• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

USS George H.W. Bush Takes On AIRSpeed

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS090424-13
Release Date: 4/24/2009 3:10:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialst 2nd Class (SW/AW) Jennifer L. Jaqua, USS George H.W. Bush Media Department

NORFOLK (NNS) -- USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Department (AIMD) stood up a new division in February, Continuous Process Improvement (CPI) Division or CPI_AIRSpeed.

CPI_AIRSpeed has the job of observing and analyzing ship events and drafting recommended changes to make the process more efficient and effective.

While CPI and AIRSpeed go hand in hand to make processes more efficient, AIRSpeed is a Naval Aviation program while CPI expands to encompass shipboard operations as well.

According to Aviation Electronics Technician 2nd Class Fanziska Sublette, CPI incorporates three methodologies, theory of constraints (TOC), Lean, and Six Sigma, using these methodologies CPI will enable a command wide culture change, improving quality of life, ship's morale, and increasing the readiness level.

TOC looks at each process as a bunch of small processes and finds the one that is causing problems. Once that is determined a plan can be made to change the way that process is done to make the larger process run more smoothly.

Lean focuses on the removal of waste, defined as anything not required to complete the process. Once the waste is removed the process has higher quality, lower cost and shorter lead time.

Six Sigma streamlines the process by collecting data and then using that data to find the problems with the process. CPI uses this data to map the process giving them a clear look at each aspect of the process.

CPI division was established in response to a Department of Defense (DoD) directive released May 2006. The directive established policy and assigned responsibilities to institutionalize CPI as one of the primary approaches to assessing and improving the efficiency and effectiveness of DoD processes in support of the department's national defense mission.

"Anytime a process has issues we get a team together and walk through the entire process step by step, this is called process mapping," Sublette explained, "By doing this we can help solve the problems."

CPI Division has already performed several improvement projects including Sterns Life Preserver Maintenance, transportation improvement project for our return to Newport News and is currently working with Engineering to begin a Self Contained Breathing Apparatus Maintenance Project.

For more news from USS George HW Bush, visit www.navy.mil/local/cvn77/.