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Robins hosted an Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century Senior Leader’s Course

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Robins Air Force Base, GA --  Colonels, GS-15s or National Security Personnel System equivalents, and chief master sergeants from throughout the Air Force attended the course, which incorporated both classroom instruction and on-site tours where AFSO21 tools and initiatives have been implemented. Some of the areas highlighted with tours included the F-15, C-5 and gyro shops. 

The purpose of the course is to train on AFSO21 and the role of mid-level management in AFSO21, said Col. Mike Smith, chief of operations and training for AFSO21 for the Air Force. 

"Warner Robins has a great history doing this in C-5s and F-15s. They've done good work. They have a history we can build upon and show them what it looks like when it's done right," Colonel Smith said. 

He said Robins was chosen by the Air Force Materiel Command to showcase the Warner Robins Air Logistics Center's AFSO21 efforts. 

"We are certainly excited about the course content and being able to reach and touch these senior leaders," said Dennis Deitner, AFMC AFSO21 team lead. 

The class is designed to help senior leaders learn which areas to apply AFSO21 to and how to take the AFSO21 principles and spread them throughout the Air Force, said Susanne Miller-Urban, instructor for the course. 

"Being able to bring everyone across the Air Force together and being able to demonstrate successes of Lean here at Robins and how that is a great spring board for working across the Air Force and demonstrating what AFSO21 tools can do," said Jennifer Royball-McDowell, Robins directorate of personnel change manager, who participated in the class. 

Class participants and organizers agreed it was helpful to see the results of AFSO21 tools in the shops where they have been implemented versus only seeing them on PowerPoint slides.

"This course gives you the tools which drive positive change," said Chief Master Sgt. David Gilmore, superintendent of the 95th Medical Group at Edwards Air Force Base. "It gives us the ability to operationally put it in affect driving it down to our people and lead our personnel in continuous process improvements."