Message to the workforce: It's more than just numbers Published March 14, 2014 By Brig. Gen. Cedric George, WR-ALC Commander and Col. Chris Hill, Installation Commander ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- There's been a lot of discussion lately in the news media, the local community and across base concerning our numbers - the Air Logistics Complex's low Due Date Performance percentage for aircraft and the installation's high grievance rates compared to those of our sister units in Oklahoma and Utah. Yes, we know about our numbers. We're all judged in today's society by numbers. For athletes it's how many championship rings or gold medals they've won. For politicians, it's how they fair in the approval ratings. For big business, it's about profits and losses. At Robins, our focus is on more than numbers. Our focus is on every employee who is working hard to do the right thing - to get the right results the right way. As your leaders, we know that. We know the buck stops with us, and leaders owe it to their employees to put processes in place to fix problems - for the near term and the long haul. We've already started in the right direction in maintenance production by implementing a science-based plan that balances people with mission. The plan focuses on people, processes, resources, throughput, quality workmanship, worker safety and cost effectiveness - the same process used at Tinker and Hill Air Force bases. What's great about this plan is that it doesn't change with each new commander or depend solely on the personality at the top to drive our recovery. It's built to last. In the early stages of implementing the plan, we're already seeing some success. Currently there are nine aircraft in work that are flowing through the process quite well. We must own this process on every task, every shift, every day. We've already proven through collaboration and working together we can resolve problems - just look how far we've come with VPP and making our work centers safer for everyone. You have our commitment that we're working hard to ensure parts and equipment are there when needed. We're collaborating to ensure if training is needed, it's accomplished. Together we're working to foster a climate of mutual respect and trust across the installation. But we can't do it alone. Robins is a viable asset for the Air Force and our nation's defense. If we roll up our collective sleeves and work together, we can certainly perform to our potential.