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Letters [email protected] www.airforce-magazine.com Publisher Michael M. Dunn More on AFSO 21 needs to be studied on a case-by-case Editor in Chief I enjoyed Adam Hebert’s “Issue Brief” basis. They may be very effective in cer- Robert S. Dudney on AFSO 21 in the January 2008 edition tain organizations and environments, but of Air Force Magazine [p. 20]. When ad- they may cause problems and rejection Editorial [email protected] dressing the difficulty in clearly explain- in others where they may be interpreted ing AFSO 21, his following comment as “Blah, blah, blah.” Editor particularly caught my attention: “Part Finally, I’m surprised to see how Suzann Chapman of the problem is that AFSO 21 and its prevalent the Japanese influence still Executive Editors descriptions are laden with jargon and is. I thought that by now we would have Adam J. Hebert, John A. Tirpak buzzwords. Lean. Six Sigma. Theory of changed that. I saw a statement that Senior Editor constraints. Business process re-engi- described a MAJCOM commander as Michael C. Sirak neering. Just-in-time inventory. Blah, “our sensei.” I bet that the vast majority blah, blah.” of the workforce will more easily identify Associate Editors The tools mentioned above precede the individual as their commander than as Tamar A. Mehuron AFSO 21. They were important elements their sensei. “Muda” is “waste.” I bet most Marc V. Schanz of the Total Quality Management (TQM) employees would rather deal with “waste” movement that was popular back in the than with “muda.” They understand the 1980s and 1990s. We had great senior concrete goals of AFSO 21 such as Contributors leader support in the early stages of “Deep-six stupid, unnecessary tasks” Walter J. Boyne, Bruce D. Callander, TQM, but much of the support waned rather than trying to employ “kaisen” to John T. Correll, Rebecca Grant, as time passed. A lot of what was going bring about continuous improvements. Peter Grier, Tom Philpott on then is what I think I see going on I am a sincere advocate of AFSO now in the Air Force. The real challenge 21’s goal of greater efficiency. I wish Production [email protected] is yet to be faced: What are AFSO 21 the Air Force all the best in its efforts Managing Editor and the Air Force going to look like in to sustain the momentum and bring Juliette Kelsey Chagnon years to come? further gains. As Mr. Hebert requested, AFSO 21 requires “a passion for I’ll stay tuned. continuous improvement—a spirit and Col. Bill Friel, Assistant Managing Editor mind-set that we can always get better.” USAF (Ret.) Frances McKenney TQM had an identical requirement, but Dayton, Ohio Editorial Associate we made it too hard for our workforce June Lee to sustain that passion. I hope we’re not Why Not Two Tankers? doing the same with AFSO 21. All the [In reference to “Editorial: Cata- Senior Designer policies, procedures, objectives, tools, strophic Failure,” January, p. 2]: The Heather Lewis and guiding principles won’t amount to underfunding of replacement aircraft Designer much if we have managers and leaders to the tune of $20 billion per year Darcy N. Harris who get in the way of good ideas. Getting threatens the ability of our Air Force Photo Editor out of the way is often hard to do, es- to be effective for more than a short Zaur Eylanbekov pecially in defense organizations where conflict. I see the estimate of need at formal chains of command are required $20 billion a year for six years, I see Production Manager to maintain discipline and good order, the request from Senators to continue Butch Ramsey but it can be done. If we can convince C-17 production and F-22 production, managers and leaders at all levels to I see an underused and languishing Media Research Editor find ways to make it easier for Air Force C-5 fleet hoping for modification, but Chequita Wood employees to surface their good ideas, I am not sure I see an actual effort to we will see greater efficiency. infuse $20 billion into USAF for needed Advertising [email protected] Speaking of making things easier, it combat capability. seems to me that we are assuming that Director of Advertising the tools we are using or are planning to William B. Turner use with AFSO 21 are easy to understand Do you have a comment about a cur- 1501 Lee Highway and apply. The tools are valuable, but we rent article in the magazine? Write Arlington, Va. 22209-1198 should not assume that it will be easy to “Letters,” Air Force Magazine, Tel: 703/247-5820 1501 Lee Highway, Arlington, VA Telefax: 703/247-5855 to, “through the application of process 22209-1198. (E-mail: letters@afa. improvement tools and philosophies org.) Letters should be concise and such as Lean, Theory of Constraints, timely. We cannot acknowledge re- Six Sigma, and Enterprise Value Stream ceipt of letters. We reserve the right Mapping ... improve how we accomplish to condense letters. Letters without Circulation audited by our daily tasks with the goal of making our name and city/base and state are not Business Publication Audit processes more standardized, effective, acceptable. Photographs cannot be and efficient,” as I’ve seen in AFSO 21 used or returned.—THE EDITORS purpose statements. The use of the tools 4 AIR FORCE Magazine / March 2008 USAF should not choose between involvement in Vietnam in the context extended. But [Libyan leader Muammar] the two tanker candidates, but let two of the Cold War. Unfortunately, we did Qaddafi saw to it that was not going to contracts and fund both at the same not empathize enough with the North happen. level—the replacement rate if one con- Vietnamese perspective as a war of MSgt. Philip L. Harrison, tractor is chosen is a joke. Why make the independence from colonial powers, USAF (Ret.) tanker replacement a big development- including the United States. In hindsight, Fayetteville, N.C. dollar sink? Both vendors say that they from the earliest involvement of the have product being delivered. Get them US, North Vietnam leaders would have I would just like to correct the spelling to perform. Put [the tankers] on the ramp likely viewed a long-term independent of the original Arabic/Libyan name of meeting this spec, or no money. USAF relationship with the US more favorably Wheelus Air Base. must fund whatever quantity of F-22s is than one with the Soviet Union or China. It is Millaha, rather than Mehalla, required for NORAD/US Northern Com- US policy-makers were clouded in their which comes from the Arabic word Mil- mand/ANG, period. Lockheed must be strategy by the Cold War. lah meaning salt. The base is built on brought to the big table and required to Regardless, a weak President as Com- an old seawater salt marsh where salt perform on the C-5 modernization/re- mander in Chief who did not effectively used to be [extracted] and exported. Salt engining. C-17 Total Force numbers need articulate the political and military goals used to be a big export earner for Libya to be increased by about 100 aircraft. And to the American people, and military in the Ottoman Turkish period and up to don’t forget, the F-16 replacement bow leadership that failed to effectively articu- the Italian period. wave is upon us, so Lockheed needs to late victory on the battlefield, resulted in Sami Zaptia get its act together for the F-35. political and public surrender. This must Tripoli, Libya This doesn’t even talk to AWACS never happen again. updates/replacement or ISR! We must forever extol US military Walter Boyne’s succinct article on I am not in favor of “throwing” money, battlefield accomplishments during our Wheelus AB, Libya, certainly summed but we can’t just keep shoveling opera- military involvement in Vietnam. It is tragic up the importance of the base and its tions and maintenance money into old that we allowed so many with unsourced controversial history in a fine manner. equipment and thinking we are going or biased views to shape much of the However, I wish to point out a minor dis- to be OK. public’s battlefield memory—at least to crepancy. Where he mentions SAC’s use Maj. Gregory W. Gerdes, this point. I believe time will show how of the base, he states that SAC deployed USAF (Ret.) Vietnam was another line in the sand tankers there, including KB-50s. SAC Dallas for democracy—one with a grotesque never had the KB-50 in its inventory—it price in American lives. was used only by Tactical Air Command Guam Encore Today, the Vietnamese people wel- (TAC), US Air Forces Europe (USAFE), Your article in the January 2008 come our relationship independent of and Pacific Air Forces (PACAF). I checked issue, “Guam, All Over Again” [p. 28], other nations—and the Cold War is through my complete set of unit histories brought back memories. In 1972, I was over. for the 420th Air Refueling Squadron an electronics warfare officer (EWO) Bill Lawson (the only KB-50 outfit in USAFE), and stationed with the 416th Bomb Wing Livonia, Mich. found little mention of Wheelus. The (H) at Griffiss Air Force Base, Rome, 420th did refuel fighter units en route to N.Y. We were a SAC B-52G wing. In Wheelus Recalled and from Wheelus for their training on May of that year, we were one of the As one who pulled a great three-year the extensive ranges there, but seldom first G wings taking B-52Gs to Guam tour there, I can attest to how wonder- operated from the base.