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JBSA News
NEWS | Nov. 23, 2015

Event identifies registrar improvements to meet RPA student increase

Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph Public Affairs

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.”