Air Force print news (Dec. 14, 2005): airmen earn awards for innovations, improvements.

WASHINGTON (AFPN) -- Airmen from seven major commands received the Chief of Staff Team Excellence Awards (CSTEA) and Air Force Best Practice certificates for mission process improvements.

Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne and Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel Gen. Roger A. Brady presented the trophies and certificates to the winners in a ceremony at the Pentagon Dec. 13.

The awards recognize teams that use a systematic approach to enhance mission capability, improve operational performance, and create sustained results.

"We're making a push for continuous process improvement," Wynne said. "And, (your) doing it as a team is a wonderful event. We are extremely proud of you."

Five teams received the excellence awards. Six teams received the Air Force Best Practice certificate.

The award winners are:

Air Force Chief of Staff Team Excellence Award

Operational Procedure Emulator Team, 381st Training Group, Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., Air Education and Training Command 

By developing a Web-based interactive personal emulator, the team enhanced the technical training mission for intercontinental ballistic missile operators. The Operational Procedures Emulator for Academic Training provides students with instant hands-on application. The training has led to a 42 percent improvement in comprehension and a 20 percent increase in proficiency.

Team members are: Lt. Col. Wayne R. Monteith, Capt. Jimmy K. Brown, Capt. Karl Basham, Capt Jared Nelson, Capt. Casimiro Benevidez III, Capt. John Sill, Capt. John Bales, Capt. Ryan Surroz, Capt. Joel Bius, Capt. Mike Maciejewski, Capt. Eric Talcott, Linda Hill, Roger Toney, Alex Aranda, and John Barnes.

Air Force Chief of Staff Team Excellence Award and Air Force Best Practice Winner

Wheel and Tire Production Team, 62nd Maintenance Squadron, McChord AFB, Wash. Air Mobility Command

This team found a better way to tear down, build up, and supply C-17 Globemaster III aircraft wheel and tire assemblies. An assembly had spent 19 hours and 34 minutes in transportation or holding areas during issue or turn-in. Technology upgrades eliminated manual labor, and process enhancements optimized flow. The team cut the build up and tear down process time 67 percent, enabling a wheel and tire section of 11 people to operate with five. The team then established one central supply point. This cut a 16-step supply process to five steps, reducing the issue and turn-in time 93 percent, and enabling an 11-person supply team to operate with four people.

Team members are: Capt. Jason R. York, 1st Lt. Garrett W. Knowlan, Chief Master Sgt. Jeffrey E. Mckenzie, Master Sgt. Randolph Marks, Master Sgt. Teresa A. Myers, Master Sgt. Archie S. Vance, Tech Sgt. Michael L. Brown, Staff Sgt. Robert J. Gray, Staff Sgt. David G. Gallegos, Staff Sgt. Lawrence C. Volstorf, Staff Sgt. Kevin S. Cloyd, Staff Sgt. Shawn A. Kubo, Staff Sgt. Tanya S. Polzin, Staff Sgt. Carlos J. Lewis, Senior Airman Alexander Rojas, Senior Airman Rodney P. Sasina, Senior Airman Derek M. Welinski, Senior Airman Adam L. Hardgrove, Airman 1st Class Ghassan M. Khan, Airman 1st Class Erich A. Boehm, Airman 1st Class Michael W. Naramore, Airman 1st Class Jesse J. Hope, Steven E. Rector, Bryan L. Owen, Barry A. Frerichs, Carole L. Kaser, Janice E. Barker, Roxane Crafton, and Daniel Benjamin.

Air Force Chief of Staff Team Excellence Award and Air Force Best Practice Winner

Aging Aircraft Wire/Component Test Team, 4th Component Maintenance Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C., Air Combat Command

This team identified that over 34 percent of all F-15 Strike Eagle aircraft discrepancies are a result of an electrical problem. The team researched and procured a commercial tester. Use of the wiring analyzer has saved more than 9,000 manhours and more than $269,000 in its first six months. Additionally, they now have the ability to write programs and export them via e-mail as successfully performed during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Airmen from Eglin AFB, Fla., and Pope AFB, S.C., have received training to use the tester on the F-15 Eagle and A-10 Thunderbolt II.

Team members are: 1st Lt. Christopher E. Sweet, 1st Lt. David M. Grassie, Master Sgt. Stephen W. Hoggard, Tech. Sgt. David M. Roberts, Staff Sgt. Shawn H. Speirs, Staff Sgt. Timothy M. Weaver, Airman 1st Class Seth T. Evans, and Tom Jordan.

Air Force Chief of Staff Team Excellence Award and Air Force Best Practice Winner

Space Power Lab Team, National Security Space Institute, Colorado Springs, Colo. Air Force Space Command

The Space Power Lab identified the need to improve the training processes at the NSSI, and developed a scenario-based interactive modeling and simulation environment stressing creative thinking and collaborative problem solving. Nine of the 13 space educational courses conducted at the NSSI use the Space Power Lab to reinforce classroom concepts. Students immersed in the Space Power Lab gain an appreciation for the complexity of war planning, the dynamics involved in executing these plans, and the overall integration of space capabilities.

Team members are: Lt. Col. Mark L. Adkins, Master Sgt. James S. Bonner, Curtis Whitlow, Gregg Chambers, Jason Steers, Ruben Fritts, and David McKeeby.

Air Force Chief of Staff Team Excellence Award and Air Force Best Practice Winner

Enterprise Weapon Systems Certification Team, Computer Systems Squadron, Hickam AFB, Hawaii Pacific Air Forces

The command's Computer Systems Squadron leadership became aware of a serious deficiency in mission crew position certifications. As indicated by inspections, less than 10 percent of all mission crews completed mission qualification training or successfully passed the mission qualification examination. The team researched industry best practices and created an enterprise network weapons simulator, the Advanced Theater Training and Certification Center, based on the creative use of new technology saving $2 million and 8,000 manhours. Use of the simulator reduced training time by 45 percent.

Team Members are: Ammon Leeson, 1st Lt. Tiffiny Smith, Senior Master Sgt. James Goss, Tech. Sgt. David M. Miller, Tech. Sgt. Steven Delong, Staff Sgt. Brian G. Brown, Staff Sgt. Noelle Turk, and Allen Hill.

Air Force Best Practice Winner

The OpsNet Team, 340th Flying Training Group, Randolph AFB, Texas, Air Force Reserve Command

This team developed a suite of Web-based reservist management tools called OpsNet. The OpsNet tools streamlined administrative control workload by 80 percent, allowing the 340th FTG to redirect over 1,950 man days per year back to the primary mission. This generated a cost avoidance of $487,500 per year. The OpsNet team generated a validated return on investment of 2,000 percent in man-day savings in 2003 and 2004. The 10-year ROI is projected at 7,400 percent. The tools created by the OpsNet team have become the foundation for a new AFRC command-wide effort to field Web-based reservist management tools called ReserveNet.

Air Force Best Practice Winner

F-15 Central Gearbox Lean Team, 309th Commodities Maintenance Group, Power Systems Accessories Squadron, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, Air Force Materiel Command 

This team enhanced the repair and overhaul process for the F-15 central gearbox product family by using a three-phase approach to lean manufacturing within the maintenance, repair, and overhaul environment. Flow days reduced from 95 days to 24 days. The end-item sales price for two different central gearbox models has reduced costs 18 percent and 54 percent. The process saved the Air Force $5.1 million the first year. A 25 percent reduction of aircraft downtime has been achieved and sustained.