The 56th Logistics Readiness Squadron Materiel Management Flight at Luke Air Force Base, Artiz., made improvements to the process for issuing Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear training gear to Airmen allowing them to accomplish their mission more efficiently.
Prior to the change the flight would have each item separated on the shelves and wait until a customer arrived to issue items individually.
“What we had before was everything on the shelf and would pick out the items needed and put it in the bag,” said Tech. Sgt.John Damasco, 56th LRS Individual Protective Equipment Flight section chief.
The new system has training gear prepackaged and ready to go upon the customer’s arrival.
“With this improved process we now have premade bags and a new color coded system for the laundry as well,” said Damasco.
The idea came about when their shop was very low manned, customers were still coming in for training gear and processing each person was taking too long because of it. A more efficient way of issuing gear needed to be implemented.
“We all wanted to make it better and we took an idea from Sergeant Damasco who has a similar system set up from his deployment in Qatar which ended up working perfectly,” Staff Sgt. Corey Kindred, 56th LRS Individual Protective Equipment Flight supervisor.
Through the old process it would take the flight roughly five minutes to process one Airman. They cut the time by more than half bringing the process to less than two minutes per person.
“It is especially helpful when you have a big group for training and only 2 or3 Airmen here,” said Damasco. “You can accommodate up to 10 customers who walk in much easier versus the old system.”
With 70 to 80 customers a week walking through their doors for training or deployments, it would be difficult for the flight to keep up if they did not have a full shop. With this system it will save more than 200 hours per year and as a result it will assist Airmen through the line quicker.
“It makes everything easier, faster and more efficient because customers can just grab the bag they need and ultimately get them in and out much quicker than before,” said Kindred.
“Our goal is to continue and improve whatever process we have here and to cater to the mission,” said Damasco “Our mission is readiness and we make sure that we positively impact the Airmen that come through our doors.”
Making sure that our Airmen can quickly and efficiently obtain the proper gear ensures that 56th Fighter Wing can continue to train the world’s greatest fighter pilots and combat ready Airmen.