DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. -- Following the creation of the 436th Mission Generation Group in June 2022, the 436th MGG redesigned their meeting structure to bring the 436th Logistics Readiness Squadron to the table. This enabled and cultivated a mission generation and production culture across the group, and directly linked logistics Airmen to the operational mission.
This daily production meeting outlines aircraft status and maintenance in a streamlined environment by bringing logisticians and maintainers into the same room together.
“We are on the cusp of being more effective with our mission set by being more efficient with our time to get after the things that are more important in our meetings, not just checking blocks,” said Col. Bary Flack, 436th MGG commander. “In doing so, we are setting conditions to better enable persistent mission generation and possibly set new standards for Air Mobility Command and the larger Air Force logistics enterprise.”
Although it might be overlooked at first, a change in process as simple as improving the way meetings are held, now allowing for dialogue between maintainers and logisticians, has increased efficiency, streamlined tasks and fostered a better flow of communication within the unit.
“The biggest difference I’ve seen has been the communication and the engagement, specifically from the [436th] LRS,” said Capt. Patrick Milward, 436th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron operations officer. “Before that, there was a lot of having to go up our squadron, up the group, across to a completely different group and then back down to the squadron. Now it’s a lot easier because we can just go straight to [the 436th LRS].”
According to Lt. Col. Joshua Downing, 436th MGG deputy commander, the enhanced communication has allowed them to more effectively solve problems, whereas in the past, units only focused on sharing information. Since the merger, Airmen can now better meet mission requirements, train others and conduct agile combat employment exercises.
“Under the [436th] MGG, we all are more focused on the logistics aspects, so a maintainer can now do more under the logistics realm,” said Chief Master Sgt. Benji Roberts, 436th LRS senior enlisted leader. “It’s easier, more streamlined and it makes sense with what we do as a group. We’ve all been able to sit at the table and develop a long-term training plan for MCA training for our Airmen.”
Flack stated the long-term training has resulted in better support to the maintenance squadrons from the 436th LRS and has created a culture of mission generation as opposed to just maintenance.
“We have changed the maintenance group thought process and culture at Dover AFB into a mission generation culture,” said Flack. “With that, our meetings are focused not just to the maintenance aspect of what we do, but to the mission generation aspects of what we do.”