JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas –
A projected 22 percent increase in the number of students enrolled
in remotely piloted aircraft courses at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph this
fiscal year was the basis of a recent event dedicated to exploring ways to
improve the 12th Operations Group’s registrar processes.
The 12th OG Registrar Utilization Continuous Process
Improvement Event Nov. 2-4 at the JBSA-Randolph
Library was the collaborative effort of a team representing the 12th OG, Air
Education and Training Command, Air Force Personnel Center and other
organizations.
It was also an example of the teamwork CPI events emphasize,
said David Bernacki, 12th Operations Support Squadron lead Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals weapons system
civilian simulator instructor.
“It’s teamwork, people coming together,” he said. “We had
all the squadrons and other organizations working together to help the 12th OG
look at ways to meet the increased RPA student load efficiently and
effectively. Events like this increase communication among our organizations.”
David Foret, 802nd Force Support Squadron management analyst
and a member of the CPI event team, said the team’s diversity is a strength.
“With today's environment, where additional manpower
resources are very limited to nonexistent, it is critical to come up with ideas
that can save time and effort within existing resources,” he said. “That is why
it is very important to develop a team with different skillsets and viewpoints.
In my case, I came from outside the process, and while I am no expert in this
particular process, I am able to see the process/problem with fresh eyes and a
different perspective.”
The Air Force’s Continuous Process Improvement initiative,
formerly known as Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century, is an
eight-step approach to identify waste, focus activities on eliminating it and maximize
resources to satisfy other requirements.
Bernacki, a CPI “black belt” candidate who served as
facilitator for the registrar utilization event, said the 12th Flying Training
Wing is committed to the initiative.
“The 12th Flying Training Wing leads AETC in CPI events to
streamline processes, eliminate waste, create efficiencies and save resources
and money,” he said.
In addition to a facilitator, CPI teams include a
“champion,” who has the authority to dedicate resources, assets and people to
an initiative; a “process owner,” who leads an organization or group; a team
lead; and other members.
The registrar utilization event featured champion Col. David
Drichta, 12th OG commander; process owner Lt. Col. Courtney Hamilton, 12th OSS
commander; and team lead Maj. Anthony Lau, 12th OSS assistant director of
operations.
Bernacki, who has served as facilitator at other CPI events,
said he prepared for the most recent event by spending time at the 12th OG
registrar office, calculating how much time is spent on registrar duties. The
registrar office is responsible for providing 12th OG training squadrons with
all the information necessary to track student training, including entry,
tracking and graduation of students.
He said Drichta wanted to reduce the office’s workload by 22
percent to accommodate the increase in students.
The team explored ways to increase efficiencies in the
registrar process to meet the 22 percent increase, using the eight-step process
to identify those measures, including the elimination of some requirements from
AETC Instruction 36-2205, which governs formal flying training administration
and management; developing standardized rosters; and increasing communication
between 12th OG squadrons and the registrar office, Bernacki said.
Team member D. Diana Keany, AFPC trainer assignments chief,
said the CPI event was “important on all levels.”
“By improving communication among AETC, the 12th OG and the
flying squadrons, the team streamlined the process to produce and distribute
rosters while also re-examining AETCI 36-2205 requirements,” she said.
Another team member, Lynda Conner, AFPC RPA assignments
chief, said future student rosters “will not only be more accurate and timely,
but also produced in a more efficient manner, thus decreasing total workload.”