WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio, Feb. 1, 2006 – An acquisition, corporate, logistics and sustainment "meeting of the minds" took place here Jan. 26-27 to discuss Air Force Materiel Command's path ahead and how the application of Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century can help.

Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command hosted 73 people from Air Force Materiel Command agencies, IBM, Deloitte Consulting and Rand Corp., as part of the command's fifth Sustainment Transformation Senior Leadership Conference.

The sessions provided attendees with a clear understanding of the sustainment transformation vision, concept of operations and roadmap.

Air Force Smart Operations 21 is one of the tools Air Force Materiel Command will use to improve support to customers while simultaneously reducing required resources.

Secretary of the Air Force Michael Wynne launched this initiative to make the Air Force more efficient and effective. Gen. Bruce Carlson, Air Force Materiel Command commander, provided opening remarks and stated that we are going to change behaviors in the Air Force Materiel Command and as a result of those behavior changes Air Force Smart Operations 21 will become part of command's culture.

"The Air Force's recapitalization challenge will drive what Air Force Materiel Command does for the next decade," the general said. "The average age of our aircraft is more than 23 years. That increases operational and maintenance

costs while decreasing readiness. The Air Force must modernize its fleet of aging aircraft if we are going to continue to fly, fight and win America's wars."

The response to this challenge is Air Force Smart Operations 21, emphasized Carlson.

"We have pockets of continuous process improvement using tools like Lean at our air logistics centers," he said. "But we must now take our efforts to an enterprise-wide level ... across not only our air logistics centers, but also the Air Force Research Lab and our product, test and specialized centers.

"By examining our processes, which affect our strategic outcomes, and applying an analytic approach, which focuses on continuous process improvement, we'll produce dynamic Air Force-wide results through improved efficiencies," Carlson said.

As the conference drew to a close, Carlson asked his commanders and directors to recommend two processes for improvement by Feb. 9. Commanders and directors will provide a progress update during Air Force Materiel Command's spring commanders' conference March 27.

The general stressed that he is committed to creating an environment that inspires trust, innovation and a passion for achieving improved performance.

"My goal is unprecedented cross-functional integration that will yield previously unimagined success," Carlson said. "I am counting on everyone within this command to take us there."

Air Force Materiel Command hosts senior leadership sessions to gain active participation, leadership and commitment from the command's senior leaders. Cross-flow of information helps facilitate the increased understanding of sustainment transformation.