Photo By Kayla Plagge | CDRE Geoff Townsend, CTF-68 addresses NAVSUP leadership on the integration and...... read more read more
By Lt. Adam Thomas, NAVSUP FLC Sigonella Public Affairs
A Tiger Team, made up of Program Managers from Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) Headquarters, visited NAVSUP Fleet Logistics Center Sigonella (FLCSI) Site Rota the week of April 29th, where they conducted the first ever Gemba Walk on an FLC.
The past few decades have brought with them a large amount of change and growth to Naval Station (NAVSTA) Rota with the growth expected to continue over the next few years, most notably with the addition of two more homeported DDGs. This has resulted in the expansion of FLCSI Site Rota’s Mission, Functions and Tasks in order to fill the void and support the growing logistical requirements of the Installation and the more than 48 Tenant Commands that call Rota home.
A Gemba Walk coming from the Japanese term Genchi Genbutsu meaning “the situation on site” is a fundamental of Lean management developed by executives at Toyota. This is one of the best “Get Real Get Better” (GRGB) proven problem-solving methods for leadership to review and better understand processes and how they can be aligned to current and future standards and goals, embrace the red and discover issues as well as listen to ideas directly from the deckplate.
The NAVSUP HQ Gemba Team, comprised of Subject Matter Experts from across all of NAVSUPs key product and services, had the objective of reviewing Site Rota’s processes, systems, manning and infrastructure in order to validate the growth requirements, and ensure that the Site is well postured to support the growing demands of their customers. Being the first ever Gemba Walk conducted at an FLC, NAVSUP is putting the GRGB initiative into practice by getting down to the deckplate level, addressing resourcing concerns head on, using a proven commercial industry practice. The Gemba Walk also promotes transparency across all employees and often helps to get to the root cause of problems.
This Gemba Walk comes at a momentous time for FLCSI Site Rota as they, in conjunction with NAVSUP WSS, begin to forward stock repairables and HAZMAT in theater to support the additional FDNF DDGs and the increased naval presence in theater. Additionally, the NAVSUP Gemba Walk follows a previous visit last summer by NAVMAC who conducted a Shore Manpower Requirements Determination (SMRD), where they identified the need for increased manpower at FLCSI Site Rota.
While in Rota, the team walked all the FLCSI Site Rota facilities and met with everyone from Site leadership to Code leads to warehouse workers in order to gain an in depth understanding of the resourcing required to enable the Site to support the vast demands of their customers. To that end Key Leaders from the Site’s main customers to include CAPT Teague Suarez, NAVSTA Rota Commanding Officer, CDRE Geoffrey Townsend, CTF-68 Commodore, CDR Gregory DeJute, FDRMC Naples-Det Rota OIC and LCDR Elizabeth Courtney, CTF-65 Supply Officer addressed the NAVSUP HQ team directly, explaining the critical support that FLCSI Site Rota provides to their operations, activities and investments (OAI). Additionally, the leaders validated the anticipated growth, making it clear that the logistical support will be an enduring requirement. CAPT Teague Suarez said to the team, “It is essential to remember that the Fleet is here, in Rota. While many of the Headquarters are in Naples and Sigonella, Rota is where we support the Fleet, and where the Fleet will continue to grow."
By working with NAVSUP HQ Tiger Team, FLCSI not only specified absolute ownership of the assigned mission and involved all the key stakeholders, but also elevated barriers that matter most and required external assistance.
The NAVSUP HQ team based out of Mechanicsburg, PA also had the opportunity to go pier side where they witnessed the tip of the spear logistical work that FLCSI provides on a daily basis. Of note they met with US Army leadership from the USAV Charles P. Gross who expressed their gratitude for the top quality support provided by FLCSI Site Rota as they remain prepared to execute a Humanitarian Mission off the coast of Gaza. Additionally, they looked on as the USS Carney who’s Sailors recently received a Combat Action Ribbon for their defensive actions in the Red Sea received critical repair parts from FLCSI Site Rota during their port visit. This impressive pier side visit reinforced FLCSI Site Rota leadership’s claim that Rota is the Center of Gravity in the Sixth Fleet AOR for all things logistics.
Across the NAVSUP enterprise, there are several initiatives to include IT systems modernization and best practices that have the objective of more effectively and efficiently supporting the warfighter. In addition to necessary manpower increases and infrastructure improvements to expand capacity, it is the hope that FLCSI Site Rota can become a part of these pioneering efforts in order to bring this critical logistics center into the modern era.
| Date Taken: | 05.09.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 05.09.2024 07:12 |
| Story ID: | 470752 |
| Location: | ES |
| Web Views: | 299 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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