Boots on the Ground are a common activity. Site visits noted across the board, we saw substantial improvements in workspace layouts, turnaround times for maintenance, backorders of high-priority requisitions that are missing from the supply shelf and planning for the future.
During these visits, we observed firsthand the progress we have made on maintenance, production and supply. We spoke directly to members of these and other teams who work on our aircraft every day to hear what improved their operations and where we can provide assistance.
Across the board, we saw substantial improvements in workspace layouts, turnaround times for maintenance, backorders of high-priority requisitions missing from the supply shelf and planning for the future. Daily meetings in various Production Control Centers are identifying and elevating issues for resolution more quickly. Improved floor organization makes finding parts and pinpointing support required by the supply chain more efficient.
More importantly, we witnessed an improved morale on these lines and in those shops where the changes were accomplished. An important part of this change is the intent to treat artisans as precision specialists, providing all the parts and tools they need for their jobs at the site rather than having them take time from fixing aircraft to search for supplies.
We found that the aircraft production line at Fleet Readiness Center is sustaining reforms in its component shops; and has continued to sustain reforms for critical component shops and expanded reforms to aircraft planned maintenance interval lines.
Reforms have been implemented at several locations. an activity not originally planned but subsequently prioritized by the Air Boss were we were able to take on all long-term down aircraft for maintenance and allow the operational squadrons to manage and maintain their normal allowable number of aircraft.
We now must expand the improvements we’ve achieved to all shops, repair lines and squadrons across Naval Aviation.
This is phenomenal work, and it’s all contributing to the sustainment of Mission Capable MC Super Hornet numbers above 325-- which have historically hover around 250-260. In addition, Legacy Hornets are returning to service in days versus weeks after maintaining percentages in the high 70s for MC aircraft.
MC aircraft make up the critical baseline of our future readiness for the high-end fight. Without “up” aircraft, we cannot prepare to meet mission requirements; with them, we can build for whatever operations come our way.
MC aircraft mitigate problems across the enterprise, including projected pilot shortages. More MC aircraft mean more aircraft available for the training commands and Fleet Readiness Squadrons. They also mean more flying hours for our trained pilots, so they can develop their skills.
Together, we’re seeing remarkable change, but we still have much work to do.
We now must expand the improvements we’ve achieved to all shops, repair lines and squadrons across Naval Aviation. In addition, we still have vital components that must be available in greater numbers and repaired in less time to increase lethality and survivability, per Air Boss priorities.
We will continue to attack readiness degraders through the Reliability Control Boards RCBs, making better use of data to refine our maintenance programs and supply forecasting. Across all these efforts, we must integrate improved cost management.
It is powerful to see the close alignment between the Navy and Marine Corps as we advance these priorities. This is a true partnership—one team with one fight. And it is encouraging to receive the positive feedback from our artisans, maintainers and production support personnel who are super motivated to provide quality products, and who are taking ownership of these reforms.
Marine expeditionary force or any smaller combination of MAGTF will always require Logistics officers with diverse skill sets. If the maintenance battalion is supporting MAGTFs smaller than a Marine expeditionary force, it forms platoon detachments from each of the functional companies while maintaining unit integrity assigned to the supporting combat service support element. The detachments are task-organized to provide all echelon secondary reparables capabilities. Maintenance support of major end items is provided by maintenance support teams whenever possible.
Maintenance battalion is organized with a headquarters, support elements, several commodity maintenance companies, and a general support maintenance company It is staffed and equipped to be employed in two modes simultaneously. First, with task-organized detachments and maintenance teams that provide support and on-site repairs for supported units. Second, as a functional commodity area company that operates a control maintenance facility.
The battalion is effective when it is co-located with its sources of supply or as task-organized detachments/ maintenance support teams. to provide the most effective means of support based on mission requirements and available resources.
Battalion Maintenance Companies differ not only in the kind of equipment they repair but also in the level and type of repairs they can perform. Engineer, motor transport, and ordnance maintenance companies are the most mobile and perform maintenance on their respective types of equipment by replacing end item parts or components. The electronics maintenance, ordnance, and general support maintenance companies also repair their own components, but their work generally requires more sophisticated tools and test equipment and environmentally-controlled work areas making them the least mobile of the battalion’s units.
The electronics maintenance company’s main emphasis is the repair of secondary reparables and their subsequent return to float stockage. Little maintenance is performed to end items. The secondary responsibility of the electronics maintenance company is the calibration and repair of test equipment for all commodity areas.
So employment of the company and its detachments may be different than the employment of the other commodity areas. The electronics maintenance company commander is responsible to the commander for dispersing assets to cover the numerous floats spread out in support of the combat elements while still maintaining sufficient equipment to provide timely repairs for all floats.
For example, the commander may attach small detachments to a float for the repair of most communications and electronics equipment and establish evacuation procedures to send difficult or time consuming repairs to the rear.
Marine Wing Support Group and Marine Wing Support Squadron support group is limited to first echelon maintenance. The Marine wing support squadron is authorized first and second echelon maintenance on ground equipment and some third and fourth echelon maintenance on expeditionary airfield-related equipment. If requirements exceed this capability, the maintenance battalion provides intermediate support.
Must ensure maintenance operations interface with maintenance-related programs and encourage economic use of maintenance resources. Supervising maintenance training within the shop make sure proper transactions are submitted into the Field Maintenance Subsystem for maintenance actions completed and changes in status.
The administrative section performs functions associated with equipment receipt and transfer, technical data research, tool issue, shop property control, and the recording and reporting of completed maintenance actions within the shop. An administrative section can range from one person in small shops to several people in larger shops.
Services sections perform functions in support of equipment maintenance; for example, welding, battery shop service, inspection, quality control, while the actual performance of maintenance is accomplished by maintenance sections. These sections may be organized in a number of different ways:
By function e.g., maintenance checks, services and modification. By equipment e.g., light, medium, heavy, or specific equipment type. By commodity e.g., motor transport, ordnance, engineer, ground maintenance equipment or by echelon level.
“As always, your general officers and senior executive service leaders are committed to providing the resources needed to accomplish our mission. Don’t hesitate to let us know what is needed. Fly, fight, lead and win!”
1. Custom vehicle and equipment design, drawings, schematics, and equipment weight studies
2. Working with internal customers, vendors, compliance and regulatory bodies
3. Organizational guidelines that deal with a piece of equipment’s initial design to its final disposition into the field
4. Acquires detailed technical specifications for the procurement of vehicles for business application
5. Develops and maintains vehicle technology analysis that support business processes
6. Prepares reports and provides initial coaching and on-going support for user community
7. Identifies and recommends opportunities to apply fleet technology to business unit functions and processes
8. Maintains and modifies vehicle configurations to support on-going business needs
9. Participates in or leads projects to reengineer vehicles for business processes
10. Serves as business unit contact/technical lead on projects; plans or leads vehicle development projects
11. Troubleshoots and resolves new technology and specification problems and issues for business unit applications
12. Coordinates problem resolution activities between users, technical support staff and/or vendors.
13. Designs principles and concepts of data management
14. Specialized business unit work processes and fundamentals
15. Concepts of Fleet system applications, including desktop, client-server and mainframe environments
16. Develops centralized and distributed concepts
17. Methods and techniques of troubleshooting and problem resolution
18. Principles of project planning and scheduling
19. Modifies fleet development life cycles
20. Business system design methods and techniques
21. Methods and techniques of vehicle application and integration
22. Principles of data retrieval and reporting
23. Information processing hardware, software, and data communications
24. Departmental policies, procedures, and standards; office procedures, methods
25. Write functional design specifications, policy and reports documentation
26. Conduct feasibility studies provide solutions in order to meet business requirements
27. Provide effective consultation to users/clients
28. Apply analytical thinking to resolve business and Fleet application problems
29. Develop, test, and implement vehicle technology applications
30. Learn new and existing vehicle technologies, tools and methods to support and develop business applications
31. Translate technical terminology into non-technical terms
32. Manage and organize workload on several projects simultaneously
33. Prepare feasibility reports and make presentations, communicate effectively orally and in writing internally/externally
34. Research and development of comprehensive technical specifications for fleet vehicles and equipment
35. Understanding of the benefits and limitations of different design configurations used in construction
36. Ability to manage multiple projects and tasks simultaneously over multiple project years.
37. Ability to forecast and develop short and long-term fleet replacement forecasts.
38. Understanding of the principles and functionality of vehicle and equipment design and operation
39. Knowledge of mobile programs and be able to incorporate into specifications and requirements
40. Ensure vehicle design and operation complies with strategic, long term and safety goals and requirements
41. Ability to determine if and when existing vehicle and equipment assets should be replaced, retired or reallocated
42. Analysis of maintenance and usage records and benchmarking data
43. Monitor and track vehicle utilization and make recommendations for reassignment of under or over utilized vehicles.
44. Research, monitor, recommend and incorporate new technology available through manufacturers and vendors
45. Provides analytical methods and research techniques development of business unit systems
46. Implements vehicle design maintenance directives and implementation
47. Include training for computers and database applications
48. Establish and maintain effective working relationships with internal/external agents
49. Recommend alternative fleet dispatch strategies and opportunities for implementation into mobile operations
50. Recruit agents in areas of Fleet work include data analysis, specification development and application support