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327th employees have rewarding IDEAS

  • Published
  • By Pam Axton
  • 327th Aircraft Sustainment Wing
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla., --  Two $10,000 awards were recently handed out in the 327th Aircraft Sustainment Wing for IDEA initiatives.

The Innovative Development through Employee Awareness program is an incentive program that rewards people for improving their processes and saving the government money. The program rewards submissions at different rates based on the monetary savings of the IDEA and whether it is inside or outside of the submitters regular work area.

Daniel Byard, a KC-135 Avionics program manager with the 551st ACSS/GFLA, received an award for combining contracting efforts with Robins Air Force Base, Ga., for the APX-119 transponders for the C-5 aircraft. Warner-Robins already had a contract with Raytheon, so Mr. Byard worked with them to add his requirement of 20 units. Because of volume discounts, this resulted in a savings of $141,620 for Tinker and $274,344 for Robins, for a total savings to the government of $415,964. Mr. Byard was awarded $10,000 for his IDEA suggestion. Col. Paul Waugh, 327th Aircraft Sustainment Wing commander, presented the award to Mr. Byard before a group of his peers.

Christopher (Brant) Moman and Don Corona, 537th ACSS/GFEB, along with Randy Nutt, currently working in 429th SCMS/GUMAA, received an award for improving the method of inspecting and repairing the F110 Augmenter fan/core distributors. This team wrote a new statement of work. Under the old SOW, a visual inspection of the distributors was performed.

If any nicks, scratches, scores, corrosion, erosion, or pitting in Area E were discovered, the distributor was usually replaced. The condemnation rate increased to 98 percent. The new method of inspection/repair requires a visual inspection. If any nicks, scratches, scores, corrosion, erosion, or pitting in Area E are found, a leak test is performed. This new process has decreased the condemnation rate from 98 percent to 12 percent. The projected savings is $2,458,376. The team was awarded $10,000 for their suggestion. Colonel Waugh presented the award to Mr. Moman, Mr. Corona and Mr. Nutt.

The IDEA program uses the IDEA Program Data System to initiate and track suggestions. Over 400 IDEAs were submitted through this system last year. Each organization at Tinker has an IDEA program manager, but questions can also be directed to the IDEA program office at 739-2004.