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76th Maintenance Wing personnel meet for offsite, draft five-year strategy plan

  • Published
  • By Brandice J. O'Brien
  • Tinker Public Affairs
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  Senior leaders from the 76th Maintenance Wing recently participated in a two-day offsite in Oklahoma City.

During the Nov. 29-30 event, approximately 50 personnel brainstormed and drafted a five-year strategy map. The plan's intent is to ensure productivity and success, regardless of who is in what job at what time. Additionally, officials said they will meet monthly to make certain the plan remains relevant.

"I fundamentally believe in this concept," said Col. Cedric George, 76th MXW commander. "One of the key expectations of leadership is to develop a game plan for the future to ensure we're very thoughtful about how we're effectively and efficiently using our people, processes and resources.

"I can't think of any other way to do that except get our leadership together, determine where we are today and where we want to be tomorrow and really get intentional about what we see and direct that team to get there," Colonel George said. "We care deeply and if we can't hold the team to the right kind of accountable planning and task execution, then we're just blowing smoke."

Col. Bob Helgeson, 76th Propulsion Maintenance Group commander, agreed and said the plan is too important to ignore.

"This strategic plan is our road map to the future," he said. "Without it, we are destined to struggle aligning people, processes and resources to meet the challenges we face now and in the future."

The team used four thought-provoking requirements as a basic outline. They included making sure their plan would be understandable to the entire workforce, executable, enduring and is value added.

"It couldn't be a pie-in-the sky idea and had to be something that transcended my command, was independent of my leadership and was something the entire team could build upon," the maintenance wing commander said. "If we were integrating and introducing a whole new set of things, then we were off the mark. We must build on value added successes."

The colonel said the team, which met together and in break-out groups, was used to discussing tactical achievements, but in the offsite tackled another line of thinking. They discussed right targets, true capacities and stretch goals, which presented another own set of challenges.

"It's not easy looking that far down the road," said Bruno Morf, 566th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron director.

Daniel McCabe, 76th MXW Quality Assurance Office chief, agreed and said thinking of what the organization could realistically accomplish and not using past experiences to solve problems was a significant challenge.

But, they persevered and said they are happy with the results.

"The plan will allow us to open our wings to soar to new requirements that are years down the road," said Mr. Morf. "This is critical to our ability to support the warfighter and future successes of the 76th MXW."