOR operations. The loss of a few hundred pallets at a time may seem insignificant; however, one pallet lost means one pallet less to support the DOD’s #1 priority… Warfighter support!
FELTON Unauthorized Uses and Improper Reporting on the Rise: Every year, Operational Managers receive numerous reports of pallet misuse. Pallets are used for building tent subfloors, walking paths over trenches, fencing, shelters, outer barriers for defensive fighting position, etc. Any unauthorized modification, to include drilling holes and/or permanently attaching equipment to pallets, renders these pallets unserviceable. Finally, the timely movement of unserviceable/damaged pallets to the Depot Repair Facility is critical to refurbishment and restocking of inventories.
Unauthorized Uses of Air Cargo Pallets
This [RFID] will eventually provide the ability to track and trace every pallet in the inventory with the goal to reduce losses and indentify locations for recovery operations. Future: Each month, the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), one of the largest pallet users, ships 5,000 to 6,000 pallets with cargo to the Warfighter in the field. Most of these shipments continue on to Forward Operating Bases (FOBs), where visibility is lost. In an effort to increase pallet visibility, Operational Managers have implemented a three-phase approach to test and enlist the use of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology. The RFID Pallet Tagging Project uses active RFID tags, which are primarily used to track items of value, from large assets, such as cargo containers, rail cars, down to small individual packages. The way RFID technology will work with existing pallet inventories is by embedding or burning an individual pallet’s serial number onto a tag and affixing it to the pallet prior to entering the DTS. Pallets will be tracked and movements will be reported via the RF-ITV Tracking Portal. Each time tagged pallets pass an RFID interrogator, the movements are recorded into the RFID Tracking Portal. Two thousand pallets are already tagged and tracked as part of a test due to complete in May of 2013. Results will be reviewed for potential implementation of affixing tags on pallets shipping from the repair Depot. This will eventually provide the ability to track and trace every pallet in the inventory with the goal to reduce losses and indentify locations for recovery operations. Why Every Pallet Counts: Contrary to popular belief, pallets are not expendable items and when one is lost, damaged, or even discarded, there is no replacement. The last new pallets were procured in 2005 and misuse, reporting inaccuracies and lack of retrograde continue to deplete inventories and the ability to meet DOD’s mission requirements. As forces withdraw from CENTCOM, an undetermined amount of pallets are left behind, lost and discarded. All personnel must understand and stress the importance of recouping all pallets, regardless of condition. Please continue to ensure you accurately report, account for, and safeguard every pallet on your base to include those loaned out to other entities. The mission of the DOD depends on you! About the Author: Mr. Michael Felton is the Command Manager for the Department of Defense (DoD) 463L Asset Program. He is responsible for management of $170M in 463L assets worldwide. He supports and maintains the readiness for 10 Major Commands and 467 various DoD Agencies and component organizations. K
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MAJCOM/NAF
Hypergolic Propellants and Air Force Space Command By Mr. Charles McGarvey, Jr.
Have you ever heard the old cliché, “This isn’t rocket science?” Well folks, hold on to your hats because this truly is rocket science. How do you suppose those rockets and satellites are powered into orbit? Hypergolic propellants? Correct! In common usage, the terms “hypergol” or “hypergolic propellant” are often used to mean a combination of propellants, such as hydrazine (fuel) plus dinitrogen tetroxide (N204) (oxidizer), or their relatives.
A Titan IV Centaur rocket launch. The rocket is the largest unmanned space booster used
Air Force Space Command’s mainstay for fueling our rock- by the Air Force. The vehicle carries payloads equivalent to the size and weight of those ets with hypergolic propellant has existed since the National carried on the space shuttle. (U.S. Air Force photo) Rocket Launch Program’s inception. The propellant combinaextreme toxicity and/or corrosiveness, a hypergolic engine is relatively tion used in a rocket engine is called hypergolic. The propellants spon- easy to ignite reliably. Liquid propellant engines are more complex than taneously ignite when they come into contact with each other. Although their solid propellant counterparts. However, they offer several advanhypergolic propellants tend to be difficult to handle because of their tages. By controlling the flow of propellant to the combustion chamber, the engine can be throttled, stopped, or restarted. Hypergols are highly volatile and as such, must be handled with extreme care. Because of the hazardous nature of hypergolic materials, storage locations must have experienced personnel to safely handle and manage the product. Security is also paramount since this material is vital to the US defense posture. It is potentially an irreplaceable national asset due its nature, as well as it considered an “industrial base of one”. Given that Vandenberg AFB (VAFB) is the only bulk storage location for inventory of these products, and due to the concern for public safety, it is imperative this national asset be heavily protected.
Figure 1: Diagram of liquid rocket engine. Retrieved from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:NASA_bipropellant_Lrockth.png 80 | The Exceptional Release | SUMMER 2013
In 1984, a Hypergolic Storage Facility (HSF) was built at VAFB. This HSF was designed and built specifically to accommodate bulk storage for these products. It is the only DoD HSF storage facility in existence with the capability, capacity, and highly skilled/trained workforce to store, handle and distribute bulk hydrazine and N204. This HSF is critical to continuing space operations and it supports several launch programs for the federal government and commercial space enterprises. The Defense Logistics Agency-Energy (DLA-E) is the DoD Integrated Materiel Manager for both hydrazine and N204 --the
MCGARVEY JR primary products designed for use in space and launch systems. These products are vital to the launch and operations of military satellites. Hydrazine and N204 fuel Titan and Delta rockets and military satellites such as the Global Positioning System and National Reconnaissance Office satellites. These satellites support Command, Control, Communication and Intelligence-gathering activities critical to DoD operational capabilities and National Defense. The United States currently has one commercial supplier of N204. In addition, based on the Government’s reduced requirements for hydrazine, DLA-E is in the process of transitioning to a new contract for more limited production. DLA-E currently maintains a large inventory of each commodity in order to ensure the product will always be available to DoD and Federal Government customers. The new contractor will provide for future requirements.
Hydrazine and N204 bulk storage is required to support government space programs at VAFB, CCAFS, and various space-related research and development programs. In 1985, the Secretary of the Air Force directed an additional HSF be built on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS), FL in order to support a robust space program. The HSF was to serve as a source of supply in the event of disruption to either the manufacturing source or transportation support or both. Because of serious local concerns for public safety and environmental issues, the HSF at CCAFS was never commissioned. In response, the DoD established a contract for receipt and distribution of hypergols from a commercial vendor, utiliz-
ing just-in-time logistics. The fuel is stored in rail cars and at the launch sites in order to support two to three launches at a time. Hydrazine and N204 bulk storage is required to support government space programs at VAFB, CCAFS, and various space-related research and development programs. The VAFB HSF is DLA-E’s only bulk storage site for DLA-E owned hypergolics. The hypergols that support the National Rocket Launch Program, Global Positioning Systems and National Reconnaissance Office satellites are pivotal in our nation ability to support and sustain space objectives. About the Author: Mr. Charles F. McGarvey Jr. is the Command Fuels Manager, Fuels Management Section, Logistics Readiness Division, Directorate of Installations and Logistics, Headquarters Air Force Space Command Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. Mr. McGarvey enlisted in 1976 and served as a Fuels Specialist. He retired in 1998 and joined the Civil Service in 2002. K
A Delta IV rocket lifts off from Cape Canaveral Air Station, Fla., with a Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite on board that will help predict weather and climate change once it is in orbit. (NASA photo/Jack Pfalle)
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MAJCOM/NAF
Air Force Space Command’s Electric Vehicle Program By Mr. James L. Dowdy Air Force Space Command (AFSPC) has always been a leading proponent of reducing our Nations’ dependency on foreign oil. With a fleet of over 2,800 vehicles, any reduction in fossil fuel consumption can only improve our National Security. Throughout this challenge, AFSPC is credited with several milestones. We were the first command to establish E85 infrastructure at our installations. In fact, all but one location is currently outfitted with E85--a gasoline-ethanol blend containing 51% to 83% ethanol, depending on geography and season. We led the way in making Biodiesel (B20) the diesel fuel of choice over regular diesel and our strategy for implementation was benchmarked throughout the Air Force.
Los Angeles AFB--the first federal facility to replace its entire general purpose fleet with PEVs. It is only appropriate, that AFSPC was the command of choice to launch the pilot project for the DoD Plug-In Electric Vehicle (PEV ) Program, which is turning Los Angeles AFB (LAAFB) into the first federal facility to replace its entire general purpose fleet with PEVs. The Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air 82 | The Exceptional Release | SUMMER 2013
Force for Installations, Environment, and Logistics (SAF/IE) is the lead organization for DoD on this program. LAAFB proved to be the perfect location due to the relatively small footprint of the installation, small fleet of 44 vehicles, accessibility to numerous nearby public charging stations, and availability and access to revenues and cost savings through a variety of Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) activities.
The President has set a goal to have one million PEVs on the road in America by 2015. Numerous statutes and Executive Orders require federal agencies to demonstrate leadership and make reductions in fossil fuel consumption. This is being accomplished through various means such as downsizing vehicles, reducing fleet sizes, and procuring Alternative Fuel Vehicles (AFV ) over non-AFVs when applicable. Advancement of plug-in electric vehicle technologies in America is a top priority for President Obama. The President has set a goal to have one million PEVs on the road in America by 2015. To help meet this challenge, he issued a memorandum to federal agencies requiring all new light-duty vehicles in the federal fleet be AFVs by 2015.
It must be noted this isn’t merely an installation meeting the intent of acquiring EVs as a subset of their fleet; this is a full integration of an EV fleet with a robust vehicle platform. This fleet will consist of PEVs, fully-Electric Vehicles (EV ), Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV ), and Extended Range Electric Vehicles (EREV ). Not only will these vehicles be utilized as normal support vehicles, these “PEVs create an opportunity to integrate the fleet into each installation’s energy management portfolio and enables the fleet to be used as a resource to provide energy surety.” (Dr. Camron Gorguinpour, 2011) With a fleet of PEVs in use, there is potential for a reciprocating benefit; reduced fuel consumption when operated as a vehicle, and electrical savings when parked and tapped into the grid.
“PEVs create an opportunity to integrate the fleet into each installation’s energy management portfolio and enables the fleet to be used as a resource to provide energy surety.” The vast majority of this program will be to study the financial and mission capability benefits of the PEV fleet when parked and tied-to
DOWDY the grid, commonly referred to as V2G. According to Dr. Camron Gorguinpour, the DoD program lead, there are multiple activities that can take place through V2G interactions, but the two most likely to be widely used are frequency regulation and peak shaving. “In general, there are two types of frequency regulation: up-regulation (providing electricity to the grid) and down-regulation (receiving electricity from the grid). With frequency regulation, energy can be stored in the EV’s battery or released back to the grid depending on the demand. The purpose of these interactions is to help smooth minute-by-minute variations in electrical demand on the grid.” (ibid)
As planning continues for full-scale integration, academia and industry have responded favorably and are supporting this program. “Another form of V2G is peak shaving or Vehicle-to-Building (V2B). With peak shaving, an installation’s energy use is monitored in real time. When the electrical load exceeds a predetermined threshold, the vehicles discharge to prevent demand charges from being applied to the facility’s utility bill. Hence, the peak load is being “shaved.” In general, the electrical peaks occur 4-5 times per month for approximately 20-30 minutes per event.” (ibid) Again, a large scale PEV V2G demonstration could spotlight capabilities and benefits inconceivable to conventional fleet management. As planning continues for full-scale integration, academia and industry have responded favorably and are supporting this program.
For example, Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory (LBNL) has partnered with Bosch and Akuakom to develop software for PEV fleet management to include vehicle dispatching and charging system analysis as well as V2G/ V2B frequency regulation and peak shaving. SAF/IE is working with Southern California Edison, the California Public Utility Commission, and California ISO to define regulatory and policy framework for V2G activities in California. The California Energy Commission (CEC) has also provided LBNL a $1M grant to provide additional technical support and equipment related to making PEVs and charging stations V2G capable. SAF/IE, AFSPC’s Fuels and Vehicle Branch, AFSPC’s Energy Branch, 61st Civil Engineer and Logistics Squadron (61 CELS at LAAFB), and representatives from industry have collaborated via weekly teleconferences to overcome numerous obstacles with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) and subcontractors of electric vehicles. Hurdles included availability of V2G capable PEVs and charging stations, infrastructure planning, and a variety of regulatory matters. Great progress has already been made at LAAFB and throughout DoD. Several requests for information have been released and two industry events have been held – including one at LAAFB. DoD has completed a detailed infrastructure analysis for PEV charging stations, and GSA worked with DoD to establish a lifecycle cost and residual value model for PEVs. At LAAFB, groundbreaking will begin in the coming weeks to install charging infrastructure and vehicles
will follow shortly after that. The work conducted at LAAFB is serving as a model for other DoD installations that are currently in process to expand the DoD PEV Program beyond the initial pilot location. The success of this pioneering endeavor will help integrate PEVs throughout DoD and put AFSPC on the forefront of EV management and energy conservation. To learn more about this initiative visit: Los Angeles AFB to go electric 8/31/2011: http://www.af.mil/news/story. asp?id=123270249 Los Angeles AFB to go electric updated 9/1/2011 http://www.afspc.af.mil/news1/story. asp?id=123270338 LA Air Force Base Gets Solar Panels and Electric Vehicles, Too 9/2/2011: http://cleantechnica.com/2011/09/02/la-air-force-base-getssolar-panels-and-electric-vehicles-too/ Air Force Jumpstarts Electric Vehicle Program 9/9/2011: http://www.whitehouse.gov/ blog/2011/09/09/air-force-jumpstarts-electricvehicle-program About the Author: James L. Dowdy, Chief, Vehicle Management; DSN: 692-3172, james.dowdy.2@ us.af.mil Works Cited: Camron Gorguinpour, PhD. (2011). Draft DoD Plug-in Electric Vehicle Program Master Plan. K
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VOICES | CHAPTER CROSSTALKS
Chapter CrossTalks BAF LOA Chapter – Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan Submitted by Maj Clarence “Mack” McRae The Bagram Airfield LOA Members had the honor of meeting with Brigadier General Levy, U.S. Central Command Director of Logistics and Engineering (Forward), as well as the Director of the CENTCOM Deployment and Distribution Operations Center (CDDOC), during his recent visit to BAF. During this time, General Levy discussed the importance of being a well-rounded Logistics Officer as well as retrograde operations in support of the U.S. Military’s departure from Afghanistan. Specifically, he discussed the importance of understanding Repair Network Integration in order to be an effective leader in the future. Furthermore, he enlightened us on the significance of the Air Force Materiel Command and the Defense Logistics Agency to future combat operations and how loggies need to develop an understanding of these organizations early in our careers. Finally, General Levy discussed ongoing and future retrograde operations in Afghanistan as well as the importance of ensuring we are properly using multi-modal shipping to avoid unnecessary costs and ensure unit readiness. He reminded us all to think Jointly, and not solely as Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors or Marines. Brigadier General Levy, Col Hogan, 455 AEW/CD, Col King, 455 EMXG/CC, Col Prince, 455 AEW/DS and COL Dickerson, 401 AFSB with Bagram LOA Members.
Hunter LOA Chapter – Creech AFB, NV Submitted by Maj Joshua Pope Led by Chapter Advisors Col Dave Belz and Col Mike Lawrence, the Hunter Chapter was officially established on 2 October 2012! Boasting 11 members, the Chapter is led by Maj Josh Pope (President) and Maj Seanna Less (Vice). We also have some of the only 17D (Cyber Officers) in LOA! The Chapter conducts monthly training sessions and is planning trips to the Nellis Test and Training Range and the General Atomics factory to observe how the MQ-1B Predator and MQ-9A Reaper are manufactured. Expect a lot more exciting news from the Hunter Chapter in the future!
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CHAPTER CROSSTALKS
First State LOA Chapter – Dover AFB, DE Submitted by Lt Dan Whalen The First State Chapter shared logistic management techniques with community partners from the local Kraft Plant in Dover, Delaware. Chapter members spent an afternoon touring the facility, which specializes in dessert products, learning how to best manage perishable resources, optimize space, reduce process times, and make a dangerous environment safer. The Dover Kraft plant is the only US facility that produces well known products such as: Jell-O, Crystal Light, and Shake ‘n Bake. The tour included an in depth look into the packaging equipment, the warehouse, and its sugar supply. Sugar is the facility’s main ingredient and for the plant to make its production quota, the sugar supply must be replenished daily by train cars. At the conclusion of the tour, LOA members and plant managers sat down to share management techniques. The plant’s managers explained the difficulties of changing product recipes and difficulties of introducing new recipes into the production line. Each different flavor is developed through the research and development The First State Chapter in their clean suits at the Kraft Plant. process but when integrated into full rate production the ingredients were never pared down to minimize the amount of total ingredients the plant consumes. Specifically, they mentioned that they have 27 different flavors of “Cherry,” each with a cost ranging from $.50/lb to $4.00/lb. LOA members described similar difficulties in duplication of parts when there are multiple airframes on the flightline that have similar parts, but are not suitable substitutes. In the coming months the First State Chapter will host the Kraft managers to Dover, AFB.
Tidewater LOA Chapter – Joint Base Langley-Eustis, VA Submitted by Maj Billy Babbitt The Tidewater Chapter recently had the unique opportunity to visit Naval Station Norfolk during a historic time. On February 22, 2013, 50 members of the Tidewater Chapter to include the ACC Director of Logistics, Maj Gen Atkinson, and members of the Joint Staff and Command School and Joint Forces Command, were treated to a logistics-focused tour aboard the newest Super Carrier in the U.S. Navy’s fleet, the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77). For the first time since December 7, 1941, there are five aircraft carriers in port at the same time; the Enterprise is being decommissioned, the Lincoln is getting overhauled and the Roosevelt, Truman and Bush in port for routine maintenance before shipping out again. Seeing detailed methods for supplying, maintaining, fueling, loading and launching aircraft was a truly awe-inspiring experience. Joint operating events like this one not only gave us all an appreciation for what we do on land, but
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Tidewater Chapter members with Maj Gen Atkinson and CAPT (Lex) Luther, the ship’s Captain, in front of the bronze likeness of Former President, George H.W. Bush.
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VOICES | CHAPTER CROSSTALKS also gave an appreciation for how our sister service operates at sea. Additionally, we gained valuable insight into how we can improve the way we operate. Right: Tidewater members learning how aircraft are maneuvered around the flight deck utilizing the ‘Ouija Board.’
Lt Gen Leo Marquez LOA Chapter - Kirtland AFB, NM Submitted by Capt Robert Nazzarini Chapter members and friends recently toured the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Defense Nuclear Weapons School’s (DNWS), Nuclear Weapons Instructional Museum (NWIM) located on Kirtland AFB, NM. It is the only classified museum in the Department of Defense. The NWIM is an irreplaceable repository that traces the history and development of the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile from its inception to the present. The NWIM contains displays of all stockpiled U.S. nuclear weapons and their associated components and delivery systems, as well as related training aids. In addition to preserving artifacts of unique historic significance, the DNWS NWIM serves as an important teaching aid. Tours are provided in conjunction with some courses conducted at the DNWS and vary in length from two to four hours, depending on the nature of the audience.
Middle Georgia Chapter – Robins AFB, GA Submitted by Capt Redahlia Person The Middle Georgia Chapter is progressing well in the first quarter of 2013. In January, we brought in local Lockheed Martin representatives and presented a corporate structure briefing and discussed maintenance actions used for Continuous Process Improvements on the C-130 J-model. March 2013, the chapter received a presentation by Mr. George Falldine on HAF/A4L Logistics Strategy. We discussed the emergence of the Enterprise Logistics Governance, a “guiding collation” of senior Air Force loggies to guide and manage enterprise logistics and developed the framework for the Enterprise Logistics Strategy. The goal of this effort is to institutionalize both the Enterprise Logistics Governance and the Enterprise Logistics Strategy by creating a structured, logical, flexible means for ensuring AF logistics is managed from an enterprise perspective. In April, Middle Georgia hosted a base visit with the Charleston AFB, Globemaster Chapter, who traveled to Robins AFB as a permissive TDY at no government monetary expense. Both groups toured the E-8C JSTARS in the 116 Air Control Wing, WR-Defense Logistics Agency, C-17 depot line and ended with a professional development luncheon. Middle Georgia and Globemaster LOA Chapters touring the 402 Commodities Maintenance Group at Robins AFB, GA.
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CHAPTER CROSSTALKS
Crossroads Chapter – Tinker AFB, OK Submitted by Capt Christopher Clark The Crossroads Chapter experienced a phenomenal first quarter of 2013. Col Robert Helgeson, Commander, 76th PMXG, delivered a great seminar on professional development at our January meeting from his experience serving as both a logistics readiness officer and maintenance officer. In February, Brigadier General Donald Kirkland, Commander, Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex (OC-ALC), provided great insight into his experience as the 5th MXG Commander, Minot AFB. In March, Col Stacey Hawkins, Deputy Commander for Maintenance, OC-ALC, presented an overview of his thesis from the school of Advanced Air and Space Studies regarding the sustainment of the Joint Strike Fighter. During this quarter, we opened up our Chapter to the ac- Logisticians across Tinker listen intently during the March meeting. quisition community to focus on strengthening communication between two key components in procuring and sustaining weapon systems. We concluded this quarter with a joint luncheon between our LOA chapter and Tinker AFB’s American Society of Military Comptrollers Sequoyah Chapter. This lunch kicked off a series titled “Cost Effective Readiness” focusing on how to meet the COCOM readiness requirements in the most cost effective manner. Mr. Ross Marshall, Executive Director, Air Force Sustainment Center, served as Guest Speaker. We have made great progress in our first quarter, focusing on current issues requiring the attention of logisticians as well as opening discussions with the acquisitions and financial community. We’ve got a great second quarter planned and will continue to build successful logisticians from Team Tinker!
Golden Gate Chapter - Travis AFB, CA Submitted by Lt Daniel Finney After months of planning and diligent focus, TAFB secured “Outstanding” LCAP and “Excellent” ORI ratings during the 2013 HQ AMC CUI. The practical experience and challenging taskings proved an invaluable training tool for Logistics Officers. As the CUI reinforced proper execution amid changing landscapes, the Chapter educated members on developing War & Mobilization Plans to support contingency operations. For Professional development, the Chapter discussed Promotions, PRF’s, assignments, and PDE/SDE. Finally, our community outreach included teaming with local organization ‘Rebuilding Together Solano County’ to renovate the Mare Island Museum in downtown Vallejo, CA. Finally, the Chapter is planning a Fuels Distribution tour to provide insight on the purchase and delivery process. The tour will comprise the Northern California supply chain, including Valero’s Refinery in Benicia, the Defense Fuels Support Point, the Inspectorate Laboratory in Selby, and Kinder Morgan’s State-of-the-art Operations Center in Concord, enhancing understanding of the process from sourcing to distribution to delivery at aircraft.
Wright Brothers Chapter – Wright-Patterson AFB, OH Submitted by Col Shawn Harrison The Wright Brothers Chapter’s 2013 campaign gained speed and momentum since our last update, thanks to a re-energized strategy. Chapter Advisor Brig Gen Glenn Davis initiated a new objective to establish one-on-one relationships with fellow logisticians from the USA, USN, and USMC. Five civilian and five military members will interface with Joint counterparts and bring relevant topics (joint service logistics, contingency logistics, etc.) to future Chapter meetings. Other campaign objectives include – (1) “Recognizing the Contributions of Civilian Logisticians” as our annual theme with a polished lens on loggie civilians as the center of gravity at Wright-Patt, (2) Re-kindling monthly Chapter engagements, increasing membership & participation, (3) Planning/Executing a variety of professional development, service-oriented, and fundraising projects, (4) Implementing effective means of communication [SharePoint, Facebook, other media], and (5) Supporting LOA National activities. The Wright Brothers Chapter is remaining focused on its strategy to remain ever-ready in sustaining the warfighter! K
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