Chief of staff settles into new spot Published Aug. 14, 2009 By Howdy Stout Tinker Public Affairs TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- A portrait of a B-52 -- call sign Raider 21 -- hangs on the office wall. The aircraft and its six-man crew were lost little more than a year ago during deployment to Guam. A beautiful portrait of the aircraft in flight, it is still a stark reminder of the cost of conflict. It also serves as a reminder to Laura Culberson, a recent B-52 system program office deputy who, is now serving in a different role as the new chief of staff to the leadership of the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center. "It's a bit different than being in the group," she explains. "In this position, it's more about support ... It's more staff work than line work." The chief of staff's office serves as the coordinating center for a variety of tasks for OC-ALC Commander Maj. Gen. David Gillett, Executive Director Mr. John Over and Vice Commander Col. Paul Waugh. That work ranges from handling official correspondence to speechwriting and community liaison. "We keep the wheels turning with correspondence and protocol and whatever needs to be done," Ms. Culberson said. "It requires a little bit of knowledge about a lot of different topics." One of the topics currently being tackled by the center -- and a personal favorite of Ms. Culberson -- is change management or center transformation. Called various things over the last few years, center transformation is simply doing things better by constantly reviewing how things are currently being done. Change management, widely accepted in the private sector, is simply a structured process and set of tools for aligning people and culture with center transformation.. The Air Force, too, has embraced the concept. Under the direction of General Gillett, Ms. Culberson is helping shape "The Tinker Way." It is, she says, an explanation of center transformation that encourages quality and teamwork by engaging the Tinker work force in continual improvement. The Tinker Way statement is intended to codify what is largely an unwritten process. "It's continual process improvement," Ms. Culberson says. "It's really all the same thing. We're just continuing that transformation journey we began five or six years ago. It's not new; we're just calling it something new." Constantly reviewing how things are done, however, isn't an overnight process. It is like developing a new habit, Ms. Culberson says, where repetition is essential. "To change the (corporate) culture, you can't just show people one time," she said. Another job accomplished by the chief of staff's team is protocol. Like transformation, Ms. Culberson says, there are "certain things known that aren't written down anywhere." It is an often overlooked part of the work, she says, with the ALC playing host to important visitors on a regular basis. "When it goes right, center protocol doesn't necessarily get the credit," Ms. Culberson says. "But when it goes wrong, we're certainly culpable." The upcoming official opening of the new Tinker Aerospace Complex is a case in point for the work done by protocol. Myriad details are necessary to organize such an event, from speechwriting to accommodating distinguished visitors and making sure everyone is where they need to be, when they should be. One of the novel aspects of the job for Ms. Culberson is the almost daily interaction with civic and community leaders. Having worked in program management, planning and supply chain management, Ms. Culberson said her direct contact with the public at large was limited. "Now I speak almost daily with the local chambers," she said. "That's new for me and I'm learning." Making her job somewhat easier is the fact that Tinker is generally regarded as having extremely good relations with and a high level of support from the surrounding community. "I am amazed at how high that level is," Ms. Culberson says. "I had never really been aware of that before." The new TAC facility is a good example, she said. Last year voters approved a bond measure to buy the former auto manufacturing plant from General Motors. The county, in turn, is leasing it to Tinker for the nominal fee of $1 per year. The building will be used to consolidate various maintenance shops in a single location. "The community support for Tinker is very high," she said. "They are very willing to help." Ms. Culberson, who started as a secretary almost 30 years ago, said she has been fortunate to have served in a variety of jobs at the ALC and has seen much change over the years. But some things, like the B-52 or what it represents, haven't changed. "A lot of the details have changed, but not the mission," she says. "We're still here to support the warfighter. That's not changed."