4/29/2011 - ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- Senior leaders of the Warner Robins Air Logistics and the Air Force Global Logistics Support centers participated in a Lean event last week to develop plans for realizing the WR-ALC vision of being: "A World-Class Center of Acquisition and Sustainment Excellence."
The first order of business was to assess the current state of the WR-ALC.
"We had much debate of what letter grade we would give ourselves, and it ranged from a 'B' to a 'C,'" said Maj. Gen. Robert McMahon, WR-ALC commander.
"But there was also consensus where we want to be is an 'A' organization. So, we realized the debate wasn't really relevant because, regardless of whether we grade ourselves as a 'B' or 'C,' we aren't where we need to be," he said. "Because our warriors around the globe depend on us to support the work they do, anything less than being world-class is unacceptable."
The leaders discussed how to get the WR-ALC to be an 'A' organization, and the result was a commitment to several focus areas: exceed warfighter and customer expectations, lead the Department of Defense in cost management, and re-energize and sustain continuous process improvement.
The team developed plans to achieve breakthrough results in the key ALC focus areas to include applying the principles of high-velocity maintenance, which is successfully being used in C-130 work areas, throughout the WR-ALC; developing leaders at all levels; and integrating cost awareness in all decision making.
McMahon also re-enforced the leaders' "commitment to ensuring a safe and secure work environment for every member of the Warner Robins Air Logistics Center."
He said there was consensus from those in the event that responsibility for improving performance lies not with a particular organization or group of individuals, but with the entire ALC and workforce.
McMahon said every member of the WR-ALC has a role to play in helping it become an 'A' organization, and he called on everyone to do three things.
"Respect your co-workers, including your peers and supervisors; do your job to the best of your ability; and last, stay engaged. If there are better ways of doing things, you need to speak up and be heard," McMahon said.
"We should also remember it is a privilege to serve the warfighter, and we must earn that privilege each and every day," he said.
