Proper usage, care of assigned vehicles can help base save money Published March 6, 2009 By Steve Serrette 72nd Air Base Wing Safety Office TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla., -- In these times of ever-decreasing budgets and greater operational demands, the proper utilization and care of assigned vehicles is one way Tinker organizations can save money and ensure their vehicle resources are ready to meet mission challenges. Abuse is intentional, wrongful or improper use of Air Force resources. Examples include misuse of rank, position or authority that causes the loss or misuse of resources such as tools, vehicles, computers or copy machines. There are three keys to successful vehicle utilization; operator care, preventing vehicle abuse and vehicle rotation. Operator care seems like the simplest of the three keys to success but it is often the most ignored. Operator care can be as basic as keeping the vehicle clean inside and out or as in-depth as checking tire wear and pressure, fluids, wiper blades and performing daily visual inspections of the vehicle prior to driving it. The purpose of operator care is to detect, document and report problems early, before the problem affects the safe operation of the vehicle. When vehicle problems or damage are not reported within 24 hours it can be considered abuse. Safety items should be turned into maintenance immediately. Preventing vehicle abuse is the second key to utilization success. Vehicle abuse or misuse is normally considered damage caused by willful or negligent acts of improper operation or care. If an operator is performing the required vehicle inspection prior to driving, he or she should be able to detect and document abnormal conditions such as dents, inoperative lights, etc. Abuse can also occur when a driver doesn't take reasonable precautions in certain situations. During wind storms there are usually several incidents of drivers exiting their vehicle normally but allowing the wind to catch and hyperextend the door causing damage to the door hinge. According to AFI 23-302, this would be a case of vehicle abuse because the driver should have reasonably expected the occurrence. Another form of abuse is not turning in vehicles for scheduled or required maintenance. When a vehicle is not repaired as required problems can increase exponentially. Preventing abuse is everyone's duty. The last key to official vehicle utilization is vehicle rotation. The Air Force wants to increase the life expectancy of our vehicle fleet as long as possible to satisfy return on investment and ensure timely receipt of replacement vehicles. Every three years, major commands perform a Vehicle Validation Visit to ensure every official vehicle on base is being utilized to the maximum extent possible. During these visits, vehicle authorizations can be deleted or units with vehicles which have too little or excessive mileage may have their vehicle exchanged for another asset to ensure even wear of all vehicle assets. Vehicle rotation can be a displeasing issue for some organizations, but vehicle control officers can take measures to minimize the possibility that one of your vehicle authorizations will be deleted. 1. Report correct mileage of each assigned vehicle to the Vehicle Management Flight monthly. 2. Rotate high- and low-mileage vehicles within your organization to ensure an even spread of usage. 3. Use vehicle fuel keys only for the designated vehicle and not for multiple assigned vehicles. If your organization successfully performs operator care, prevents vehicle abuse and rotates its vehicles you will master the three keys of proper official vehicle utilization thus ensuring Tinker Air Force Base has the vehicles needed to perform the Air Force Materiel Command (and other tenant) missions anytime and anywhere -- and in a safe manner. (Thanks to Airman 1st Class J. Thomas, 314th Logistics Readiness Squadron)