A Year of Innovation

January

UNIT: 86th Communications Squadron Cyber Command Readiness Inspection Team

INNOVATION: Established a database to display real-time security statuses of networks and created 35 advanced scripts

IMPACT: Eliminated more than 75,000 hacker threats on classified and unclassified networks

February

UNIT: 86th Logistics Readiness Squadron Traffic Management Office Inbound Cargo Section

INNOVATION: Implementation of barcode scanners for cargo arrivals

IMPACT: Eliminated hand-written logs by establishing electronic inventory and restored two hours of cargo processing time daily

March

UNIT: 86th Operations Support Squadron Survival Evasion Resistance Escape Operations and Training

INNOVATION: Developed a plan and executed 80-hour SERE course

IMPACT: Enabled sustained operations for the 86th OSS SERE augmentee program and established a training plan for the 10th Special Forces Group in Stuttgart, Germany

April

UNIT: 86th Maintenance Squadron Fuel Systems Repair and Aircraft Structural Maintenance Section

INNOVATION: Designed and constructed a fuel tank training simulator

IMPACT: Permits Airmen from 10 Air Force Specialty Codes to complete more than 100 tasks toward the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airframe and Powerplant Certification

May

UNIT: 86th Civil Engineer Squadron Furnishings Managment Office

INNOVATION: Modified material handling, inventory management and vehicle loading

IMPACT: Increased deliveries from 36 to 60 per day and reduced delivery waiting times by 75 precent

June

UNIT: 786th Civil Engineer Squadron Water and Fuel Systems Maintenance Section

INNOVATION: Applied the use of a camera to aid inspection of fire suppression system water supply tanks

IMPACT: Saved approximately 1.5 million liters of water annually by eliminating the need to drain 55 water tanks on Ramstein and reduced an average of $34,000 in water costs and 460 hours of man power

July

UNIT: 86th Logistics Readiness Squadron Personal Property Office

INNOVATION: Increased the number of customer service computers available to personnel completing household goods shipments

IMPACT: Decreased customer apppointment time from 45 to 20 minutes and reduced average wait time by 50 percent, thus allowing multiple personnel to be processed simultaneously

August

UNIT: 86th Vehicle Readiness Squadron Privately Owned Vehicle Inspection Team

INNOVATION: Implemented re-inspection lane and installed a calibrated brake machine and vehicle suspension shaker

IMPACT: Eliminated duplicate procedures in inspection lanes and removed brake road tests, resulting in reduced customer wait times and the ability to process over 200 vehicles per day

September

UNIT: 86th Dental Squadron Area Dental Lab

INNOVATION: Eliminated the use of multiple scheduling calendars by creating an online calendar accessible by laboratory technicians and dentists

IMPACT: Enables more patients to be seen due to faster scheduling process

Editor’s Note: 2015 fourth-quarter innovations will be highlighted in an up-coming edition of the KA.