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Show nn t ' LTU Hill AFB, Utah A I $ f ; rv j ' i4 www.hiIltoptimes.com hilltop.pahill.af.mil Vol. 57 No. 49, December 13, 2001 84056-582- 4 jM '. i i INSIDE: L i'Vi rf' Commander's A u j lj call answers Giving given thanks to the Page 2 "Greatest Generation" commander envisions better AFMC support Page 3 Photo by Airman 1st Class a 3 llys 7 Cory McCutchin MaJ. Gen. Scott Bergren, Ogden Air Logistics Center commander, greets his special guest, Navy veteran Master Chief Petty Officer, Walter Bailey, at the Welcome Home Reception hosted by the Top of Utah Military Affairs Committee at the Hill Aerospace Museum Dec. 7. For more on the event, see pages Angel Tree Page 4 6-- 7. Fighter Country Page 5 Acquisition Center of Excellence drives new capabilities WRIGHT-PATTERSO- (AFMCNS) for a MAC thanks Team Hill Page 6 D Pearl Harbor survivor compares then and now Page 7 Program gives familiarity to doctors, patients Page 9 AFB, Ohio N Laying the cornerstone reform of how the sendee develops and buys weapons systems, the Air Force opened a new Acquisition Center of Excellence Monday. The ACE's primary mission is to help acquisition professionals cut through burdensome, unproductive processes that slow the fielding of new warfight-in- g capabilities. The new office, led by a senior executive service member, also will be the driving force for implementing "Agile Acquisition," a sweeping series of initiatives designed to streamline the Air Force's acquisition systems. The plan was endorsed at a meeting of the Air Force's four-sta-r generals and senior civilians in November. "Our acquisition system must be as agile and flexible as our warfighters," said secretary of the Air Force James Roche. "It must identify the right targets and the best practices that enable us to provide the most systems to the field. This Acquisition Center of Excellence is an ideal forum to deliver these results." The major thrusts of Agile Acquisid tion are captured in six new "Lightning Bolts" Air Force acquisition leaders developed. They cost-effecti- Idea Pipeline A drive to establish better conduits for exchanging ideas, innovations and best business practices between industry and the Air Force. "My charge from the secretary is to foster a culture of innovation and reasonable risk taking," said Dr. Marvin Sambur, assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition. "Only if we do this will we be able to shorten acquisition cycle times, insert new technologies into systems throughout their life cycles and deliver today's technology today. "Agile Acquisition provides the strategy to do just that. The Lightning Bolts provide the roadmap, and the new ACE gives us the tools to succeed," Sam-bu- r said. "We want to work closely with our industrial partners to mine their best ideas to develop both an agile and credible acquisition process." While headquartered at the Pentagon, the ACE will work closely with Air Force Materiel Command and Air Force Space Command, the two Air Force commands which acquire most major systems. "The changes Agile Acquisition will demand are revolutionary! That's as it should be. Our world, and our mission, have changed radically in the past few months," said Gen. Lester Lyles, commander of Air Force Materiel Command. "We must change with it to ensure we provide the warfighter a responsive and effective acquisition system that meets his changing needs." Lyles pointed out that Agile Acquisition will mesh perfectly with AFMC's Enterprise Management initiative. "These two efforts will work together to take us where we need to go to keep America's warfighters the most powerful and respected force in the world," he said. The need to free the acquisition community to accept reasonable risk and innovate is crucial to the Air Force's success, according to Gen. John Jumper, Air Force chief of staff. The requirements and development processes simply have to be more respon con-tinu- sive, he said, and the ACE will play a major role in making that happen. "We may actually we know we will make some mistakes along the way; that's OK," Jumper said. "Our unbridled fear of mistakes is costing us far more that any sensible risk taking ever will." Implementing the Lightning Bolts is on a "very aggressive" schedule, said Darleen Druyun, principal deputy assistant secretary, acquisition management. She said she is particularly intent on stripping from Air Force regulations any d" processes that are not required by law. "Too often, we complain that the law requires us to do this or to do that, when in fact it's our own regulations implementing the law that are the culprits," she said. "Sometimes, we are our own worst enemies. That is about to change. "We need to get on with this. If there's a consensus on anything in the area of acquisition reform, it's that there's been more than enough study. It's time for action." reform-ori-ente- are: Results, Not Process sale assault on Lifetimes Pages A whole- processes, under the Air Force's control, that slow the acquisition 13 process. Spiral: Success in Increments Eighty-nin- e graduate An Air Force-wid- e initiative to synchronize spiral development efforts across the requirements, resources, development, testing and sustain-mecommunities. Roadblock Buster Using the ACE to cut through red tape and, where necessary to speed acquisition, to issue waivers to Air Force processes. 'mir:' it nt CCAF . Page 14 Breeding Innovators A com- prehensive effort to train acquisition professional to be innovators and to replace risk aversion with risk management Program Executive OfficeServices Contracts A central source of guidance, assistance and policy development for Air Force services contracts, which now account for nearly half of all acquisition dollars. OOR COPY ' Dr. Marvin Sambur, Photo courtesy of U.S. Air Force assistant secretary (acquisition), Mrs. Darleen Druyun, principal deputy assistant secretary (acquisition management), Gen. Lester Lyles, commander, Air Force Materiel Command, and Mr. William Maikisch, executive director, space and missile command, preside over the ribbon cutting marking the launch of the new Acquisition Center of Excellence. 1 |