Distinguished Motorcycle Safety Award 436th Airlift Wing Safety Office

40 Pages·2017·6.87 MB·English

by  Air Mobility Command

MOBIL IT Y
E
H
T
THE MAGAZINE OF AIR MOBILITY COMMAND | SPRING 2018
FORUM
2017 SAFETY
AWARD WINNERS
AMC Command Chief
Shelina Frey Shares Thoughts on
Full Spectrum Readiness
CONTENTS
Volume 27, No. 1
THE MOBILITY FORUM
Spring 2018
AIR MOBILITY COMMAND
Gen Carlton Everhart II

DIRECTOR OF SAFETY
Col Brandon R. Hileman
[email protected]
5 14 28 34
EDITORS
Kim Knight
[email protected]
Sherrie Schatz
Sheree Lewis
[email protected]
FROM THE TOP AMC NEWS
3 AMC Command Chief Shelina 26 Bronze Star Recipient Reflects on GRAPHIC DESIGN
Elizabeth Bailey
Frey Shares Thoughts on Full Dirt Strip Operations in Syria
Spectrum Readiness
34 Feeding the Hungry with The Mobility Forum (TMF) is published
Humanitarian Aid four times a year by the Director of
RISK MANAGEMENT Safety, Air Mobility Command, Scott
AMC OPS AFB, IL. The contents are informative and
5 Brig Gen Lamberth Expounds
not regulatory or directive. Viewpoints
on Embracing the Red: An 28 The Strategic Airlift Capability in expressed are those of the authors and do
Update on Air Force Inspection Pápa, Hungary: A Dozen Nations, not necessarily reflect the policy of AMC,
System Implementation a Single Mission USAF, or any DoD agency.
10 The Five Levels of Military Flight Contributions: Please email articles and
photos to [email protected],
Operations Quality Assurance MOTORCYCLE CULTURE
fax to [phone], or mail to Schatz
Analysis Acceptance
30 A Short Ride with a Lifelong Lesson Publishing, 11950 W. Highland Ave.,
36 AMC’s Aerial Port LOSA Proof Blackwell, OK 74631. For questions call
[phone]. The editors reserve
of Concept 2016-2017
the right to make editorial changes to
manuscripts.
REGULAR FEATURES
FLIGHT SAFETY
DE denotes digitally enhanced photo.
8 How We Rationalize Shortcuts 38 Mishap-Free Flying Hour Milestones
Subscriptions: U.S.
39 Quickstoppers
Government Printing Office: 2015-545-
2017 ANNUAL SAFETY AWARDS 40 A Day in the Life 114. For sale by the Superintendent of
Documents, U.S. Government Printing
13 AMC’s Annual 2017 Office. Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov.
ON THE COVER
Safety Award Winners Phone: toll free [phone]; DC
area [phone]. Fax: (202) 512-
14 Safety Office of the Year A C-17 lands at an undisclosed location.
2104. Mail: Stop IDCC, Washington, DC
16 Individual Safety Awards Photo by guvendemir 20402-0001.
AMC RP 91-2. Dist: X
SAFETY CULTURE
ISSN 1067-8999
24 So That’s What I Signed Up For?
Visit www.themobilityforum.net,
SEASONAL CONSIDERATIONS or find the most current edition on
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2 The Mobility Forum
AMC Command Chief Shelina Frey Shares Thoughts on
Full Spectrum
CMSgt Shelina Frey, AMC Command Chief,
thanks members of the 8th Expeditionary
AMS for all they do to support the AMC
Readiness mission. (Photo altered for security purposes.)
USAF photo by TSgt James Hodgman
BY MS. KIM KNIGHT, STAFF WRITER of the U.S. Air Force, active duty, Mobility Airmen are 100 percent
Guard, Reserve, and the Civil prepared for anything—from
T
otal Force Full Spectrum Air Patrol,” she explained. “We delivering equipment to helping
Readiness. You may have talk about our collective group— search for a missing Argentine
heard the phrase and may everyone under the Total Force submarine; to delivering hope and
even recognize some of umbrella across the entire Spectrum. relief to Hurricane Maria survivors
its parts and pieces—but what does Of course, Readiness ensures we in Puerto Rico; to refueling fighters
it mean when you see the words are ready for whatever comes, from in the Middle East.”
strung together? We asked the having our families prepared on the
Command Chief for Air Mobility home front to the training we need Readiness affects rapid global
Command, CMSgt Shelina Frey, to accomplish the mission and the mobility, according to Frey, because
for some insight, and she broke expertise to win the fight. Now, we it allows for quick response when
it down into segments that are simply put it all together.” sending people, supplies, and
easy for all of us to understand. aircraft into constrained and
Frey then expanded on her definition. contested environments. But if
“Most people in the Air Force are Airmen do not incorporate safety
familiar with the term Total Force, “Whatever challenges the world measures from the onset, they may
meaning all our components: all presents,” she said, “we must do unintentionally insert challenges
uniformed and civilian members everything possible to ensure our instead of providing solutions.
Spring 2018 3
FROM THE TOP
Our Airmen hold
the answers to
confronting any
challenges we
may face. They
are smart and
they embrace
innovation.
“No matter the circumstance, we we encourage them to be a part of CMSgt Frey pauses for a photo with Airmen
will not compromise safety,” she the solution. We are fortunate to have from the 6th Medical Group Mental Health
office during her visit to MacDill AFB, Fla.,
insisted. “Air Mobility Command creative people across our ranks—
December 12, 2016.
places a premium on safety, adheres people like TSgt Cory Kozlowski,
USAF photo by A1C Rito Smith
to guidelines, and complies with whom I met at Yokota AB in Japan.
regulations. Otherwise, we could He is working with an application
become complacent and end up losing company and Air Force Materiel
people and equipment.” That scenario, Command to create a training program order found something entirely
she said, is not an option. that will enable Airmen to work on different at Mobility Guardian.
a hologram image of the aircraft that
“Force structure describes how they are training on while wearing “They can’t go into war with a
personnel, weapons, and equipment a set of mixed virtual reality glasses. checklist or thinking that everything
are organized for the operations, This type of training moves AMC and will line up the way they expect it
missions, and tasks we face in an the entire Air Force into the future—for to. Participants in Mobility Guardian
environment or conflict,” she con- about the cost of a laptop.” overcame all the planned variables,
tinued. “Our focus on Full Spectrum challenges, and obstacles before
Readiness is essential, as it protects Despite any challenges they may face, them and learned many lessons that
our national security. Readiness is Frey insisted that Airmen have the will help them succeed in real world
critical to the entire Air Force, but ability to develop unique solutions. situations, as well.”
AMC must meet the needs of all But AMC is doing its part, as well.
combatant commands who call on Frey closed by praising Airmen
us for support. For example, our “Total Force Full Spectrum Readiness for their focus on Full Spectrum
Expeditionary Mobility Airmen are in requires improving equipment and Readiness.
23 countries at 77 locations around the tactics used to meet the complex
world. We are essentially the glue that threats being developed by potential “It is how we do things day to day and
binds all of that together. That type of adversaries. As we grow the force, how we prepare for the unforeseeable.
responsibility requires our Total Force it’s essential we provide them with We can’t control when or how an
team’s dedicated commitment.” quality training. Airmen can look enemy may challenge our readiness.
forward to a Superintendent 101 So we prepare for all options every
“Our Airmen hold the answers to course, a flight commander’s course, day, and it has to be Total Force. AMC
confronting any challenges we may and realistic operational exercises is a critical component of the overall
face,” she explained. “They are smart such as Mobility Guardian.” picture, and we must always maintain
and they embrace innovation. Through a high level of readiness.”
programs such as Phoenix Spark (a She said that Airmen who are
new grassroots innovation program), methodical and like things in a certain Indeed we do … on both counts.
4 The Mobility Forum
Brig Gen Lamberth Expounds on
Embracing the Red:

AN UPDATE ON AIR FORCE INSPECTION SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION
BY MS. KIM KNIGHT, STAFF WRITER
In 2014, The Mobility Forum
published an article about changes
to the Air Force Inspection System
(AFIS) and new Unit Effectiveness
Inspection (UEI) process. It pointed
out the tremendous lengths wings
sometimes went to when preparing for
an inspection—things that correlate to
painting the grass green.
That may have been a stretch—or was
it? Either way, the AFIS changes were
intended to shift a commander’s focus
from menial, non-value-added tasks
to efforts that make the Air Force as
a whole more mission ready. So, is it
working? Are today’s inspections more
meaningful? More importantly: are
units focused on big-picture items that
make our organization stronger and
better prepared?
Brig Gen Kevin Lamberth, who serves
as Inspector General, Headquarters Air
Mobility Command at Scott Air Force
Base, believes so.
“It is no longer about ramping up
for an Inspector General visit,” Special thanks to TSgt Austin May, now working in ACC/PA, who provided the six selected panels
he said. “It is about continual of creative artwork for the article (out of the original 10) first published in the Summer 2014 issue
of The Mobility Forum.
self-assessment—commanders
recognizing what they can and can’t
do due to limited manpower or “Wings doing that successfully find validating the way that the wing can
resources. That continual assessment support from headquarters,” he assess itself accurately.”
helps us achieve excellence and explained. “They don’t need to be
mission readiness every single day.” green in their metrics all the time. They Bridges added that in 2017, there
just need to understand and commu- was much less spin-up when an
Indeed, the system can be a powerful nicate where their risks are and where IG was coming.
tool for managing risks and they need resources. The Inspector
articulating strong and weak points to General (IG) no longer uses a wire “Granted, there is always a little
headquarters, according to Col Brad brush to try and uncover every one polishing,” he continued. “But in
Bridges, AMC Chief of Inspections. of a wing’s flaws. Instead, it is about the past, every Airman worked
Spring 2018 5
RISK MANAGEMENT
change, which takes time. It gives
wing commanders a holistic look at the
wing and allows them to set priorities
and apply resources accordingly,” he
added. “Then we, the IG, come in and
validate what unit-level inspectors
find—but we don’t hammer them,
especially if they have detected and are
addressing deficiencies. We want to be
a helping hand, not a heavy hand.”
He emphasized that determining what
Conducting all inspections under the AFIS is red depends on priorities.
saves time, and Gen Lamberth agreed that wing “For a high priority item like mission
execution, for example, we want to
commanders are increasingly more willing to
be as good as we can possibly be.
admit that they simply can’t do everything. Mowing the grass twice a week versus
once, well—a commander might want
to address it but they are not likely
to assign valuable resources to it.
Commanders have finite resources—
overtime to get ready. Now, folks “We work hard to come online at least money, manpower, and material—so
assess themselves constantly and once between Capstones to put boots they must embrace some red items that
hold themselves accountable. When on the ground to observe a readiness are low on the priority list.”
the IG comes, it is almost a non- exercise that wings must do each
event. Today, a commander calling year,” he said. “We give them honest Lamberth said that despite its
something red is not necessarily a feedback—something to work at—by increasing effectiveness, the AFIS still
bad thing. It is identifying a need for communicating with them earlier and presents challenges.
resourcing or for a risk assessment more often than before. But asking
at a higher level. Commanders are units not to chase metrics—and “Dialogue between the wing and
embracing this process.” instead assess themselves and find the functional managers gets better
areas of non-compliance—is a cultural every year, but one hurdle now is
Deputy Inspector General Col Lee
Landis stressed that one change that
helped was consolidating various
inspections into a Capstone rather
than preparing for and undergoing
several inspections throughout the
year, as was done in the past. “Units
no longer need to prepare for multiple
functional inspections for things like
maintenance, logistics, services, ops,
or air traffic control at various times of
the year.”
Conducting all inspections under
the AFIS saves time, and Lamberth
agreed that wing commanders are
increasingly more willing to admit that
they simply can’t do everything.
6 The Mobility Forum
RISK MANAGEMENT
“It has raised the bar for excellence across the
how to include more virtual efforts enterprise, improving effectiveness and efficiency.
so that we need fewer boots on
the ground for inspections. Also, When commanders and inspectors at the wing
we need to help prioritize what
level realize this and work to improve units over
is important for the wings and
what contributes to readiness.” time, that’s a win for the system.”
Even so, Lamberth believes AMC
is better because, under AFIS,
being mission ready equals being
inspection ready every day.
In closing, Lamberth added that the investment is high. If wings are
“It has raised the bar for excellence CCIP is the cornerstone of AFIS and, chasing metrics and trying to
across the enterprise, improving along with this, is putting together a make everything green, they are
effectiveness and efficiency. When good Wing Inspection Team (WIT). not necessarily focused on the
commanders and inspectors at the right things. However, if a wing is
wing level realize this and work to “When a commander embraces the able to set unit priorities, conduct
improve units over time, that’s a win CCIP and invests the time, personnel, exercises, and inspect and assess
for the system.” and training for a highly effective itself, it is probably setting a
WIT—the result is typically a high standard of excellence that we are
CMSgt Cody Bringham, AMC performing unit. The return on shooting for.”
IG’s Senior Enlisted Leader, agrees
with that organizational overview.
“Before, people focused on their own
task or area,” he said. “But with an
AFIS culture, you see a wing in its
entirety—how personnel accomplish
the mission in totality versus individ-
ually. It is not about how something
affects a certain area but how it
affects the entire wing.”
AFIS has not just taken hold
in the active component but
the Air Reserve Component
(ARC) has made major strides in
implementation as well. According
to Brig Gen Alan Swartzmiller, the
AF Reserve Command Inspector
General, “The AFIS construct
has been particularly useful in
the ARC. With extremely limited
resources and personnel availability,
commanders are more in tune today
with identifying wing priorities.
Through the Commander’s
Inspection Program (CCIP), they can
expand commander’s intent into
an inspection strategy and calendar
that directly supports their priorities
over lesser requirements that
consume Airmen’s time.”
Spring 2018 7
How We Rationalize
How We Rationalize
Shortcuts
BY MR. STEVE PANGER, due to complacency, the production errors might move away from an
HQ AMC FLIGHT SAFETY staff failed to read the original pilot- SOP without incident, accident, or
reported discrepancy and did not consequence but could develop into a
properly status the aircraft or elevate normalizing of deviance.
AMC
has been working hard for the seriousness of the discrepancy.
a few years now on proactive safety. Groupthink perhaps? When we get away with taking
You’ve probably heard about common shortcuts, we are, in a way, rewarded
programs like LOSA, ASAP, and As military members, we might be for taking them. We remember the
MFOQA. They identified underlying tempted to rationalize taking shortcuts path to successful outcomes; if a path
concepts that are important and deserve with checklists because we operate in involved shortcuts, it may compel us to
future study, such as intentional conditions of stress and feel pressure to take shortcuts again because it’s a faster
non-compliance, normalization of perform quickly. Some even rationalize (and perhaps incorrectly considered
deviance, and groupthink. All are that we SHOULD shortcut our safety more efficient) way to the successful
interrelated and I’ll define them later, best practices when faced with outcome. Once we get enough
but here are a couple of recent safety conditions that we perceive are urgent. previous successes that involved
incidents to illustrate them: Individuals in certain conditions shortcuts under our belts, we let our
rationalize shortcuts to themselves, guard down and consider standard
An aircrew was conducting a two thinking, “There’s no time to waste. If procedures overkill. But the success
engine running onload/offload (ERO) I follow all the steps I’m supposed to, might be based on luck—not skill.
and failed to identify and respond to the mission will be delayed.”
an engine overheat warning. This was When we rationalize shortcuts that are
partially due to the aircrew constantly The LOSA Collaborative (contractors reinforced with positive (successful)
clearing warnings due to changing who have been overseeing AMC’s outcomes, the shortcut becomes the
cargo door and ramp reconfigurations, LOSAs) defines intentional non- new standard of behavior. When it
which most likely desensitized the compliance as an error that meets one happens on a large scale, no one within
crew to other caution messages. This of four conditions: the organization notices because the
is an example of intentional non- behavior is the new “normal.”
compliance of standard operating 1. The error is committed multiple
procedures (SOPs). times during one phase of flight. Diane Vaughan, when writing about
the Space Shuttle Challenger, defined
During a recent mishap, due to the 2. The crew openly discusses normalization of deviance in part as
common practice within maintenance intentionally committing an action “… people within the organization
debrief of summarizing the pilot- that is against published SOPs. become so much accustomed to a
reported discrepancy from the aircraft deviation that they don’t consider it
maintenance logbook to G081 (the 3. The crew is time-optimizing as deviant, despite the fact that they
maintenance data collection system), standard operating procedures far exceed their own rules for the
critical verbiage from the original when time is otherwise available. elementary safety.”
discrepancy was omitted when
transferring information into G081. 4. An aircraft handling error involves It can be easy to get drawn into
This intentional non-compliance an increase in risk when more deviations in the military. We operate
of standard procedures and a conservative options are available. so often with stress, consequence,
normalization of deviance resulted time compression, and changing
in an inaccurate representation of the Some LOSAs identified intentional conditions that taking shortcuts to
discrepancy to the production staff non-compliance as a major subject expedite successful outcomes can
and maintenance leadership. Then, area. These intentional non-compliance itself become “normal.”
8 The Mobility Forum
FLIGHT SAFETY
Eventually, deviant behavior can clarity that makes it difficult for flight behavior have been creating risk
become the norm, even grossly crews to comply with SOPs as written, for so long that it feels normal.
deviant behavior that seems outside or deeper systemic/latent factors such The more success they’ve had,
the bounds of safety. This drift into as operations pressure, scheduling- the more normal it feels.
failure can be slow, taking a significant induced fatigue, and/or morale.”
amount of time for the new standard Baker contends that intentional non- i Prevent groupthink; know and
to become entrenched. Organizations compliance requires three factors: avoid its symptoms.
often don’t see it happening. They are motivation (reward), high probability
deep in denial that anything is wrong of success, and absence of peer • Ask someone on the team to
and defiantly defend their methods as pressure or reaction. represent opposing views, or ask
best practices—even defending close everyone to voice their opinion
calls, near misses, and casualty events One could conclude that normalization before embarking on a mission
due to their “dangerous profession.” of deviance is another form of group- or task.
think reinforced by absence of peer
Irving I. Janus defined groupthink as pressure or reaction, as Baker stated. • Discuss areas of vulnerability
“… a quick and easy way to refer to the in your area where it appears
mode of thinking that persons engage Intentional non-compliance errors may as though you may be drifting
in when concurrence-seeking becomes or may not progress into an undesirable toward failure.
so dominant in a cohesive group that it aircraft state (checklist not run properly,
tends to override realistic appraisal of aircraft system not configured correctly, • Discuss a close call or near-miss
alternative courses of action.” etc.) but could indicate a deterioration event where, in hindsight, it
in flight discipline. appears a contributing factor
A recent LOSA SIB indicated was a shortcut that members
several factors have contributed to A couple of recommendations have taken repeatedly for a long
normalizing deviance. The first is 15 to consider: time.
years of combat operations, which has
robbed our crews of adequate training i Do not use past success to redefine With few exceptions, aircrews and
time and resources. The second is acceptable performance. maintainers have been conducting
a false sense of security, where a safe and reliable missions and
crewmember safely gets away with • Consider risk decision options maintenance processes. Our intent
omitting checklists or briefings until after analysis and objective is for this to persist. By continuing
that one time when a situation changes assessment of scenario-driven to conduct proactive safety
just enough to cause a mishap. The probability and severity. programs, AMC Safety will help
third factor is over-proceduralization— analyze root causes and educate
in other words, rules or procedures • There is a difference between AMC personnel about the pitfalls
that are over-designed and do not ASSUMING risk and of intentional non-compliance,
match up with operational realities of CREATING risk. Those who normalization of deviance, and
simple tasks can cause crews not to feel have normalized deviant groupthink behaviors.
obligated to complete a checklist step,
or an entire checklist, contributing to
normalizing deviance. After repeatedly REFERENCES
accepting this lower standard, it
• Baker, Roger, President, Safety Focus Group LLC. Procedural Intentional Non-
becomes normal for crews to deviate
Compliance (PiNC) (rule breaking!) and Your Safety Culture, available at
from the published standards and
accept that as the new norm. www.ihst.org/Portals/54/Partners/India/2_Baker.ppt, accessed January 2018.
• Gasaway, Dr. Richard B. Situational Awareness Matters, www.SAMatters.com.
According to Roger Baker (2005),
• Vaughan, Diane. The Challenger Launch Decision, U of Chicago Press, 1997.
intentional non-compliance errors
are “born from a lack of flight crew • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groupthink
discipline, or a lack of procedural
Spring 2018 9
ASAP | LOSA | MFOQA | CRM/TEM
5
Levels
The of Military
Flight Operations Quality
Assurance Analysis Acceptance
BY MR. BILL KROUSE, AMC OPS RAMS
M
ost adults have heard of Like Dr. Kübler-Ross’s model, each So why are Airmen stalling at this
the “five stages of grief.”1 level contains a set of characteristics level? Most fliers are structure
In 1969, Dr. Kübler-Ross, or beliefs that hinder and impede the oriented; they like rules and do not
a renowned psychiatrist, individual from progressing to the next like change. This generalization is
postulated a theory that an individual level of acceptance. This article will especially true with senior fliers who
experiencing the death of a loved one highlight features of each level and grew up in the “Black Boot” days
goes through five distinct stages of examine what is needed to transition of Q3s for the smallest of errors.
grief before being able to return to a to the next one. To transition out of this level, fliers
“meaningful life.” These stages are: must understand two facts. First, by
As previously mentioned, the first regulation2, analysis derived from
1. Shock and Denial
level of MFOQA acceptance is data collected as part of the MFOQA
2. Anger “Denial” or what I like to call the program cannot be used to initiate
“This Stuff Is Fake News” level. Yes! punitive action. In fact, the MFOQA
3. Depression and Detachment
A Chief of Flight Safety actually analyst de-identifies all analysis
4. Dialogue and Bargaining referred to MFOQA analysis as fake products before they are released.
news during a gathering of fellow Basically, MFOQA analysis does not
5. Acceptance
Chiefs of Safety. This comment typifies generate any threat to crews. Second,
While the acceptance of Military the quintessential belief held by most everyone has seen the animations
Flight Operations Quality Assurance individuals in this acceptance level, created by the Air Force Safety Center
(MFOQA) analysis cannot be where they are certain there is no way (AFSEC) to illustrate a mishap. No
compared to the loss of a friend or another individual analyzing flight one questions the validity of those
relative, a decade of conducting data can understand what the pilot animations. The interesting fact is
MFOQA analysis across the U.S. was doing just by looking at the “ones MFOQA analysis is generated using
Air Force has shown there is a and zeros” recorded by the aircraft. the same flight data. To transition
similar corollary associated with the This misconception is mainly caused to the next level of acceptance, the
acceptance level of MFOQA analysis. by the lack of understanding of what Airman must accept that MFOQA
The levels of MFOQA acceptance are: data the aircraft records, how the analysis is factual information and
information can be interpreted, and presents no threat to the individual.
1. Denial
what tools are available to display the
2. Disassociation analysis derived from the data. The second level of MFOQA
acceptance is called “Disassociation”
3. Questioning
An additional perception by
4. Belief individuals at this level is that MFOQA 2 AFI DoDI 6055.19: Aviation Hazard
analysis is a scorecard of performance; Identification and Risk Assessment Program
5. One with the Force (my (AHIRAPS), 3.2.e (2). Restricted data use.
therefore, any acceptance of the
personal favorite) Data collected for, or analysis generated from,
validity of MFOQA analysis is an AHIRAPs must not be used to: (a) Monitor
acceptance of the concept that crews personnel performance to initiate qualification
1 The model was first introduced by Swiss downgrade or decertification. (b) Take adverse
can be evaluated by just looking at
psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, M.D., in her personnel action, except as described in para-
book On Death and Dying (Routledge, 1969). flight data. graph 3.2.e.(4).
10 The Mobility Forum