Initiative streamlines Air Force Published Aug. 11, 2006 By Tarsha Storey 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. -- As force shaping restructures the personnel of the Air Force, the Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st century initiative is restructuring the processes and systems that define how the Air Force does business. "The AFSO21 initiative is a philosophy change designed to eliminate waste while increasing positive results. The philosophy helps streamline our everyday processes, allowing us to save money and optimize our abilities. It's a systematic approach that ensures safety while increasing our combat capabilities and effectiveness," said Col. Mike Byrne, 20th Fighter Wing vice commander. Starting with the maintenance and logistics career fields, new processes will be implemented across Shaw to reduce the amount of waste and excess administration used in everyday tasks, said Maj. Mark Commenator, 20th Fighter Wing Commander's Action Group deputy. The process is not connected with the force-shaping personnel cuts, Maj. Commenator said. It was designed to make work easier for a leaner, more lethal Air Force to perform by helping members focus on mission-essential tasks. For example, if one particular item has to be signed off on by 20 different people when only three people need to approve it, the AFSO21 program would suggest removing the unnecessary 17 people from the checklist, Maj. Commenator said. Because it is a continuous process, there may still be other areas for improvement after implementation. The philosophy is based on different business solutions used in the civilian world, Maj. Commenator said. Other wings have been using various aspects of AFSO21, but not the process as a whole. Shaw has been named the lead AFSO21 wing in Air Combat Command. Processes developed at Shaw will help determine what type of programs may be needed for other wings in ACC. Maj. Commenator said the biggest problem to overcome is the assumption this is another program like Total Quality Movement or Quality Air Force -- programs that sought to improve Air Force processes. Those programs tracked events rather than results -- dealing with the symptoms rather than the cause, Maj. Commenator said. At Dover Air Force Base, Del., new AFSO21 processes have allowed some career fields to reduce their 12-hour shifts to 8-hour shifts, while at Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., the KC-135 production line was able to increase their production rate without adding additional manpower or time, Maj. Commenator said. Maj. Commenator said the process is good for both the Air Force and Shaw and will help increase combat capability while decreasing the amount of waste and unnecessary procedures. "As the greatest Air Force in the world, we have the strength to adapt and change to meet the needs of our country. We strive to recapitalize and modernize our systems, win the Global War on Terror while developing and caring for our Airmen," Col. Byrne said.