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Show NEWS Quality visits begin as panel judges command by 2nd Lt. Cindy J. Kellough AFLC Office of Public Affairs WRIGHT-PATTERSO- Ohio AFB, N (AFLCNS) As a result of Air Force Logistics Command's decision to compete for the President's Award for Quality and Productivity Improvement, a team of examiners will begin visits to assess AFLC's achievements and future plans. The award is given by the Federal Quality Institute to a government agency displaying outstanding efforts in implementing Total Quality Management. The Federal Quality Institute's panel of examiners will visit AFB Sunday and Monday to conduct a site visit in conjunction with the nomination package for the award. The evaluators may also visit air logistics centers to talk with employees about quality in the workplace. They will be looking for evidence of AFLC's progress in incorporating TQM as a way of doing business. Col. Darrell Grapes, assistant to the commander Wright-Patterso- n March 8, 1991 for quality, thinks they'll find what they're looking for. "Since we began implementing TQM in December 1987, we've developed core quality courses and are delivering that training throughout the work force. We have improved communications through the Quality Bill of Rights, which applies to every employee. We've enhanced relationships with union leadership. And we've initiated team building, natural work groups and process action teams at our centers and headquarters organizations. We're on track with where we want to be." AFLC has defined quality as QP4, or Quality People, Process, Product and Performance. These four ingredients have been determined to be the necessary cornerstones to achieve quality in AFLC. Quality is also measurable in tangible results in AFLC. Process action teams have accounted for numerous improvements in everyday activities. For example, at the Catalog and Standardization Center in Battle Creek, Mich., data item description development time was reduced from 938 hours to 1 12 hours. And at Warner Robins ALC, Robins AFB, Ga., UNISYS computer system failures were reduced by 37 percent due to the efforts of a process action Kiitcp 7 T "TQM is a cultural change," he said. "It's not managing quality, it's doing management in a quality way." Those programs were focused on outcomes, w hile TQM focuses on the processes that lead to those outcomes, he explained. The importance of changing the culture is that it establishes an environment of cooperation and partnership throughout the command. While implementing quality is a main concern to AFLC, its leaders also know exactly what they hope to accomplish with it. This path has been laid out through the AFLC Command Vision. "All good leaders need a focus, a place to target for the future," said Barbara Pruett, assistant to the chief of staff, Command Vision. "That's why we created our vision. Partners in Excellence." There are four main elements of the Command Vision: people, qudity, mission and shaping the environment. "People are how we incorporate quality, through teaching leadership skills and making opportunities for employee involvement," Ms. Pruett said. She explained that quality is serving the customer; doing it right the first time. The mission is customer-focuseand always a team activity. we are working to "Our environment is three-folbuild partnerships in our work environment, we are working to protect our physical environment, and we are striving to provide stewardship for our fiscal resources," Ms. Pruett said. "The vision is dedicated to helping the total population help d team. Some employees may remember programs that have come and gone, such as Zero Defects, or Meaningful Measures of Merit, and think that TQM will meet a similar fate. Colonel Grapes explains, however, that while these were programs that focused on an end product, Total Quality Management does not. d: themselves." NEWSlBIUEFS Conference lakes place Saturday The 16th Annual Northern Utah Women's Conference will be held Saturday at the Ogden Park Hotel, 247 24th Street, from 9 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. The theme of the event is "Woman to Woman... Stronger and Better in the '90s." Shelley Thomas, KSL television and reporter, will open the co-anch- or Roy Family conference with a keynote address. Registration at the door will begin at 8:15 a.m. and costs $20. The cost is $10 for senior citizens or low income attendees. P Proof of claims must filed soon Anyone with an outstanding claim against dealership should file a Dusty 's Volkswagen-Aud- i proof of claim with the United States Bankruptcy court not later than March 19. Proof of claim forms are available at the Hill AFB Legal Assistance office, Bldg. 1278. 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