JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii -- Executing the Air Force mission never stops, but there is always room for improvement.
Two iterations of the U.S. Air Force Continuous Process Improvement Senior Leaders Course were held here
July 30 through August 2 to find more efficient and effective ways to meet to the mission.
“The Air Force is in the midst of many challenges driven by a great deal of change in the world, not in the
least of which is our resource-constrained environment,” said Dr. Phil Chansler, Air University Operations
Management assistant professor, from Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. “The SLC is laser focused on improving
processes by removing expensive waste in Air Force processes.”
Senior leaders from across the Indo-Pacific region attended this course to receive tools to change Air Force
culture.
“This course provided me the opportunity to see different things that were successful at different units,” said
Lt. Col. Chris Tooman, 715th Air Mobility Operations Group deputy commander, from Joint Base Elmendorf-
Richardson, Alaska. “Now I can take back different tidbits from different locations and adapt them throughout our
group.”
The course also included a tour of the Hawaii Electric Company to witness how CPI is used in the civilian
industry.
“HECO has the vision for the state of Hawaii to be energy independent by 2045,” said Chansler. “This
requires a clear strategy and dedicated execution through the widespread use of CPI methods.”
Although this course was geared toward senior leaders, all Airmen should seek methods of improving their
processes.
“CPI is a team effort,” said Lt. Col. April Schroeder, 624th Regional Support Group process manager. “CPI is
not ‘one and done,’ it requires a continuum of effort that every Airman should be involved in every day.”