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Show nn n uru m Hill AFB, Utah "efflirag 84056-582- 4 dlowim Vol. 51 No. 33, August 28, 1997 ft fetosiiraess" aft AFM available on the World Wide Web Commentary INSIDE: by Gen. George T. (http:www.dtic.mfldortmejv2010jvpub.htin). encourage you to read them ... it is vital each of you understand these documents and their vision of combat support in the I Babbitt Commander, Air Force Materiel Command Jet noise to increase Page 2 DREP status Page 2 Hispanic Observance Month, calendar Page 7 you my vision for our command. As I'm sure many of you have heard, I believe we in AFMC can learn much from the business revolution that is currently sweeping the country. Now, some of you don't view yourselves as managers and think this doesn't apply to you, or you won't have a part to play. You couldn't be more wrong. I am confident business management principles can help us provide efficient and effective combat support for our nation's Air Force. These principles can help you identify smarter ways to do the tasks you perform in providing that support. Our mission is an important one! For the first time in our history, the combat listed we is among the Air provide support Force's core competencies-w- e simply can't provide air and space power without it. Agile 50-ye- ar recently published vision for the 21st Century, "Global Engagement," is a descriptive phrase that means getting the right part to the right place at the right time-imme- Page A-- C Summer Bash High Air Force rides across Iowa Page B2 U 8. AIR FORCE 1947 1997 V )OR COPYR di- w Gen. George T. Babbitt ately, as our forces arrive in the battle zone. Emerging information, transportation, and command and control systems will enable us to provide that kind of support to the warfighters. . Our mission's importance also has been recognized at even higher levels. In his "Joint Vision 2010," the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Gen. John M. Shalikashvili, recently endorsed "focused logistics" as one of four vital operational concepts for our fighting forces. These two visionary documents are more powerful fighting forces that also are emerging. The nation's leaders are telling us the support we provide today is too expensive. Our nation can no longer afford it. And we must find a way to further reduce costs and provide the support our forces need and deserve. But cutting costs is hard to do if you don't have a clear and accurate understanding of everything contributing to those costs. So, let's get down to what you and I can do. I have already begun helping the command's leaders approach their management responsibilities as they would a business. Notice I said their "management" responsibilities, not "leadership" responsibilities. Business management is a tool to help us provide better combat support; it is not a substitute for good leadership or military values. As many of you have pointed out, AFMC is not IBM differ in many wfcys. However, or GM-we can be more businesslike in the sense that we make all of our practices visible and accountable to ourselves, our customers, See Business, page 2 we Secretary notes competition's benefits, cautions against arbitrary downsizing by Amanda Bishop Air Force Materiel Command News Service Page B1 Team Aim know many of you have spent the last few years embroiled in great change, from lean logistics initiatives to acquisition reform to mergers and consolidations. While sometimes painful and disruptive, these changes are transforming us into a leaner, more agile organization capable of supporting the leaner, I (AFMCNS) During the last few weeks, I've had the opportunity to meet many of you as I've traveled to our bases around the country. I am proud, as you should be, of your accomplishments in the service of our nation. These visits gave me the opportunity to hear your thoughts and share with combat support, as included in our Air Force's Fighter Country future. Secretary of the Air Force Sheila Widnall reaffirmed the Air Force's commitment to the publicprivate competition for the workloads at two Air Force Materiel Command air logistics centers during an intern view at AFB, Ohio, Wright-Patterso- July 18. Depot work at Kelly AFB, Texas, and McClellan AFB, Calif., is soon to be bid on by private contractors and other Air Force ALCs. The work at the two bases is being put up for bids following the 1995 Base Clo sure and Realignment Commis- sion's decision to close both ALCs. Widnall was careful not to make predictions about who will win the bid for the workloads. "We Ye in the final stages of putting out the requests for proposals for those competitions," Widnall said. "I think the proof of the publicprivate competition concept will be in the proposals we get" The outcome of the proposals potentially will affect some 12,000 workers at Kelly and about 9,000 at McClellan. "You can forecast the outcome, but ultimately it will be determined when private companies and Air Force depots are willing to give us a bottom line on what it will cost and how the depots will be worked," Widnall said. Even at bases not slated for closure, publicprivate competition is a reality. The Air Force is continually investigating the benefits of bringing in private companies to perform traditionally government work through A-7- 6 C: studies, also studies. known as within command function the Every is eligible for study under according to Col. Jacob Kessel, chief of the Manpower and Organization Division in the AFMC Plans and Programs Directorate. The studies are attractive because See Competition, page 2 cost-comparis- A-7-6, Dr. Sheila E. Widnall Secretary of the Air Force |