CMSGT FELIX ALVARADO

SPECIALIST FLIGHT CHIEF

96TH Bombardment Wing

96th Organizational Maintenance Squadron

My tour at Torrejon Air Base Spain was finishing. I called Air Force assignments to find out what my next assignment would be. I was offered Dyess Air Base. According to Air Force personnel there was a problem maintaining the aircraft. They elaborated that I had the skill that was needed at Dyess. I was both a specialist and a crew chief. I accepted the assignment. 

When I arrived, I looked for a solution. The maintenance personnel were well qualified. What I discovered: 1. The Maintenance Superintendent was overwhelmed. Flying and fixing the airplane was too much responsibility for one person. 2. The supply man was ordering parts from the wrong source. 3. there was only one person who could operate the onboard computer.

The solution was to create two maintenance Superintendent positions one to fly and one to fix. The Supply Clerk had to reorder all the parts under a national stock number. The lone technician who could operate the onboard computer was rotated through every shift until every person in the flight was trained. 

The results were dramatic. The Wing received outstanding ratings on the management effectiveness inspection and the operational readiness inspection.

 

These achievements not only boosted morale among the maintenance teams but also fostered a renewed sense of pride in their work, as everyone recognized the value of their contributions to the Wing's mission. The new training protocols and organizational changes led to increased efficiency and reliability, ensuring that aircraft were mission-ready and that personnel felt both confident and empowered in their roles.