MARINE CORPS AIR STATION YUMA, Ariz. -- The Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 13 avionics department recently used a new program being introduced to the Marine Corps ensuring work sections are working smarter and not harder.
The AIRspeed program is designed to help reduce wasted time and money and is currently being introduced only to MALS shops across the Marine Corps and selected flying squadrons.
“The goal for the program is to make the best use of (Marines), money and equipment,” said Steve Yarber, Simpler consulting incorporated.
The program is intended to be used at different shops and determine whether Marines are performing their job in the most efficient way possible. If not, the program will indicate what changes should be made to perform a task in the most resourceful manner.
In the MALS-13 avionics department, the Consolidated Automated Support System and the Mobile Facility work centers used AIRspeed to test their effectiveness.
“The shops were broken down into teams made up of Marines from different work centers,” said staff Sgt. Anthony Geer, CASS noncommissioned officer-in-charge. “This way you see some things that otherwise would be missed if you are used to the everyday routine. This way you come in looking at it from a different perspective.”
The program, which started January 2004, is a two-week process that consists of a week of observation followed by a week of implementation.
“For the first two days, we simply watched Marines as each team performed a common task for that work center,” said Sgt. Joshua White, CASS team leader and MALS-13 micro miniature repair technician. “Then we recorded all of the minor steps they took to complete a task. We recorded several details ranging from the distance traveled to how long it took to complete each individual task. The steps were then written out and placed on a wall in order. Each step was analyzed to determine which steps are required and which are a waste of time. The steps determined to be a waste of time receive a red sticker and the necessary steps receive an orange sticker.”
Using AIRspeed the CASS team was able to reduce their working time from three hours and sixteen minutes while traveling 4,015 feet to two hours and 237 feet traveled, said White an Enterprise, Ala., native. The CASS team had to fix the CASS van, which is the equipment used to fix broken aircraft components. One of the problems AIRspeed pointed out was that Marines had to travel 80 feet each time they needed a new tool.
The Mobile Facility work center also found the program extremely beneficial in eliminating time wasted when repairing air conditioning control units in a CASS van.
“We found out we were lacking the equipment to do the job more efficiently,” said Staff Sgt. Felipe Rodriguez, supply division noncommissioned officer-in-charge and native of Chico, Calif. “We also found out the Marines have two different shops; one is the work center and the other contains the tools. The program will allow us to eliminate all the time wasted and reduce the procedure from a four and a half hour job to a thirty-four minute job. The only change required was having a truck with tools in the back so we can drive to the location and fix it on the spot.”
In addition to allowing Marines to perform their jobs more efficiently, AIRspeed gives them the opportunity to become involved with the decision-making process.
“We tried to get ideas from the junior Marines, who are actually doing the work,” said Staff Sgt. Devin M. Kibler, MALS-13 advanced communications/navigation technician, who hails from Fisher, Ill. “The great thing about the program is that (privates first class) through sergeants are making the decisions to change the way a task is performed. It allows them to do something they probably didn’t think they could do.”
The program is also good because any changes made to a specific procedure will also impact other tasks, said White.
He added, “Even though the AIRspeed method was tested only on one procedure, the improvements made will impact all the other procedures that are normally done at the work centers.”
He said, hopefully other shops around the station will have the opportunity to use the AIRspeed program so they can find out if there is a way to perform their jobs more efficiently.