RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany --
Airmen
are continually finding ways to improve steps in their work flow. They might
find a way to work faster, cut costs or improve safety. The Air Force needs these
forward-thinking individuals, such as Tech. Sgt. Doug Mullins, 86th Munitions
Squadron Tactical Air Munitions Rapid Response Package section chief.
The
86th Airlift Wing Innovation Program plans to recognize Mullins and the TARRP
team for giving their shop a capability it didn’t have before: an approved way
of building married munitions pallets.
“With
all the munitions we are sending worldwide, it was vital we developed a
smarter, safer and faster alternative,” Mullins said.
Pallets
are designed to safely airlift munitions, yet the rollerized trailers
previously used to build the pallets had limited space on the trailer deck. There
was also a falling hazard because the trailers didn’t have rails, requiring
extra safety precautions. The 86th MUNS needed innovation in its
pallet-building process.
The TARRP
team stepped up to the plate with Mullins as the point man to figure out how to
improve the situation.
TARRP’s
innovation was to create highline docks. Highline docks provide platforms for
Airmen to marry, or join, the pallets. They also provide a way to load cargo
and secure it to the pallets. The highline docks can hold more pallets at a
time and provide an safe, easy way to move pallets onto a transport trailer or
vehicle. The new docks give Airmen the
ability to build each pallet in 45 minutes rather than the previous 60, saving
time and increasing production to support theater tasking.
Munitions
Airmen constructed two highline docks, increasing the squadron’s T3
pallet-building capability by 500 percent.
Mulllins
said that because of the highline dock, the 86th AW is more capable of
transporting assets around the world.
“We’re
placing warheads on foreheads quicker,” Mullins said.
Thanks
to the mission dedication from Mullins and the TARRP team, the highline dock is
now an approved and recommended platform for building married munitions pallets.
“It is
great to know we have a dedicated team that thinks on their feet,” Mullins
said. “I know that when I change stations, the fight for excellence here will
continue.”
The Innovation
Program is searching for new ways to reward innovative personnel, and wants to
hear about designs Airmen have accomplished to save the Air Force time and
money. For more information, contact Rabecca Porinsky at the 86th
Force Support Squadron Manpower Office at 06371-47-4032.