Streamlining AFIs increases efficiency for AEDC

  • Published
  • By Raquel March
  • AEDC/PA
ARNOLD AIR FORCE BASE, TENN. --  Arnold Engineering Development Complex (AEDC) utilizes Air Force Instructions (AFI) to standardize processes, comply with regulatory requirements and operate in a safe, efficient manner. Some AFIs don't apply well at all locations. They can actually impede efficient operations and add cost greater than the value they provide.

AEDC Chief of Staff Ken Jacobsen describes some AFIs as "one size does not fit all." Jacobsen is coordinating AEDC's effort to identify inefficient AFIs.

Gen. Mark Welsh III, U.S. Air Force (USAF) chief of staff, delivered a speech about how the Air Force will move forward with resource challenges at the September Air Force Association's 2013 Air and Space Conference and Technology Exposition in National Harbor, Md. He expressed the necessity of examining AFIs to strengthen the Air Force for the future.

"We have hundreds and hundreds of AFIs in the Air Force, many of which haven't been rewritten in a long time," Welsh said. "The world changes real quickly in this business. We've got a lot of frustrated people out in the front end of the Air Force who don't understand why they are given guidance to do things that don't make any sense to them. My answer to them is they shouldn't do it. Just quit. If it doesn't make common sense, if it doesn't make the mission better, if it doesn't take better care of our people, then just don't do it and tell your boss you're done."

Gen. Janet Wolfenbarger, Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) commander, directed her subordinate commanders earlier this year to review regulations and identify those that created inefficiencies in their organizations.

AFIs prescribe guidelines for Airmen, government civilians or contractor personnel to perform a duty or responsibility.

As missions have changed across the Air Force at various bases, it may be necessary to change how work is performed. As AEDC personnel perform duties, portions of an AFI may not apply to the job due to the unique type of operations conducted at AEDC.

The leadership at AEDC is encouraging personnel to consider how they fulfill the requirements set in the AFIs they use.

"I invite all AEDC employees to examine their operations and identify regulations that are conflicting, redundant or provide disproportionately low value for the cost they require," Jacobsen said.

Command Post AFI changes

"Due to the uniqueness of the Operations Center and their role at AEDC, AFI 10-207 'Command Post Operations' prescribed requirements that did not fit our operating model well and were inefficient," said Tech. Sgt. Michael Hurley, Command Post Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge. "Many requirements within the AFI levied unnecessary administrative and financial burdens on contractor personnel which were not necessary."

After a review of the AFI 10-207, requirements were removed that were not applicable to AEDC and the Ops Center, ultimately generating an Exception to Policy Memo.
The memo allows changes in the AEDC Command Post classification which in-turn allows changes in requirements, but the updated instructions must utilize applicable guidelines provided by the AFI 10-207 and the Air Force Materiel Command Supplement to AFI 10-207.

"An 'Exception to Policy' for the AEDC Operations Center to not be classified as a Command Post but to be classified as a 'Command and Control (C2) Element' performing selected C2 requirements from AFI 10-207 'Command Post' was submitted to Higher Headquarters Air Force and approved," Hurley said. "With the approval of the 'Exception to Policy' the AEDC Operations Center was able to eliminate one controller position and the Air Force will be able to remove the Active Duty Command Post slot to another base where their critical career field is short on staffing. With the elimination of the one position and the active duty slot and with the reduced cost for training and other items that were eliminated, we will experience cost and labor savings."

If AEDC personnel have questions regarding the appropriateness and efficiency of AFIs in their area of work, they should speak with their supervisor to start an open process of streamlining instruction requirements.