Continuous Process Improvement supports wing-wide transformation

  • Published
  • By Linda Welz
  • 452 AMW Public Affairs

The 452nd Air Mobility Wing’s Continuous Process Improvement office held several events in

throughout the wing’s CPI culture.

 

Newcomers are made award of the program during short introductory classes, while pre-deployers take part in Rapid Improvement Events.

 

As a subject matter expert on such events, Senior Master Sgt. Brian Sammons, 452nd Operations Group senior in-flight refueling examiner, participates to improve local processes.

 

“CPI training offers a practical approach to identify problems, review processes, implement changes and cultivate improvement,” said Sammons. “This course is not easy; it is challenging to absorb all of the material and then apply it in just a few days.”

 

Additionally, Green Belt practitioners attend classes to review CPI tools and learn how to apply CPI methods to real-world issues. By using root cause analysis tools, attendees learn how to make the most impact on implementing positive change.

 

Master Sgt. Laura Young, Air Force Western Recruiting Squadron Personnel Programs, became a GB practitioner in May 2016.

 

Although Young has not yet held an event within her unit she said the program is designed for a team with a problem or task where, with the help of a facilitator, that team would work together to identify and eliminate redundancies in order to solve the problem or streamline the task, and save time and money in the process.

 

“I became a practitioner because I like problem solving, and wanted to learn new skills that could impact individual units and the Air Force to save time and money,” she said. “I also felt it was a good way to get out and meet other Airmen on the base, and possibly travel to host events.”

 

Another newcomer to GB and the CPI process is 1st Lt. Rebekkah Campbell, 912th Air Refueling Squadron officer-in-charge of Intelligence. Campbell believes CPI is crucial to both individuals and groups because it can help improve overall thinking, and forces participants to think successfully outside the box, by providing the tools and methods necessary to do so.

 

“I believe strongly in the concept of working smarter,” Campbell said. “If something is not functioning in the most effective way that it could, it us up to all of us to think of ways to fix it.”

 

The CPI process not only helps the people concerned with the problem, but also helps those later on who will receive the product, Campbell said. It fosters a new age of thinking by taking old processes, that are not very effective, and transforming them into better quality products and procedures, she said. 

 

Green Belt and CPI is important to everyone, said Staff Sgt. Andrew Cook, 452nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, aircraft mechanic. The CPI process bring improvements which results in increased unit strength, he said.

 

“Every program that is in place effects each member. Improving those programs improves the unit,” Cook said. “Improving the unit benefits your people, (and) people are your most important asset.”

 

For the opportunity to learn about CPI, improve your unit processes or learn how what you do at the unit level fits within the wing’s mission (strategic alignment), attend an upcoming GB Academic training session on Feb. 13-17 or March 13-17.

 

If you are interested in finding out more about the wing’s CPI process and/or attending GB or CPI training, contact Lt. Col. Curtis at 951-655-2616 or scipiaruth.curtis.1@us.af.mil.