Use of building increasing workload and efficiency

BY SUSAN SIMPSON Oklahoman 11

Published: August 22, 2010

Read more: http://www.newsok.com/article/3487516?searched=9001&custom_click=search#ixzz0xcv4FIrh

August was a cruel month for Shawn Garrison’s commodities maintenance crew before they moved to the former General Motors plant that now is part of the Tinker Aerospace Complex.

Their former location — a glass-paneled building dating to World War II — lacked air conditioning and became unbearable in high temperatures. Mechanics would take breaks every 15 minutes to cool off.

Now the civilian crew works in the cool, brightly-lit former automotive plant.

Read more: http://www.newsok.com/article/3487516?searched=9001&custom_click=search#ixzz0xcvVnzbrThe Air Force has spent $80 million over the past two years to renovate and equip the 3.8 million-square-foot structure that was adjacent to base, but now is within the secured perimeter. Workers started moving in about a year ago.

“It’s a lot cleaner facility,” said Garrison, a first line supervisor for the 551st Commodities Maintenance Squadron. “We’ve got a bigger work area.”

His crew overhauls side cowls on the E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System. Because of the efficiency of their new space, orders now take less than half the time to process.

About 30 percent of the former plant, now called Building 9001, is occupied — with plans to fill it to about 80 percent and lease the rest. Employees with 20 or more years of experience are asked to help design the work spaces.

About 700 people work there now, but more work is being transitioned to the site. The new space will allow the Air Force to demolish 23 outdated buildings and free up space in the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center’s headquarters building, a huge former Douglas airplane plant being redesigned to maximize work flow.

After GM closed the plant in 2006, Oklahoma County voters approved a $55 million bond issue to buy the property and lease it back to the Air Force for $1 a year.

“I really think that a lot of credit has to be given to visionary leaders we have in the community,” said Brig. Gen. Bruce Litchfield, who leads the 76th Maintenance Wing. “That was a risk of that much money to allow that facility to come for our use.

“The transition of that building has been remarkable,” he said. “What we have today is a first-class facility to match the first-class work force we have here.”

The 76th Maintenance Wing has about 9,000 civilian employees. The wing has hired about 850 workers in the last year and plans to hire another 1,000 next fiscal year. About half of those are to counter work force attrition. Many Tinker workers are nearing retirement age.

Some new hires are former GM workers. Litchfield said he doesn’t know how many but the job skills that autoworkers hold are a good fit for aircraft work.

Meanwhile, the base’s workload is increasing with troops deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan and many of the military’s aircraft age.

“Our job is to make sure that when they come in for maintenance — and it’s very extensive maintenance, it’s rebuilding from the ground up — that they go out combat ready,” Litchfield said.

Robin Roberts Krieger, vice president of economic development for the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber, said the reuse of the plant helped Oklahoma weather the recession. It’s proximity to Tinker was key.

Without Tinker, “it would be very difficult to say if we’d have anything in there given the economy,” she said.

Read more: http://www.newsok.com/article/3487516?searched=9001&custom_click=search#ixzz0xcvIMTY1

A lecturer, when explaining stress management to an audience, raised a glass of water and asked, ‘How heavy is this glass of water?’

Answers called out ranged from 20g to 500g.

The lecturer replied, “The absolute weight doesn’t matter. It depends on how long you try to hold it. If I hold it for a minute, it’s not a problem.  If I hold it for an hour, I’ll have an ache in my right arm.  If I hold it for a day, you’ll have to call an ambulance.

In each case, it’s the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes.”

He continued, “And that’s the way it is with stress management. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, the burden will become increasingly heavy: and we won’t be able to carry on.”

“As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again. When we’re refreshed, we can carry on with the burden. So, before you return home tonight, put the burden of work down: don’t carry it home. You can pick it up tomorrow. Whatever burdens you’re carrying now, let them down for a moment if you can.”

So, my friend, Put down anything that may be a burden to you right now.

Don’t pick it up again until after you’ve rested a while.

Here are some great ways of dealing with the burdens of life:

Just accept that, some days, you’re the pigeon: and, some days, you’re the statue.

• Always keep your words soft and sweet – just in case you have to eat them.

• Always wear stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.

• Drive carefully. It’s not only cars that can be “recalled” by their maker.

• If you can’t be kind, at least have the decency to be vague.

• If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, It was probably worth it.

• It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to be kind to others.

• Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you won’t have a leg to stand on.

• Nobody cares if you can’t dance well. Just get up and dance.

• Since it’s the early worm that gets eaten by the bird, sleep late.

• The second mouse gets the cheese.

• When everything’s coming your way, you’re in the wrong lane.

• Birthdays are good for you.  The more you have, the longer you live.

• You may be only one person in the world, but, you may also be the world to one person.

• Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once.

• We could learn a lot from crayons… Some are sharp; some are pretty; and some are dull. Some have weird names; and all are different colors; but they all have to live in the same box.

• A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.

Have an awesome day and know that someone has thought about you today….I did…When I posted this!

Dave Burnett

However, don’t think that the process has become a “cake-walk.”  You may still be required to answer a dozen or more essay questions specific to your knowledge, skills and aptitude (affectionaltely know in the past as KSA’s).

The  ability to upload your resume still provides some formatting challenges.  But, with patience and persistence, you will at least have something that can be submitted with a few mouse clicks.

And, by the way…you may want to be aware of the citizenship,  security clearance, drug testing and physical examination requirements for the position(s) for which you are applying.  If you have not recently served in the  military, or otherwise have a federally recognized security clearance, your background investigation could significantly delay your hire for defense related employment.  Incidentally, I understand that US citizenship is a requirement for civilian federal employment at Tinker AFB.

The application process is just a portion of the federal hiring protocol.  It is a marathon, not a sprint.  Be thankful for even small advances in simplicity.

Oklahoma City-area employers are looking for ways to expand the number of mechanics qualified to work on aircraft.

BY SUSAN SIMPSON Oklahoman
Published: August 4, 2010

AAR Corp. would hire another 100 mechanics for its Oklahoma City aircraft maintenance and repair shop — if it could find them.

Workers perform maintenance on the underside of a jet at the AAR maintenance facility in Oklahoma City. Photo by David McDaniel, The Oklahoman

But the Illinois-based company says it’s hard to compete for workers against Oklahoma’s biggest aerospace employer, Tinker Air Force Base. Tinker is hiring hundreds of civilian mechanics, and in many cases offering better compensation packages than smaller companies like AAR.

“So far they’ve been beating us in this regard,” said AAR CEO David Storch. “We have the demand for employees but it’s hard to find a skilled and trained work force.”

The company has about 615 workers at its site at Will Rogers World Airport. Traditionally, many mechanics came to AAR after retiring from Tinker, but the reverse is starting to happen, said Storch, with AAR training workers and then losing them to Tinker.

So what do you do when your work force is aging or leaving to work for a competitor? You grow your own.

AAR is hoping to get a new generation interested in aircraft mechanics by promoting the profession, and AAR itself, in upcoming visits to Oklahoma City area high schools.

AAR also will offer field trips to its Oklahoma City operation, student internships each summer and scholarships to prospective employees.

The Flying into the Future program won’t fill today’s work force needs, Storch said, but it may fill some future positions and build company loyalty. He said AAR is developing a “farm system” of available talent.

“The way to compete with Tinker is to broaden the pipeline,” said Cheryle Jackson, vice president of government affairs for AAR.

AAR also looks to the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technical Education for trained mechanics.

The Francis Tuttle campus offers free aircraft sheet metal training for qualified adults. About 400 people have completed the state-funded program since 2006. Many graduates go to work at AAR or Tulsa-based operations like American Airlines and Nordam Group.

In the past year, Tinker has been offering paid internships to select graduates, who are often the top students. After training, Tinker mechanics earn $22.49 per hour.

AAR officials did not release pay figures but said they have an annual payroll in Oklahoma of about $30 million, competitive with other commercial operators.

The need for aircraft mechanics will grow by 7 percent over a decade to 150,100 jobs, according to the U.S. Bureau for Labor Statistics.

Since November, Tinker has hired more than 1,000 people to work in its 76th Maintenance Wing, said base spokesman Ron Mullen.

Read more: http://newsok.com/article/3482194#ixzz0ve9mBmAe

The site, www.afciviliancareers.com, contains practical information for those interested in a federal job within the Air Force Civilian Service including various hiring authorities, base locations, career field descriptions, employee benefits and application procedures.

One of the highlights of the website is a Job Match Machine. By entering educational background or specific skills, the Job Match Machine will generate a list of possible career choices. The site also has a Resume Coach that walks users through some of the most frequently asked questions: How do I get my resume to stand out? Do veterans or current federal employees have different application procedures? What should college graduates include on their resumes?

 When visitors are ready to search for a job, clicking the “apply now” button on the home page will give them access to Air Force jobs listed on USAJOBS.gov. There, they can build their resumes, search for job vacancies, and submit their applications.

 For those interested in employment at Tinker Air Force Base.  We have established a Facebook page at
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tinker-Air-Force-Base-Job-Information/125412897496830 where employees can receive information on current job opportunities and upcoming recruitment events which Tinker will be attending. 

 For general questions, please call the Total Force Service Center at 800-525-0102. For questions on Air Force website, please e-mail Mike Brosnan at Michael.Brosnan@randolph.af.mil.  The local Tinker recruiter, David Traynor, david.traynor@tinker.af.mil, OC-ALC/DPL, 405-734-2963 can answer questions about the Air Force web site as well as the Tinker Facebook page.

Press release:

LONG BEACH, Calif., Aug. 2, 2010 – The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] today announced it will relocate the C-130 Avionics Modernization Program (AMP) and B-1 Program from Long Beach to Oklahoma City. The move will begin with C-130 AMP starting in the first quarter of 2011 and conclude by the end of 2012 with the move of the B-1 Program.

Both programs are part of the Maintenance, Modifications & Upgrades (MM&U) division of the Global Services & Support (GS&S) business unit of Boeing Defense, Space & Security. The programs now employ approximately 800 people in Southern California. About 550 positions will be relocated to Oklahoma City. The remaining positions will be reduced from the programs over the next two years as contracts are fulfilled.

MM&U Vice President and General Manager Mark Bass said relocating the programs will help Boeing provide a more competitive cost structure for customers.

“Making a decision like this is never easy, but as we reviewed our anticipated operating costs for the next several years, it became clear that Boeing needs to take major actions on these programs in order to remain affordable for our customers,” Bass said. “We remain committed to maintaining the excellent record of performance that our employees deliver for our U.S. Air Force B-1 and C-130 AMP customers during this transition.”

During the move, some employees will be relocated, while other positions will be posted and hired locally in Oklahoma City. Company managers are determining which employees will be offered relocation to Oklahoma City. Boeing will provide assistance for workers who do not make the transition, including help in searching for other potential positions within the company.

“We will communicate openly and often with our employees throughout this process,” Bass said.

C-130 AMP brings commonality to the C-130 fleet by offering flexibility in assigning aircrew, regardless of the model design type, and reducing aircraft operating costs while addressing obsolescence and providing for future capability growth. The program recently was approved by the Air Force for low-rate initial production.

The Boeing B-1 Program is modernizing the B-1 Lancer bomber to further enhance its conventional munitions capability. Multiple upgrades are being tested this year to improve the bomber’s capabilities.

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world’s largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world’s largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $34 billion business with 68,000 employees worldwide.

Job Announcement

Customer Service Representative
Staff Assistant II
Job # 09899
$11.00 – $11.70 per hour

8-5, Monday-Friday, full-time 40 hours per week
Medical, Dental & Retirement Benefits
27 Days Paid Leave plus Holidays
Background Check Required

Oklahoma City Metro Location

The Staff Assistant II/Customer Service Representative will serve as the main source
of customer interface for incoming calls at the CARE Call Center, CSRs will:

o identify customer needs
o answer questions and provide information
o maintain level of knowledge and skills to complete call center transactions

Required Education and Experience:

o High School Diploma or GED or an equivalent combination of
education/job related experience.
o 6 months experience in front line customer service and call handling
o Excellent interpersonal and communication skills

Preferred Education and Experience: Bachelor’s degree; experience in a call center environment; ability to multi-task and deal with stressful situations; fluency in Spanish & English

Apply Now !
Position Description and Qualifications at: https://jobs.ou.edu
Applicants Must Apply Online

The University of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer and we encourage diversity in the workplace

To apply for this position in the CARE Call Center (job is located in Oklahoma City):

1. Go to www.ou.edu
2. Move mouse over “Employees” tab at the top of the screen. – will give you a drop-down with several choices.
3. Click on Human Resources.
4. Click on “Employment” on the menu on the left side of the screen.
5. On the bottom right of the screen, under “Quick Links,” click on “Search and Apply for Jobs.”
6. On the menu on the left, click on “Search Listings.”
7. In the gray area on the right, where it shows “Department” – click on the Drop Down arrow ( you may have to move the scroll bar on the bottom of the screen to the right – in order to see the Drop Down arrow ).
8. Click on the Drop Down arrow and scroll down to “Ctr for Public Management (CEPCPUBM)” and click on it.
9. Click on the “Search” button at bottom left corner of screen.
10. Look for Staff Assistant II (Same requisition number as on front)
11. Click “View” under the job Title.
12. Click “Apply for This Listing.”