TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- Tinker hosted the Air Force Sustainment Center’s annual Aircraft Maintenance Group Summit Feb. 14-16. Along with aircraft maintenance group leadership, the summit included approximately 50 members from Robins and Hill Air Force Bases, group commanders, deputy directors, squadron leaders, business operations leaders, engineers and a quality assurance team.
“The purpose of the summit,” AMXG Commander Col. Kenyon Bell explained, “is to share best practices across our enterprise in order be more effective and efficient at producing airplanes for the combat coded units we support.” Over the course of two and a half days, the aircraft maintenance groups teamed up to achieve that end.
“Sustaining 70 years of airpower” through safe, quality and disciplined maintenance practices allows for the continued supply of combat airpower for the United States, and empowers commanders to execute their missions.
“This served as an opportunity for us to collaborate with our partners at Hill and Robins,” Colonel Bell said. He emphasized the importance of Art of the Possible goals and finding ways to improve effectiveness and efficiency. The colonel added, “It’s an opportunity to join forces and talk about the good and bad – to synchronize efforts and work towards advanced solutions.”
AFSC Commander Lt. Gen. Lee K. Levy II, AFSC Executive Director Jeffrey Allen, and Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex Commander Maj. Gen. (select) Mark Johnson also briefed summit participants on their perspective.
General Levy emphasized the concept that while the Air Force Sustainment Center operates from three separate locations, it remains one enterprise. Focusing on internal and external components of communication, the general demanded better cost effective strategies. He encouraged improvement in agility and flexibility, seeking operational units to be in line with modern technology. Lastly, the AFSC commander encouraged an increase in communication with the operational units to whom AMXG delivers combat power.
The OC-ALC commander, who echoed the communication sentiments of General Levy, honed in on the essentiality of communicating to supported units, workforce and enterprise partners.
76 AMXG Deputy Director, Ms. Theresa Farris expressed that the key in improving communication efforts is raising the awareness of integration. Accuracy and continuity comes from strength in collaboration. “We want to encourage people to be mindful that it’s an all-encompassing, across the board concept. If you’ve encountered a problem, chances are someone at Robins or Hill has experienced something similar,” she commented. “Don’t suffer in silence. Be aware and utilize your resources.”
Although aircraft may be at any one of the three AFSC locations (Tinker, Hill or Robins) for extended periods of time, the production is done so that operational units are able to go back out and do the business of protecting the nation. That, Ms. Farris noted, was at the forefront and a key objective of the summit, tying into the main concept that other entities comprise the enterprise. AFSC is bigger than Tinker Air Force Base, and it’s important to recognize all of the maintenance, supply and engineering that sustains our aircraft.
“We are so dependent upon the entire enterprise, and the whole enterprise is invested,” Colonel Bell said. “Thousands of people work behind the scenes. I am very proud of this organization and proud to be a part of it.”