"Cut Training" solving problems for McChord Airmen

by Staff Sgt. Tim Chacon
62nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs

1/16/2015 - JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. -- The saying doing more with less is not an option for members of the 62nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. They are simply trying to do the same with less. Due to recent large cuts in their manning numbers the Airmen of the 62nd AMXS have been undermanned, especially in the aircraft hydraulics section.

With some creative thinking and flexibility, they have found and implemented a solution that is working for them.

In December four Airmen, who are crew chiefs assigned to the 62nd AMXS, graduated a month long course to make them certified in all hydraulic 5-level core tasks.  The course was thought by Air Education and Training Command through a field training detachment at McChord Field.  These crew chiefs will be utilized when necessary in both Air Force Specialty Codes to help with manning shortages.

"The process is called cross utilization training. AFSCs are identified with surplus manning and Airmen are trained into similar specialties, "said Chief Master Sgt. Timothy Kellner, 62nd  Aircraft  Maintenance Squadron superintendent. "We are increasing our capabilities as our man power decreases."

The hydraulics section of the 62nd AMXS was the most undermanned section in the squadron and was the first to receive the help.

"We have lost 10 people in the past year. Not just with C-17 experience, but flightline experience in general," said Tech Sgt. Daniel Rosenberg 62nd AMXS element lead. "We had to get creative and think outside the box to increase our capacity."

Each of the cross trainees were hand selected by their leadership based not only on availability, but pre-existing knowledge and reliability.

Tech. Sgt. Patrick Starskey, 62nd AMXS crew chief, is one of the first four Airmen to complete the training.

"I'm happy to help. Where I come from if there is work to be done, you do it. It doesn't matter whose job it is," said Starskey.  "Not only can I help them with tasks, but If I discover a hydraulics issues during my normal [crew chiefs] checks I can trouble shoot it on my own and determine if it is a problem or not."

As with any new process it takes time to truly see the results and understand how it's going to work.

"A lot of the tasks crew chiefs and hydraulics do are similar, so it's not a hard transition," said Staff Sgt. Dustin Michel, 62nd AMXS hydraulics specialist. "The process is going well, if we keep it going it will get even better as we go."

The 62nd AMXS plans to train four more Airmen in the next year and will start to look at what other AFSCs can benefit from the cross utilization.