Q&A: General Arthur J. Lichte
LOGISTICS MOBILIZER:
Providing Air Logistics Support to the Joint Field Commander
General Arthur J. Lichte
Commander
U.S. Air Force Air Mobility Command
General Arthur J. Lichte entered the Air Force in 1971 as a distinguished graduate of Manhattan College’s ROTC program. During his Air Force career, Lichte has held command positions at squadron, group and wing levels. He is a command pilot with more than 4,000 flying hours in various aircraft, including the C-5, C-17, C-20, C-21, C-32, C-37, C-130, EC/RC-121, KC-10, KC-135, UH-1N and VC-137. In addition to his command experience, Lichte has held headquarters- level assignments at Strategic Air Command, Air Mobility Command, U.S. Air Force and U.S. Transportation Command. Prior to assuming his current position, Lichte served as assistant vice chief of staff and director, Air Force Staff, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C., where he was responsible for Air Staff organization and administration, served as deputy chairman of the Air Force Council, and was the Air Force accreditation official for the Corps of Air Attachés.
General Lichte was interviewed by MLF editor Christian Sheehy.
Q: What does your job entail at Air Mobility Command?
A: As the Air Mobility commander, I’m responsible for all air mobility operations throughout the command. Air Mobility Command makes up the air force component of United States Transportation Command and provides airlift, aerial refueling and aeromedical evacuation for United States and coalition troops.
On any typical day, Air Mobility Command flies approximately 900 sorties and moves nearly 2,000 tons of cargo and more than 6,000 passengers worldwide. These flights include contracted commercial airlift. Our numbered air force, the 18th Air Force, fulfills Air Mobility Command’s warfighting component by tasking and executing all air mobility missions.
18th Air Force units include all Air Mobility Command’s wings and groups based in the continental U.S., as well as two Expeditionary Mobility Task Forces, — the 15th Expeditionary a Task Force at Travis Air Force Base, Calif., and the 21st Expeditionary Mobility Task Force at McGuire AFB, N.J. These expeditionary mobility task forces are the lead agencies conducting mobility operations worldwide and critical to the warfighting execution phase by providing worldwide expeditionary mobility support.
The 618th Tanker Airlift Control Center, located at Scott Air Force Base, also reports to 18th Air Force and serves as the global mobility air operations hub, planning and directing tanker and transport aircraft operations around the world.
Q: What is the mission of Air Mobility Command?
A: Air Mobility Command’s mission is to provide rapid, global mobility and sustainment for America’s armed forces. The command also plays a crucial role in providing humanitarian support at home and around the world. The men and women of Air Mobility Command– –active duty, Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve and civilians– provide airlift, aerial refueling, special air mission and aeromedical evacuation for all of America’s armed forces.
To give you an example of Air Mobility Command’s capabilities, we have airlifted more than 6.8 million passengers and nearly three million tons of cargo since Sept 11, 2001, in support of the global war on terror.
Q: What are your focus areas and goals for the coming months and year?
A: My focus areas are a direct reflection of our Air Force and they are: win today’s fight; take care of our people; and prepare for tomorrow’s challenges.
Air Mobility Command’s number one priority is the KC-45A tanker. Our tankers are the critical enablers of our nation’s ability to project global power and reach; Air Mobility Command tankers have transferred more than 1.4 billion gallons of fuel since Sept 11, 2001. Replacing our Eisenhower-era tanker fleet is our most urgent need.
Q: What are the big challenges facing Air Mobility Command logistics planning in the following areas:
A: 1. Supply Chain Management/Asset Management: Our supply chain challenges include establishing enterprise-wide visibility and management of Air Force logistics resources while re-engineering to streamline and improve operations. The key to this effort is the stand up of the Air Force Global Logistics Support Center, the Air Force Fuels, Vehicles, and Equipment Support Agency and the Expeditionary Combat Support System [ECSS]—our new Enterprise Resource and Planning information technology. The Air Force Global Logistics Support Center ultimately will be the Air Force’s supply chain management process owner for all classes of supply. Air Force Fuels Vehicles Equipment Support Agency initially will assume responsibility for the centralized management of Air Force war reserve materiel, clothing, individual equipment, petroleum, oil, lubricants and major end items—except for pods and engines. Once matured, Air Force Fuels Vehicles Equipment Support Agency will roll into the Air Force Global Logistics Support Center. Modernization of the Air Force’s corporate logistics software is crucial to realizing future efficiencies. As a result, the Air Force has contracted for the delivery of Enterprise Resource and Planning and Expeditionary Combat Support System software. Expeditionary Combat Support System will replace more than 400 Air Force legacy systems, eliminate the delineation between wholesale and retail systems, and re-engineer supply chain processes to better plan and execute from an enterprise focus.
2. Performance-Based Logistics [PBL]: Many of our current contracts are structured to meet a specified level of performance, a structure that significantly limits our flexibility. We’re working to replace one specified level of performance with tiers that tie expected levels of performance to various funding levels. These tiers will provide added flexibility to reallocate funding as necessary to meet changing mission requirements. Air Mobility Command’s greatest challenge in performance based logistics is to remain engaged with Air Force Material Command as they take on the challenge of managing sustainment of our weapon systems and funding at the Air Force enterprise level versus the major command level.
PBL is Department of Defense policy, requiring each weapon system program manager to develop and implement strategies that optimize total system availability while minimizing the cost and logistics footprint. Air Mobility Command works in partnership with the Air Force performance based logistics champion, Air Force Material Command and their system program managers to maximize availability and reduce cost through initiatives such as the Air Force-directed Centralized Asset Management initiative and performance based logistics contracts.
In the Centralized Asset Management initiative, Air Force Material Command has been given the responsibility of centralizing the execution of all active-duty operations and maintenance funding under a single umbrella at the Air Force enterprise level. Centralized asset management also requires the Air Force Material Command-managed system program managers to align their funding with aircraft availability metrics and targets. These aircraft availability metrics are then directly related to Air Mobility Command’s warfighting requirements.
On performance based logistics contracts, Air Force Material Command established successful sustainment programs such as the C-17 and C-130J programs that use performance based logistics concepts like public-private partnerships and assigning contractors to manage parts as well as entire weapon systems. In each case, the benefits of working with private industry helped the Air Force and Air Mobility Command reduce costs and improve aircraft availability.
3. Radio Frequency Identification [RFID]:
A recent review of ongoing initiatives revealed 13 bases we’re considering for using radio frequency identification technology to automate tool control and management. The A4 Transformation Team recently defined requirements to be used to procure a system to eliminate worker’s waiting time to check-out or return tools at the beginning and end of each shift. The concept places trailers at the point of use, near the airplanes, and applies radio frequency identification technology to track tools being used. As an added benefit, the tracking capability inherent in the radio frequency identification tags will enable us to pinpoint the location of missing or lost tools, so we don’t waste our limited maintenance manpower conducting missing and lost tool searches.
Air Mobility Command is very involved in DoD’s automatic identification technology [AIT] implementation efforts and actively pursues opportunities to transform current business processes. This includes improving asset visibility and reducing the human touch of cargo during aerial port receipt and in-check processes.
United States Transportation Command is the lead DoD agency for radio frequency identification and related automatic identification technology for the DoD Supply Chain. United States Transportation Command published the DoD automatic identification technology concept of operations and the follow-on DoD automatic identification technology implementation plan. The effort includes five analysis teams: Global Team, Wholesale Team, Strategic Distribution Team, In-Theater/Retail Team, and the Unit Move Team. Air Mobility Command is a member of the Strategic Distribution Team responsible for analyzing radio frequency identification incorporation, both passive radio frequency identification and active radio frequency identification into air transportation processes.
Regrettably, passive radio frequency identification technology isn’t ready to replace current aerial port in-check processes, and air-worthiness checks still need to be accomplished. Air Mobility Command will continue to work with United States Transportation Command to take advantage of the passive radio frequency identification opportunities which provide a positive return on investment, increased visibility, or improve enterprise business processes.
4. Lean Six Sigma:
One of the challenges we face in our current AFSO21 [Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century] culture is how to capture the successful base-level Lean Six Sigma initiatives and transform them into an enterprise-level solution. Although facilities and organizational-level differences may prevent us from going to 100 percent standard work solution for the command, we must be able to exploit efficiencies with the minimum amount of variation possible from base to base. As we do this, we will continually reassess the metrics we use to gauge value to the enterprise.
Our inbound logistics initiative’s objective is to implement scheduled truck service from the containerization and consolidation point to the aerial port of embarkation. The goal is to reduce sub-segment variance and cost to improve time definite delivery. A key process improvement goal is to use advance visibility to improve aircraft load efficiency and effectiveness. Currently, cargo flows from the containerization and consolidation point in an ad hoc manner preventing aerial ports from effectively planning daily workload and synchronizing cargo with outbound airlift. To increase efficiency and effectiveness throughout the entire enterprise requires improving precision and reliability of cargo flow between the containerization and consolidation point and aerial port. Leveling the cargo flow enables aerial ports to utilize resources effectively and meet cargo processing standards of six hours or less. It improves segment performance and standardization as well as achieving consistent transit times. Inbound logistics complements the United States Transportation Command’s Defense Transportation Coordination Initiative.
Defense Transportation Coordination Initiative scheduled truck service from Defense Logistics Agency facilities to the aerial port begins in fall 2008. Surface Deployment and Distribution Command and Air Mobility Command view the inbound logistics initiative as an opportunity to identify how best to implement this requirement as a team. Inbound Logistics Lean event scheduled for July 2008 will address current objectives and participants will include: United Stated Transportation Command, Defense Transportation Coordination Initiative, Defense Logistics Agency, General Services Administration, Surface Deployment and Distribution Center and our continental United States aerial ports.
Q: How has Air Mobility Command worked toward partnering with private sector companies in streamlining acquisition across the Air Force and other military branches?
A: Air Mobility Command does not work directly with private sector companies to acquire weapon systems, materials or support. We instead work hand-in-hand with our various DoD and Air Force acquisition agents. It is these agents, such as the Defense Logistics Agency or Air Force Material Command, that are charged with seeking out and implementing the most cost-effective means of acquiring and sustaining our systems. In many cases the most costeffective solution is the use of private sector companies.
Q: What are some of the big successes that Air Mobility Command has had in recent months/year?
A: Some logistics successes include the C-5 Regionalized Isochronal, C-17 home-station check tire change, aircraft maintenance E-testing, merging host and forward supply points, streamlining the interservice support agreement process, revising the Tunner checklist, and refining the Aerial Port Expediter program.
Merging the host and forward supply accounts at our en route locations will eliminate dual supply processes, mitigate 66 of Air Mobility Command’s 209 PBD720 reductions [32 percent], and eliminate an Air Mobility Command stand-alone information technology system, all without compromising mission support. In addition, AMC is leading an AF-wide initiative to streamline the interservice support agreement process. Efforts to eliminate non-value added steps have slashed reviews by 625 days and reduced flow time by 713 days! Efforts are still under way to fund and field an information technology tool, and complete beta testing of a writing tool that will generate further Air Force-wide efficiencies.
Regionalized inspections began at Dover AFB, Del., with the C-5 aircraft. The regionalized isochronal inspection completed at Dover’s facility is the most invasive, in-depth inspection performed at the base level. It provides maintainers the opportunity to inspect mechanical components and structural areas not normally accessed during dayto- day operations.
Prior to regionalization, isochronal for the active-duty C-5 fleet were being done by several bases. Because of various factors impacting isochronals at each base, the average isochronal flow times before regionalized isochronals were 42 days for the C-5 fleet. For the aircraft that go through Dover’s Regionalized Isochronal, each aircraft in isochronal inspection is now averaging about 14 days. The end result is fewer aircraft tied up undergoing scheduled inspections like the isochronal and more aircraft to execute Air Mobility Command’s global commitment. The increase in aircraft availability currently averages 2.5 more C-5 tails each day for missions. This extra aircraft availability equates to 10,000 additional pallets being delivered per year.
The C-17 home station check tire change initiative applies more stringent inspection criteria to aircraft undergoing the home station checks, and any tire with less than 75 percent tread is replaced. This process reduces the number of unscheduled tire changes while the aircraft is away from its home base. This is significant because before this initiative we were dispatching maintenance recovery teams [MRTs] to various locations globally, at least three per month, to change tires; now we are averaging only 1 per month. Another benefit is that McChord Air Force Base’s average tire-related nonmission capable rate dropped from 145 hours per month to 70 hours per month, directly translating into more aircraft available to execute airlift missions. Based on our initial success, this initiative has been implemented at Altus AFB, Okla., and McGuire AFB, N.J.
Other initiatives like the merging host and forward supply points, revising the Tunner checklist, and refining the Aerial Port Expediter program focused on process efficiencies needed to offset the Presidential Budget Directive—720 manpower losses. Merging supply points eliminated duplicate supply process at some of our en route locations and enabled us to mitigate 32 percent of the 209 positions cut by Presidential Budget Directive 720.
The Tunner checklist was an internal process improvement that looked at the daily operational checklist the drivers use to ensure the Tunner is safe and ready for use loading our aircraft. The old checklist contained 159 steps that were accomplished three times daily and took 90 minutes to complete each time. In contrast, the C-130 aircraft preflight checklist contains 109 steps and only requires 45 minutes to complete. The new Tunner checklist contains 45 steps and only takes 30 minutes to complete once each day. The Aerial Port Expediter initiative looked at the relationship between the duties of the aerial porters and the loadmasters. Due to the complexity of coordinating load times with the availability of an assigned loadmaster and the stress it generated with the aerial porters flow of operations, Aerial Port Expeditor focused on qualifying aerial porters to perform limited loadmaster duties. Qualifying the aerial porters to take over loadmaster tasks related to loading aircraft, the loadmaster no longer has to come in early to load the cargo. Since the loadmaster is tied to the aircrew, this delay in show time extends the crew’s duty day, optimizing their availability for longer missions. In addition, since the loading time is no longer linked to the loadmaster’s schedule, aerial porters have a greater degree of flexibility for scheduling the best time to load aircraft. This initiative has already been implemented at 10 C-5/C-17 locations.
The Tunner 60K Loader inspection initiative streamlined the operator checklist to ensure the aircraft loader is safe and ready for use in minimal time. The old checklist contained 159 steps that were accomplished up to three times daily and took 90 minutes to complete each time. In contrast, a C-130 aircraft Preflight Checklist contains only 109 steps and requires about 45 minutes to complete. Benchmarking off the way we preflight our aircraft with a walk-around type inspection, we were able to reduce the Tunner checklist to 45 steps taking only about 30 minutes on a once per day interval. We are now able to get our Tunner loaders in to action quicker, improve productivity for our aerial porters and get cargo moving to our customers sooner. The Aerial Port Expeditor program directly supports Air Mobility Command’s initiative to provide increased cargo velocity for the warfighter. Under this new program, certain qualified aerial port personnel can now safely perform all ground loading operations without the requirement to have an aircraft loadmaster present to supervise operations. This enhances crew availability by allowing the entire aircrew to enter their rest period earlier or arrive at the aircraft for departure after it is loaded. Additionally, our aerial porters have a greater degree of flexibility for scheduling the best time to load aircraft, since we no longer have to work around crew duty day limitations. This initiative has already been successfully implemented at 10 locations that routinely support C-5 or C-17 operations.
Air Mobility Command recently completed the first Mobility Air Forces Logistics Standardization Evaluation at Hickam AFB, Hawaii, in accordance with Program Action Directive 07-13. This was the first step towards standardizing the Logistics Standardization Evaluation Program across all the commands.
Due to increasing Air Expeditionary Forces [AEF] deployment requirements and dwindling Air Reserve Component volunteerism, AMC requested and the Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force [VCSAF] approved an AEF Cycle 7 [January 2008-September 2009] deviation to the Expeditionary Combat Support Target Base Alignment Two-Hit Policy for Air Mobility Command Aerial Port [2T2] forces assigned to our six major stateside aerial port squadrons.
The Two-Hit Policy restricted the scheduling/deployment eligibility of a unit’s capability to only two of the five deployment periods in an Air Expeditionary Forces cycle. This meant that two aerial ports contributed up to 300 or more personnel. This deviation provides Air Mobility Command the flexibility to spread the deployable manpower in each unit over all five rotational periods [47-80 personnel per rotation from each squadron], which helps us maintain the sustainment pipeline at both ends. This Air Mobility Command initiative resulted in the aerial port squadrons deploying 20 percent of their available manpower at all times, rather than having to deploy up to 50 percent of their personnel from home station during the two AEF rotations they were previously supporting and enabling them to better perform their essential warfighter sustainment mission.
Q: How is Air Mobility Command helping to transform logistics processes in the Air Force and the Department of Defense?
A: We are engaged at all levels to map and re-engineer our processes to reduce costs while streamlining and improving support. While many of these efforts are focused on accommodating manpower reductions, many others are identifying new savings and/or efficiencies to enhancement support. In addition, as one of the five bases in Phase I for joint basing implementation, we are helping to lay the foundation for merging and eliminating redundancies created by multiple services providing base installation support in close proximity to each other.
We provide subject matter experts acting as core team members for the Air Force Repair Network Transformation Initiative. It is an initiative to create a comprehensive approach to managing the Air Force repair network at the enterprise level. The management processes are intended to manage a repair network in a way that is integrated with, and supportive of, the way the Global Logistics Support Center manages the supply chain and program managers manage weapon systems.
The wing reorganization realigns those sortie generation and traditional logistics functions under separate commanders thereby streamlining command chains. This effort also postures the Air Force for future transformation initiatives like the Global Logistics Support Center and Repair Enterprise for the 21st Century.
Throughout history, military experts have maintained that the three M’s of logistics [materiel, movement and maintenance] must be closely aligned to maximize a military force’s combat efficiency and effectiveness. This reorganization consolidates these wing logistics functions under a single logistics leader in the wing and positions the logistics community for future transformation initiatives and further enterprise integration. There is a natural synergy among these functions. Putting Aerial Port Squadron [APS], Logistics Readiness Squadron and remaining maintenance functions within the Materiel Group will streamline these independent mission-enabling processes.
Air Mobility Command’s Director of Logistics is working with the air staff to transform nearly every aspect of Air Force logistics. To accomplish this, we have dedicated our best and brightest personnel to helping blueprint the new integrated logistics processes we need to respond to two critical warfighter questions: “Where is our part?” and “When will we get it?” This is no small task— and the logistics community has always met the challenge with unyielding success, innovative thinking and unfailing reliability. However, the shift to an expeditionary fighting mode requires that we fundamentally change the way logistics conducts business. To support expeditionary operations we must dramatically improve the efficiency of our operations. To support our engagements worldwide we must reduce our reliance on costly infrastructure and inventories by becoming more agile and responsive to our logistics chain requirements. We are accomplishing this by developing the ECSS. Expeditionary Combat Support System is a commercial off-the shelf based enterprise resource program which supports the Air Force Logistics enterprise and provides rapid, agile deployment, employment, sustainment and reconstitution of the Total Force at acceptable risk, and in a cost-effective manner, across the full spectrum of operations.
Aircraft maintenance is an important element of the flying mission, and crew chiefs and other maintainers that directly support sortie generation belong in that chain of command. This organizational construct provides an on-the-shelf capability with all the elements necessary to deliver global effects, under one commander.
Q: How is Air Mobility Command helping to project the logistics arm of the Air Force across the global stage?
A: We proactively position parts, people and equipment across stateside and en route structures to meet changing worldwide events and mission requirements. This includes routinely partnering with United States Transportation Command and Defense Logistics Agency to assess fuels infrastructure and levels to ensure they meet requirements both for today and well into the future. We’re actively implementing changes to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels; replacing conventional vehicles, where possible, with low-speed vehicles; pushing for use of alternative fuels such as biodiesel and ethanol; and working to certify a Fischer-Tropsch fuel blend for C-17 use.
Q: Are there any big initiatives Air Mobility Command has coming down the pipeline?
A: The fact that our allies are procuring aircraft common to the AF offers a significant opportunity to share resources. There is a tool in place to make this happen, the Acquisition Cross Servicing Agreement. We’re working the details in conjunction with Air Staff, but there’s still a lot of work left to do to work the details such as issues and reimbursements through our electronic systems and ensuring we meet export/import requirements and international laws. Expanding regionalization of scheduled isochronal inspections: Based upon the C-5 Regionalized Isochronal at Dover, we are looking at the feasibility of applying this concept to other weapon systems like our aging C-130 fleet and the low-density high-demand KC-135 tanker fleet.
Combat Airman Office: This past year, Air Mobility Command championed the need to establish one central Air Force authority responsible for life cycle management of individual personal protective equipment from requirements determination through disposal [chemical warfare defense ensemble, helmets, body armor, small arms and uniforms].
Toward this end, AMC hosted an Air Force-wide Rapid Improvement Event in August, which identified various process improvements to include the stand up the Combat Airman Office which Air Staff is pressing to institutionalize. The Combat Airman Office will resolve the issues we have today with undefined and potentially inflated requirements, functional area acquisition of solutions from a multitude of sources that are unique and not always integrated/ tested, a lack of enterprise visibility and execution of funding, and questionable accountability. The end result—the Combat airman Office will treat our Airmen as a weapon system, much like the Army already does today. ♦