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New space in Bldg. 9001 brings 551st CMXS together

  • Published
  • By John Stuart
  • Tinker Public Affairs
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  At the corner of Main Street and Interstate 40, numerous crates of airplane parts sit patiently for a new life inside Tinker's cavernous Bldg. 9001. They've arrived there tired, worn out and in need of restoration, and they've come to the right place -- the 551st Commodities Maintenance Squadron -- one of the mainstay units of Bldg. 9001. As the 551st is spreading its wings in the new facilities, the transition process that began in August 2009 is still full steam ahead.

But it hasn't been easy for the some 1,100 civilians who call the 551st their professional home. Certainly the rigors of relocating multiple shops across base are clear. But the transition has been well worth it, said Mike Barrett, 551st director.

"In your whole career you're very seldom given an opportunity, a clean slate, a blank floor to lay your operations out," Mr. Barrett said. "I thought this was a great opportunity for us to show everyone what our managers, mechanics, engineers, planners and plant management personnel were capable of doing."

Until last year, 551st personnel were spread between five buildings across base. As of March, the 551st is in the process of vacating three of those buildings in lieu of their new location. The remaining two operations -- housed in Bldgs. 3001 and 2211 -- will be in the Bldg. 9001 fold in due time, Mr. Barrett said.

The 551st is certainly pulling its weight at Tinker. Their personnel inspect, repair, organically manufacture components and overhaul secondary aircraft structures of the KC-135, B-52, B-1, E-3 and E-6. They restore things like flight controls, doors and hatches, among many others.

Last year the squadron restored some 9,000 parts and expects to increase their output in the new facilities and with an expanding work force that saw about 150 new employees join the ranks in the last few months.

"The men and women of the 551st have done an outstanding job," said Col. Herbert Phillips, commander of the 76th Commodities Maintenance Group. "Every time I visit 9001, I can feel the energy of continuous process improvements from supervisors to mechanics. Their performance is quite impressive."

A stroll down the brilliantly lit corridors reflects the improved workflow, as parts are efficiently rolled in and grouped by type for the mechanics who are placed in proximity according to skill set. The mechanics themselves were instrumental in the layout of the workspace, Mr. Barrett said, as they offered their input on how the Bldg. 9001 facilities should operate.

The 551st currently inhabits about 400,000 square feet of Bldg. 9001, and when finished, will occupy roughly 750,000 square feet. It's basically a 400,000 square foot blank canvas, as Mr. Barrett views it, upon which to build a solid future. It should pay off because the renovations, once fully in place, should make the whole operation 20 percent more efficient. A significant factor considering the 551st will bill about 1.5 million man hours in the current fiscal year.

Although it's been a busy year for the 551st and likely will be for several more to come, the squadron has posted some of their best production quarters to date, Mr. Barrett said. Essentially, the crates of worn out airplane parts -- awaiting restoration at the corner of Main Street and Interstate 40 -- are in good hands.

"It wasn't just a move, it was an opportunity to improve our processes," Mr. Barrett said.