FIP update: Maintainers, defenders, helos and more to get funding

Published Sept. 8, 2014
By Senior Airman Jason Wiese
90th Missile Wing Public Affairs

F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. -- As a direct result of Air Force Global Strike Command's Force Improvement Program, funding for new equipment purchases and other initiatives have been greenlit for the F.E. Warren Air Force Base mission.

FIP is an aggressive, grass-roots feedback program designed to quickly provide senior Air Force leaders with actionable recommendations for improvement by conducting one-on-one interviews and surveys with Airmen. It is an opportunity to foster positive changes within the command.

Funding will aid maintenance, security and helicopter operations, as well as other initiatives.

"The funding dispersed to our wing will be invaluable to our operations in the field," said Col. Tracey Hayes, 90th Missile Wing commander. "Whether it's making sure a maintainer has the part he or she needs to keep our ICBMs operational or providing our defenders thermal imagers so they have proper situational awareness while conducting nighttime operations, these funds will allow our Airmen to perform their missions even better than before."

For instance, Airman 1st Class Travis Hughley, 90th Maintenance Operations Squadron Mechanical and Pneudraulic Shop technician, said maintainers are required to keep certain ICBM components readily available for use in maintenance operations, and before recent FIP changes, delays in ordering parts made it difficult to meet those needs.

New funding for ICBM maintenance operations will allow maintainers to more easily have the parts they need on hand.

"If we don't have the things we need to do our job, it can keep other people from doing their jobs as well," said Airman 1st Class Taylor Deniz, 90th MOS MAPS technician.

"We all rely on each other," Hughley said.

The recent changes show AFGSC leaders are committed to making the changes they promised.

"Due to FIP, Airmen understand that their leaders want to hear their concerns and are willing to do the work necessary to make real, tangible changes in a critical Air Force mission," Hayes said. "Our commanders and supervisors value input from all levels."

Seeing FIP changes improves the trust Airmen have in the program, especially those who have ideas to improve the mission, said Airman 1st Class Meghan Roy, 90th Missile Security Forces Squadron.

"I think Airmen won't believe anything until we actually see it," she said. "I saw a lot of my ideas get addressed."

These changes will not be the last to be addressed.

"The Force Improvement Program philosophy is to continually improve AFGSC's nuclear deterrence mission and culture for our Airmen," Hayes said. "FIP has led to changes that have already occurred, which came directly from our Airmen at the tactical level. The nuclear force can expect future improvements based not only on their roughly 300 initial recommendations, but also the recommendations we continue to receive."

Approved funding:
- $638,440 for parts and other equipment for ICBM maintenance operations
- $296,500 for thermal imagers, tactical response force gear and portable latrines for security forces
- $521,300 for cold weather gear
- $1 million for several quality of life initiatives
- $75,200 to upgrade Law Enforcement Desk to a state-of-the-art dispatch center
- $27,300 for upgrades to base entry control points (gates)
- $250,000 to stand up new helicopter operations group
- $50,400 for video teleconferencing equipment for helicopter operations
- $126,000 for launch control center cleaning contracts
- $60,000 for missile alert facility operating supplies
- $123,700 for law enforcement training equipment