Tinker personnel help save Air Force millions: Recognized with Air Force Productivity Excellence Award at Pentagon ceremony Published May 2, 2008 By Brandice J. Armstrong Tinker Public Affairs TINKER AIR FORCE BASE -- Mission possible. Four Tinker personnel spearheaded a project to make the General Electric turbofan 34 engine more supportable for the A-10 Thunderbolt II. In the course of their five-year project, they saved the Air Force more than $30 million. In return, the four lead partners of the 538th Aircraft Sustainment Squadron, previously the 549th ACSS, and 421st Supply Chain Management Squadron, received the Air Force Productivity Excellence Award in an April 8 ceremony at the Pentagon. "This team led the United States Air Force's TF34 program, sustaining 815 engines powering 356 A-10 Close Air Support aircraft worldwide," said Maj. Matthew Goddard, 421st SCMS Specialty Engines Flight chief. "Their efforts drove supportability to 99 percent in 2006 and their direct actions caused reduced inventory, saving the Air Force $6.24 million per year." About seven years ago, the team whose leads include Daniel "Lance" Rumsey, Richard England, Harold Mitchell, and Victor Garcia, who has since left Tinker, realized too many aircraft were without engines due to back ordered parts and mission incapable awaiting parts. The team leads said they wanted to reduce the numbers of back orders and tax-dollar spending, plus lessen the amount of MICAPS and reduce customer wait time. They said they also wanted to accomplish tasks based on real-time needs, versus following the "that's the way it's always been done" mantra. "We scrubbed (figures) to the finest point," said Mr. Rumsey, 421st SCMS Product Management specialist and alternate program manager. In their mission, the team leads said they faced several challenges. Among them were creative differences, changing attitudes of those who reluctant to try something new, and the actual work. "There was a lot of personal sacrifice," Mr. Rumsey said. "They spent a lot of extra hours, did a lot of (temporary duty), and there were times they spent hours and hours away from home doing a lot of extra work." The team leads said the end result would not have been accomplished without teamwork, communication and buy-in of the concept from everyone involved in the TF34 and A-10. "It was excellent communication," said Mr. England, 538th ACSS TF34 engineer. "We (all) wanted to make sure the aircraft had their war-ready engines available." After five long, arduous years, the team reached their goal. Mr. Rumsey said the team leads realized they achieved their goal in June 2006 when there were zero parts on back order and there were no MICAPS. "On fire with mission focus, they bent heaven and earth for needed parts, resulting in three A-10 aircraft restored to fully mission-capable status at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan," Major Goddard said. "This supportability drove the 80 percent A-10 mission capable rate, which directly contributed to the 1,600-plus enemy killed in action (in) Southwest Asia." Furthermore, the team leads said they streamlined their budget by some $30 million and the balance was used by other programs.