Configuration Management = Good Stewardship
Guest post by RDML Tom Ostebo, Assistant Commandant for Engineering & Logistics (CG-4)
Recent incidents, including a shipboard fire, clearly reveal why configuration management is one of the four cornerstones to logistics transformation in the modernized Coast Guard. The fire, which occurred several weeks ago, resulted from an unauthorized configuration change to equipment onboard the cutter. Fortunately, no injuries and only minor damage resulted from the mishap. However, the incident should have never occurred and the cost of response and repair never incurred, given that the fire was preventable with proper configuration management.
While configuration management is not a new concept, our crews have inherited cutters lacking in documented central configuration control for years. Our modernization initiative, specifically our transformation to a new logistics business model, is driving us all to reassert discipline in our configuration management program and change control processes. Under the new business model, surveys are planned that will establish cutter configuration baselines. The baseline will be managed by a Product Line Manager and configuration audit teams will routinely assess units for their compliance with the approved configuration baseline. Commands will be recognized for their adherence to the baseline and for demonstrated discipline to configuration management processes.
To assist in achieving universal configuration management control and enforcement, configuration management audit teams will be established and chartered to:
a) Review processes and assets to validate compliance with requirements
b) Verify that assets conform to the released asset documentation
c) Direct commanding officers to correct audit non-conformances based on the results of a case-by-case analysis of cost and risk.
In the meantime, no new configuration changes shall be made to a Coast Guard asset that have not been approved by the cognizant configuration control board and documented in the configuration baseline.
Proper configuration management fosters asset sustainability through standard, repeatable and scalable processes. It enables informed decision-making for operations, effective budgeting and efficient change management. Furthermore, a commitment to configuration management benefits both the operational and support communities through reduced break-in time, training time, and maintenance time. I cannot overstress the importance of maintaining strict configuration management. It is absolutely critical to preserving the Coast Guard's mission readiness and ensuring good stewardship of the public's tax dollars.
Recent incidents, including a shipboard fire, clearly reveal why configuration management is one of the four cornerstones to logistics transformation in the modernized Coast Guard. The fire, which occurred several weeks ago, resulted from an unauthorized configuration change to equipment onboard the cutter. Fortunately, no injuries and only minor damage resulted from the mishap. However, the incident should have never occurred and the cost of response and repair never incurred, given that the fire was preventable with proper configuration management.
While configuration management is not a new concept, our crews have inherited cutters lacking in documented central configuration control for years. Our modernization initiative, specifically our transformation to a new logistics business model, is driving us all to reassert discipline in our configuration management program and change control processes. Under the new business model, surveys are planned that will establish cutter configuration baselines. The baseline will be managed by a Product Line Manager and configuration audit teams will routinely assess units for their compliance with the approved configuration baseline. Commands will be recognized for their adherence to the baseline and for demonstrated discipline to configuration management processes.
To assist in achieving universal configuration management control and enforcement, configuration management audit teams will be established and chartered to:
a) Review processes and assets to validate compliance with requirements
b) Verify that assets conform to the released asset documentation
c) Direct commanding officers to correct audit non-conformances based on the results of a case-by-case analysis of cost and risk.
In the meantime, no new configuration changes shall be made to a Coast Guard asset that have not been approved by the cognizant configuration control board and documented in the configuration baseline.
Proper configuration management fosters asset sustainability through standard, repeatable and scalable processes. It enables informed decision-making for operations, effective budgeting and efficient change management. Furthermore, a commitment to configuration management benefits both the operational and support communities through reduced break-in time, training time, and maintenance time. I cannot overstress the importance of maintaining strict configuration management. It is absolutely critical to preserving the Coast Guard's mission readiness and ensuring good stewardship of the public's tax dollars.
Posted at
1:34 PM
4 Comments:
I couldn't agree with you more Admiral Ostebo. To go along with our lesson's learned from configuration management, we can also learn from the Navy's experiences in the realm of cableway management. Many of our afloat units are wrought with cableway discrepancies that would keep US Naval vessels from departing yard maintenance periods. I would like to see the Coast Guard take the initiative to establish cableway inspection teams to document discrepancies, correct immediate safety concerns, and to help facilitate the funding of and resolutions of cableway issues during drydock availabilities. NAVSEA already has their program running, lets take a page from their book before we're learning about cableway management from our after action reports.
ETC Strattard sends...
It is my hope that our modernization initiative with regards to (cutter) configuration management will help decrease the lag time between Enginnering Change Requests and approval (if warranted).
When did configuration management stop?
It has been around since the Revenue Cutter Service. One RCS captain was censured for painting a red strip along his black hull instead of the mandated white strip. I suppose this may have been the first racing stripe.
Of course, it was not thought about much but every schooner had different size gun ports for the same caliber guns. I suppose some RIO did not get the memo.
CAPT Roden (CG-45) provided the below in response to ETC Strattard's comment:
Hello Chief, and thank you for your post.
You're absolutely right that cableway management is a critical program for ship safety. I'm confident the inspections you refer to will be part of our checklist for ship visits, and I'm certain that the Product Line organization we're putting in place will drive accountability. Our Office of Naval Engineering has never had stronger ties to NAVSEA than they do now, and I'll ensure this is a program that we benchmark with the Navy.
Thanks for your work in ensuring we do the right thing!
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