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Tech. Sgt. Kenny Prather inspects the exhaust nozzle on an F-16 Fighting Falcon engine at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. Sergeant Prather is an Air Reserve Technician at the 419th Fighter Wing. He is also a civilian employee of the shop and has 18 years of active-duty and Reserve experience. (U.S. Air Force photo/G. A. Volb)
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Propulsion shops work together, eliminate waste
Posted 9/7/2006 Updated 9/7/2006
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by G. A. Volb
Ogden Air Logistics Center Public Affairs
9/7/2006 - HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah (AFPN) -- In the name of increased combat capability, the 388th and 419th Fighter Wing propulsion shops are working side by side to take advantage of expertise from active-duty and Reserve technicians, while eliminating redundancy.
"The move enables us to work leaner, meaner and more concise, as well as provide additional manning to handle any future workloads," said Tech. Sgt. Valorie Mathes, jet engine intermediate maintenance production supervisor with the 388th Component Maintenance Squadron.
The Airmen's work, as might be suggested by the name of their shop, involves jet engine maintenance.
"We repair the F-110 engines installed in F-16 (Fighting Falcon) aircraft," said Tech. Sgt. Brian Congreve. "That means performing periodic inspections, teardown and buildup, plus accomplishing time compliance technical orders and maintaining 128 engines."
Sergeant Congreve, a jet engine mechanic with the 419th Maintenance Squadron, said they will "perform everything from minor repairs to complete overhauls."
The consolidation, he said, aims to leverage the capabilities of each shop.
"We are stronger together than we are apart," Sergeant Congreve said. "I was previously stationed at Travis (Air Force Base, Calif.), home of the C-5 Galaxy, and that was an associate wing, both the reservists and active duty working side by side."
The association of the two propulsion shops here required moving the entire 419th jet engine shop -- people, tools and equipment -- to the 388th's jet shop. It took six months to complete.
"Modifying the floor plan to accommodate equipment and expanding from a two-dock to a four-dock system was first on the priority list," Sergeant Mathes said. It included office space for supervision and supply personnel, plus co-locating support staff and equipment.
Sergeant Congreve said the "association forced both shops to scrutinize processes and how we go about our daily business. And from this we've learned to use our time more efficiently. We've combined the strengths of both shops, reducing many duplicated efforts, and continue to learn from each other."
He also stressed that since quality in their business is an essential ingredient to success, they have overcome the challenges of the move while maintaining their goal of zero defects.
"The association will supply the warfighter with greater, more efficient combat capabilities," said Sergeant Congreve. "It goes along with our goal of maximizing Air Force combat capabilities by capitalizing on the strengths inherent in the Reserve and active-duty forces."
An added benefit was the increased availability of equipment.
"There is more equipment to use and more resources available," Sergeant Mathes said. "And we not only learn from each other, but also from the young Airmen who have a lot to offer. They open our minds up to thinking 'outside the box.'"
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