Photo By Tech. Sgt. Ted Nichols | Maj. Kathleen Fabrizi (right), continuous process improvement director for the...... read more read more
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FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. – The Pennsylvania National Guard recently completed its sixth Lean Six Sigma class in an effort to train soldiers and airmen throughout the organization to institutionalize a culture of reducing waste and continuous process improvement.
“With dwindling resources and personnel, we have to challenge ourselves to do better,” said Pennsylvania adjutant general Brig. Gen. Tony Carrelli. “If you’ve followed budgets over the past few years, it’s clear we’re not going to have the resources and personnel we have had in the past.”
One of the first things instilled in students in the class is that the concepts of Lean Six Sigma (LSS) are vital to improving an organization’s efficiencies.
“It is our responsibility to be cognizant of how much everything costs in terms of dollars, time and manpower,” explained Carrelli. “While some of the concepts may take our service members who are long used to doing things a certain way out of their comfort zone, it is imperative we cut waste where we are able and to improve processes to get the most bang for the buck. We have to be good stewards of the resources we receive.”
The Pennsylvania National Guard began to offer these classes in 2014. The inaugural class consisted of 25 airmen and one soldier.
“After the first class, we really started to see the momentum soar. Students returned to their organizations enthusiastic and armed with the tools they need to start improving processes,” said Maj. Kathleen Fabrizi, continuous process improvement director for the Pennsylvania National Guard. “Once organizations began to realize the benefits of the training, more and more classes have been requested.”
Since the first class, five classes have been held. Three of those classes were opened up to the Pennsylvania Army National Guard and were held jointly at Fort Indiantown Gap with more than 150 soldiers and airmen having received training in the program.
Fabrizi has become the recognizable champion for the program across the Pennsylvania National Guard and her enthusiasm can be traced back to her introduction to the program.
“I was introduced to LSS at a civilian company I worked for while serving as a Department of Defense program manager on a national contract,” said Fabrizi. “I saw firsthand the impact that can be made by using these tools in the government sector. Since then I’ve realized just how much of a positive influence we can have on our organization by introducing the LSS tools and concepts to our organizational processes.”
LSS hit the public eye in 1986 after achieving huge successes at the Motorola Corporation and was introduced internationally after its world renowned success at General Electric by CEO Jack Welch in 1995.
LSS is now being used across the Department of Defense with the U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy embracing the program and renewing their focus on process improvement.
“LSS is all about using a collaborative approach to identifying and eliminating waste and reducing the variation in our processes. It perfectly aligns with the military’s continuous process improvement programs,” said Fabrizi. “LSS enables the National Guard to meet our increased operations tempo to support the warfighter while abroad and domestic operations right here at home. It maximizes the use of our limited resources while measurably improving the effectiveness of operations.”
Like in martial arts there are corresponding belt levels to one’s level of expertise, but taking a course does not entitle one to a belt.
“Those taking the course are introduced to the basic concepts of LSS,” explained Fabrizi. “While those skills and the experience of the course will no doubt prepare them to immediately improve processes in their organization, they’ll still need to complete a formal project if they wish to become certified as a Green Belt.”
Capt. Mark Martella of the 28th Combat Aviation Brigade is in the final stages of completing his LSS Green Belt certification project.
“The LSS training has been extremely beneficial to my current position as the assistant operations officer for the 28th Combat Aviation Brigade,” said Martella. “I’ve been able to apply the principles I learned and streamlined numerous processes throughout the 28th CAB to include the brigade’s financial liability investigations of property loss (FLIPL) process. Over the past three months we have decreased our FLIPLs by over 30 percent and developed a process to prevent FLIPLs before they begin.”
Lt. Col. Richard Cook serves as commander of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard’s 201st RED HORSE Squadron and has seen the impacts of continuous process improvement firsthand.
“Continuous process improvement is one of the most critical aspects of successfully completing your mission consistently,” said Cook. He further explained LSS provides the means, tools and capabilities to meet the critical expectations of continuous improvement in the most effective manner. “Without true process improvement, inputs and outputs are not maximized to their fullest.”
The Pennsylvania National Guard is slated to hold additional classes this fall. Airmen interested in receiving the training should notify their chain of command. Soldiers should contact their leadership who will notify the Pennsylvania Army National Guard’s Business Transformation Team Office.
A commentary from a 2014 graduate of the course and her experience is available at http://dvidshub.net/r/bdulhn.
| Date Taken: | 07.28.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 07.28.2016 22:40 |
| Story ID: | 205409 |
| Location: | FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, PENNSYLVANIA, US |
| Web Views: | 700 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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