Future leader embraces C3, earns Green Belt certification Published July 2, 2012 By Staff Sgt. Clinton Atkins Air Education and Training Command Public Affairs JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas -- An Air Force Academy cadet spent five weeks, as part of a summer program, with Air Education and Training Command's Chief Learning Office where he earned his Green Belt certification. A Green Belt is the first level of certification under Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century, which is a model used to maximize efficiency and effectiveness by minimizing waste in key processes across the Air Force. For a business major at the academy, working with AFSO21 is not a typical summer project. Cadet 1st Class Michael Smith Jr. got the idea to pursue the opportunity from his dad, a retired Air Force officer who worked with AFSO21. Smith is the first cadet to obtain a Green Belt certification before entering active duty. As a Green Belt, Smith is now qualified to facilitate squadron- and group-level process improvement events. Smith's sponsor, Maj. Brian Tharp, AETC/CLO officer, said with the Air Force's evolving culture of cost consciousness, or C3, it is becoming increasingly important for future and new leaders to grasp an understanding about conserving resources and improving processes. AFSO21 uses an eight-step problem solving process: clarify and validate the problem, breakdown the problem and identify performance gaps, set improvement targets, determine root cause, develop countermeasures, see countermeasures through, confirm results and process, and standardize successful processes. Smith has already applied the AFSO21 model to real world Green Belt-level events designed to save Airmen time at the work-center level. The solutions developed during these two events are designed to reduce the amount of time it takes an Airman to find data on a shared drive and reduce the time required to complete civilian time cards. As a result of just two events, more than 140 hours per year will be returned to the shop's Airmen. Hamm noted that while 140 hours per year might not seem like much, when continuous improvement becomes a part of every Airman's skill set, there will be more events and savings. During the summer program, Smith completed 40 hours of Green Belt academics hosted by the 12th Flying Training Wing here. He also observed two process improvement events at the 59th Medical Wing to solve issues of missed physical therapy and specialty clinic appointments by basic military trainees. Additionally, Smith witnessed continuous process improvement at a local industry in San Antonio. Smith, who's entering his senior year at the Academy, plans to carry his AFSO21 experience into active duty once he graduates and hopes to pursue a Black Belt certification, which will allow him to facilitate wing-level and higher AFSO21 events. He said now that he's done all of the training, this gives him the ground work he'll need to further build upon his experience. "I think of anything I could have done a summer research project on, (AFSO21) is going to be the most relevant and applicable to my career in the Air Force," Smith said. Everything he's done and seen with the Chief Learning Office for the past five weeks has helped him to see the "big picture," Smith said. He hopes to make an impact in whatever career field he gets placed. "From now on, budget constraints are going to be a big issue," he said. "That's one of those things I'll be able to help with." Tharp said AFSO21 training can help Smith, and other cadets, become a better leader. "We look forward to helping more cadets during future summer research programs," Tharp said.