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Three Tinker men earn award for innovation of the year

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  • By Brandice J. Armstrong
  • Tinker Public Affairs
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  In the past three years, three sheet metal mechanics submitted an idea to the Innovative Development through Employee Awareness program. They suggested a method to fix the KC-135's damaged elevators. Their efforts were recognized as they saved the Air Force at least $3.5 million and brought in a new six-year workload. But, the accolades didn't stop there. Russell Anderson, Timothy Miller and Randy Roy recently won the prestigious Air Force-level 2008 Productivity Excellence Award.

The 551st Commodities Maintenance Squadron's KC-135 Flight Control Back Shop personnel were one of three teams presented the award at the Pentagon. The award recognizes Air Force individuals or teams that have made significant developments in productivity. Nominees are often suggested through an IDEA proposal, special acts or management initiatives.

"Air Force awards are always a huge honor, but this one is even more so since it is tied to keeping the venerable KC-135 Stratotanker flying," said Col. Jeffrey Sick, 76th Commodities Maintenance Group commander. "This is great for Russ, Tim, Randy, our whole KC-135 flight control team and it is great news for Team Tinker. It shows that the Air Force realizes how important our efforts are."

Before the mechanics' idea, KC-135 elevators with too much damage to an area called the "rear spar" were placed into an unserviceable account, known as a "J" account. If two elevators from the same KC-135 are in a "J" account, the aircraft is grounded.

In 2007, 13 elevators were placed in the "J" account.

A new elevator costs approximately $280,000, but the Air Force has not purchased a new elevator from Boeing, the last-known elevator producer, since 1979. For Boeing to build a new elevator, it might cost upwards of $1 million, officials said.

The mechanics' determined if the rear spar was damaged, it could be replaced and the elevator could be spared. Replacing the rear spar costs approximately $7,700 and limits future maintenance on the aircraft.

"The suggestion kind of started the ball rolling on the overhaul of the KC-135 elevators and now they're going through the whole fleet," said Mr. Anderson, who has since been promoted to work leader for KC-135 fillet flaps. "It brought in workload from the other depots, so it's all going through Tinker now."

The men first submitted their idea in fiscal 2003, but it was deemed ineligible. After several small changes, they resubmitted it in April 2006, and it was approved with intangible savings. In July 2006 they submitted it again and it was approved in April 2007.

"Looking back at it, just to get called to the Pentagon was worth the fight," Mr. Anderson said. The men learned they would receive the award about three weeks prior to the ceremony, after being called into the branch chief's office.

"I was just shocked that it went to that extent," Mr. Anderson said. "We were three guys just trying to do the right thing."

Without their knowledge, their idea was submitted to the award committee and a group of judges picked the 10 best suggestions from throughout the Air Force. They then narrowed the list to the best three. Teams that developed the top three suggestions were presented with an award. Mr. Anderson said he, Mr. Miller and Mr. Roy were the only civilian winners.

"It was a huge honor, probably a once-in-a-lifetime honor," Mr. Anderson said. Mr. Miller agreed.

"Our original suggestion was to draw attention to the amount of damage we had on the flight control so that we would be allowed to work it to the extent it needed to be worked," he said. "The monetary compensation or any of the awards were just a little blessing on the side."