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Show HILLTOP TIMES TIME S H April 5, 2012 AFMC CC talks war-fighter input, tactical refinements after AOR trip Special interview with Gen. Donald Hoffman Air Force Materiel Command commander BY MONICA D. MORALES AFMC Public Affairs W RIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio — Positive war-fighter feedback and a shorter to-do list were among the predominant characteristics of a recent trip made by command senior leaders to the U.S. Central Command's area of responsibility, said Gen. Donald Hoffman during a March 26 interview. "I can't say that I got any negative feedback about AFMC overall," the commander of Air Force Materiel Command said. From his office within the AFMC headquarters building, Hoffman recounted the war-fighter insights and lessons learned that he and a team of AFMC senior leaders noted during a six-day trip in mid-March that took them to large bases in three different countries. It included stops in Southwest Asia and the Kyrgyz Republic. This annual trip is designed for the command's leaders to acquire feedback directly from war-fighters to determine how the command can better accomplish its supply and sustainment operations. Hoffman once again emphasized the importance of the command's role in keeping war-fighters equipped with the support needed to continue their operations, including the personal dedication to work war-fighters' problems first before tackling routine matters. This dedication from the command is critical to war-fighters, he said, given the 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week operational tempo in theater. "If we have any role to play in getting answers or solutions to the deployed war-fighters, we need to have a mechanism that wraps around their schedule, not ours," Hoffman said. Much like last year's trip, this year's also included a view through the lens of the general's role as the Air STAFF SGT. NATHANAEL CALLON/U.S. Air Force Gen. Donald Hoffman, Air Force Materiel Command commander, receives a briefing about the Joint Direct Attack Munition tailkit in the generalized repair facility of a base in Southwest Asia on March 16. This stop was part of a trip through the U.S. Central Command's area of responsibility to acquire feedback directly from warfighters to determine how AFMC can better accomplish its supply and sustainment operations. Force's lead integrator for agile combat support. As such, he bears responsibility for an extended portfolio that includes base operations support and training, in addition to the traditional AFMC missions of research, acquisition, test and sustainment. Excerpts from the interview follow: Q: What kind of feedback did you receive from AFMC's war-fighter customers in the AOR? A: I received overwhelmingly positive feedback. There was generalized feedback about, of course, supplies and spares taking days to get there, but (these locations) are days away. Even if the parts are readily available and get on the next plane, it is still going to take days to get there to some of these remote locations. Q: What is AFMC doing well to support the warfighter? A: The war-fighters really appreciate the Global Logistics Support Center's 24/7 on-call staffing elements. Whether it's a wide-bodied mobility aircraft, a fighter, or a bomber aircraft, there's always a voice at the other end of the line 24/7 to take that call and then work the problem. This operates very similarly to the Verizon network commercial. The people who make calls don't care about the network that's behind it, represented by the guy wearing black-framed glasses with an army of people behind him. That networked army of people represents AFMC's job, to have that back-stopping work force there that delivers on what they need. The war-fighters' job is to identify and quantify the need correctly — and sometimes they don't characterize the need quite right, and that creates confusion downstream. If the war-fighters, no-kidding, identify their bona fide need, our job is to grab that and run with it to make that happen. They were very satisfied with that. In terms of on-site engineering support, we have a couple of lieutenants over there from the air logistics centers that do engineering dispositions on site. So, as they work on an aircraft and they find holes that are too big or a small crack or some other thing not covered by the technical order guidance, you have to get an engineering assessment of that. And so, for the relatively minor ones, you don't want that disappearing in the system and coming back a week later — you want the solution while the airplane is opened up, so it can be on the schedule the next day. These engineers are empowered to make some decisions on their own. If it exceeds their knowledge and authority, they know exactly who to call back home — even on weekends and evenings — and fax or send pictures to describe the problem. Then they get an improved engineering solution to immediately continue on with repair of that aircraft. This has been going on for a couple of years. They love it. Those engineers are in centralized locations over in the theater, and there's a hunger for them to be in even more remote sites. But it's working pretty well right now where they are. They do travel if necessary, and they do remotely address problems, even if they are not directly on site. Q: How long is the to-do list you came back with? A: The to-do list for this trip was much shorter, partly because this was a much shorter trip. We made it to three locations and they were relatively large bases. We did come back with some small tactical things to further examine. Some things are under the purview of AFMC, some See INTERVIEW I page 11 Official: Take time to honor military kids' service BY ELAINE SANCHEZ American Forces Press Service W ASHINGTON — Children of U.S. service members around the world will be honored throughout April for their contributions to their families' well-being and sacrifices on behalf of the nation, a Defense Department official said. Each April, Americans pause to recognize the nation's 1.8 million military children during the Month of the Military Child. "It's really important to recognize that military children also serve," Barbara Thompson, director of military community and family policy, children and youth, told the Pentagon Channel and American Forces Press Service. It's also important, Thompson said, to take time to let military children "know how proud we are as Americans that they ... are supporting mom or dad in uniform, who is making great sacrifices for this country." While frequent moves and school transitions can be challenging, Thompson said she believes the most challenging endeavor a military child has to endure is a parental separation due to deployment. "While we've made great strides with technology and Skype ... it's not the same as having your mom or dad at your baseball game or high school graduation or one of your birthday parties," she said. These separations can have a "serious impact" on military families' wellbeing, Thompson noted, particularly on the children. Younger children may experience separation and attachment issues, while older children may engage in risky behaviors, she explained. Thompson noted a specific concern for children from Guard and Reserve families. These children, living in every community around the nation, may be lacking nearby support. A military child may be the only student in a school with a deployed parent, she said, and the school oftentimes isn't even aware. "School districts are key partners," Thompson said. "That's where 92 percent of our school-age kids are located. They need to know they have military children in their schools." To combat a sense of isolation, officials have posted information online to educate teachers, school administrators and parents on supporting military children. On installations, child development centers, youth programs and the New Parent Support Program are geared for providing "safe havens" for military kids, Thompson said. The department already has made strides by partnering with other agencies and organizations, she said. DoD works closely with Zero to Three's Coming Together Around Military Families initiative, and with Sesame Street's military support programs such as Talk, Listen, Connect and Military Families Near and Far. Officials have partnered with the Boys and Girls Clubs of America and 4-H to increase programs and resources for school-age military children, Thompson added. The DoD also has partnered with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, land-grant universities and the Cooperative Extension System to reach out to military children in communities, she said, noting 70 percent of military kids live off of installations. While they're making progress, DoD officials can't tackle these issues alone, Thompson said. It will take the efforts of an entire nation — from individuals and communities to government agencies and private companies — to accomplish this goal, she added. Every American can help to support military families, she said, and no effort is too small. A neighbor can help a parent with a deployed spouse by pitching in with a carpool, driving children to an extracurricular activity, or mowing a military families' lawn. Schools can set aside special days to honor military kids' contributions, and communities can sponsor a play or picnic, or simply find the military families in their midst to thank them, Thompson said. She suggested people visit the White House's Joining Forces website See MONTH I page 10 |