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Fairchild helps AMC evaluate new Wing Maintenance Course

  • Published
FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. --   Fairchild AFB is helping Air Mobility Command launch a new training course to strengthen the ties between those who fix airplanes and those who fly them. AMC developed the Wing Maintenance Course to meet the vision of Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper to educate wing leaders on aircraft maintenance, operations and flight-line support.

Brig. Gen. Loren Reno, AMC's A-4, Director of Logistics, said the command is well on its way in meeting the Chief's vision. "Air Mobility Command is moving to leadership at the squadron and flight levels the training they have been giving to wing and group leaders. Bringing an understanding of the vital relationship between aircraft maintenance and operations both strengthens our units and helps fulfill the Chief's vision. Fairchild AFB is our first to take this course to a new level.

Course project officer, Maj. Jerry Weihe of the A-4's Aircraft Maintenance Division, said Fairchild is the first AMC base to bring the course to the wing level. The initial course was held at Fairchild May 2 and 3 at the Base Education Center.

"The SLMC is a comprehensive two-and-one-half-day course that we've pared down to 10 hours for the WMC," said Major Weihe. "Wing leadership at Fairchild volunteered to help us evaluate our course material, to make sure we educate our leadership on maintenance operations."

Maj. Donald Russell, 92nd Maintenance Operations Squadron at Fairchild, said the course will help the base and the command develop senior leaders with a better understanding of the two hardest Air Force missions, to fly and fix weapons systems.

The two-day course is organized into four general themes: organizations perspective, performance evaluation, fleet management and resource management.

"These are lofty themes, but they get down to the nuts and bolts of key but basic maintenance management programs and challenges," Major Russell said.

The initial class of about 50 people included Fairchild operations, maintenance, and support group and squadron-level commanders, operations officers and flight supervisors, representatives from AMC and several of its bases, as well as members of the Guard and Reserve. The command will depend on the WMC-trained leaders to share the knowledge they gain down to the newest Airman through roll calls, feedback sessions, commander's calls and scheduled training days.

Major Weihe said the course is a group effort that "relies on both sides of the house," both operations and maintenance. The command's implementing instructions provide core content. "We're providing the guidelines and briefings for the WMC, and wings will manage the program locally" he said. "AMC provides the themes, and wings are encouraged to modify the course to provide local information to fit their needs."

Those in attendance will evaluate the course to see if it does, indeed, meet General Jumper's vision. Once the evaluation is complete and once AMC senior leaders concur with the curriculum, the course will be launched throughout the command.

(Tech. Sgt. Martie Moore, 92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs, contributed to this story.)