Considerations

Survey	Item	Considerations
CTR	1	Contractors are adequately trained to safely conduct their jobs. Hard schedule training if authorized within contract. Ensure that contractor scheduled training is provided, or rescheduled immediately if events require a slide. Formalize contract maintenance training (not just OJT to work gripes). Contractor supervisors personally monitor training sessions to ensure quality. Ensure the qualification process remains robust and honest. There is a tendency to relax standards to obtain a minimum level of qualified military and contractor personnel when "doing more with less." Develop a qualification tracker, if allowable under the contract, to maximize training and eliminate “gun decking.” Conduct a complete review of each qualification to ensure there are no immediate contractor shortfalls. Then review the process for qualification to make sure you are teaching the right skills. We changed our Maintenance training attitude. Moving away from flying on training days to a dedicated day to train. Maintain proper perspective on operational excellence and safety. Specialized training on rarely used tasks should not take priority over basic skills/proficiency training. Do not push your contractor or military personnel beyond their own perceptions of acceptable risk. Instead, train them accordingly to expand their skill and confidence levels for similar future tasks. Invest the time (in training) now. It'll cost you, but less than later. Review the list/matrix of relevant Issue Papers on this website.
CTR	2	Contractors are provided adequate recognition for exceptional safety acts. Include contractor personnel in safety programs. Often perceived as outsiders, this will help increase all avenues of teamwork while demonstrating genuine concern for the safety of all personnel. Provide recognition/incentives to contract personnel for safety achievements. Ensure safety recognition programs (e.g., safety pro, individual/group actions, etc.) are utilized and advertised. Have a program (safety pro/maintenance thumbs-up award) to recognize contractor's safety/maintenance achievement. Reinvigorated the safety award process to "catch personnel in the act of using solid ORM." Direct more command attention at those who do right than those who do wrong. Ensure your contractor supervisors make on-the-spot corrections when they discover unsafe actions. Encourage/Reward them for doing so. Publish a Safety Gram with recognition for ALL personnel's accomplishments/acts. Recognize a contractor Safety Pro of the Month with a parking spot as a reward. Implement a QA outstanding performer award. It will improve maintainer interactions with QA, while providing appropriate recognition for quality workmanship. Recognition, teamwork, and empowerment of ALL personnel are often more effective in increasing operational effectiveness than threats, micromanagement, and over-emphasis on problems. Despite strong initial efforts, do not miss opportunities to reinforce the behaviors you are trying to strengthen. Ensure your contractors have a safety climate that encourages reporting safety issues. Review the list/matrix of relevant Issue Papers on this website.
CTR	3	Safety decisions are made at the proper levels by the most qualified personnel. Empower ALL personnel to halt unsafe activities until hazards/risks are resolved. Ensure your contractor supervisors make on-the-spot corrections when they discover unsafe actions. Encourage/Reward them for doing so. The first step in fixing problems is to identify them (e.g., surveys, communication, process reviews, supervision, etc.). If the same problems areas continue to arise, your prior interventions are not working. Try more focused interventions and track their effectiveness. Challenge supervisors to be more proactive with contractors and ensure the importance of doing things safely is very clear to them. Integrate the ORM process into planning and executing operations. Ensure ALL personnel are educated in the ORM process to the point that it becomes an automatic or intuitive part of decision making. Routinely encourage your contractor leaders to work with your Safety Department personnel. Ensure your contractors have a safety climate that encourages reporting safety issues. Review the list/matrix of relevant Issue Papers on this website.
CTR	4	SOPs and safety rules are enforced in my organization. Contractors often work under different standards/rules than their military counterparts. Ensure that all personnel are aware of these differences to reduce misconceptions. The CO should enforce a "by the book" philosophy. Hold non-performers accountable and counsel/discipline those who demonstrate unsatisfactory performance. When accountability is not enforced, the command and control structure, which is held together by trust, falls apart and the command eventually fails. Despite strong initial efforts, do not miss opportunities to reinforce the behaviors you are trying to strengthen. When standards and rules invite "workarounds" due to their complexity, lack of clarity, or ineffectiveness, submit changes to the standards and rules! A "we've always done it that way" mentality will only lead to further complacency, rule-bending, and potential incidents/mishaps. Monitor aggressive personnel who think rules aren't necessary. Monitor contractor/military supervisors who think it's okay to cut corners. Be aware of an environment that encourages "work the system" and discourages personal accountability and responsibility. Establish, communicate (make visible), and enforce contractor and military performance standards in your command. Review the list/matrix of relevant Issue Papers on this website.
CTR	5	Contractors must possess the appropriate experience or skills to earn qualifications in my organization. Ensure the contractor qualification process remains robust and honest. There is a tendency to relax standards to obtain a minimum level of qualified personnel when "doing more with less." Conduct a complete review of each qualification to ensure there are no immediate shortfalls. Then review the process for qualification to make sure you are teaching the right skills. Develop a qualification tracker, if allowable under the contract, to maximize training and eliminate “gun decking.” Establish, communicate (make visible), and enforce contractor and military performance standards in your command. Set the bar extremely high. Personnel only reach as high as the stated goals. Contractor supervisors personally monitor training sessions to ensure quality. Monitor turnover in personnel; conduct six-month forecast/track personnel moves. Be aware of an environment that encourages "work the system" and discourages personal accountability and responsibility. Address (via mentorship, feedback, etc.) contractor and military supervisors who think it is okay to cut corners and discipline accordingly. Review the list/matrix of relevant Issue Papers on this website.
CTR	6	Organizational members, from the top down, incorporate Risk Management (RM) into daily activities. Integrate the ORM process into planning and executing operations. Train personnel to properly use ORM for their high-risk activities. Ensure ALL personnel are educated in the ORM process to the point that it becomes an automatic or intuitive part of decision making. Empower ALL personnel to halt unsafe activities until hazards/risks are resolved. We reinvigorated the safety award process to "catch personnel in the act of using solid ORM." Do not push your contractor or military personnel beyond their own perceptions of acceptable risk. Instead, train them accordingly to expand their skill and confidence levels for similar future tasks. Challenge supervisors to be more proactive with contractors and ensure the importance of doing things safely is very clear to them. Complacency does kill. Periodically highlight concerns, challenge personnel, question practices, etc. to raise awareness . . . instead of waiting for a mishap to wake up the organization. Are ORM Worksheets in your command being "gamed" by personnel to keep go/no-go decisions at their level? Review the list/matrix of relevant Issue Papers on this website.
CTR	7	Effective communication exists within my organization. Improve communication/teamwork between contract and unit personnel. All "major" maintenance evolutions (e.g., aircraft moves, engine wash, dynamic component change, etc.) are briefed prior to execution, including maintenance control, QA, and contractor supervisors. The Maintenance Officer holds a weekly "maintenance management meeting" for all maintenance and contractor leadership to ensure the MO's word is getting out and major issues are discussed. Have the contractor supervisors, MO and OPSO meet and agree on the supportability of the schedule and attainable weekly goals. Have Ops brief the weekly plan at the Maintenance Meeting the day following its signing (an effort to ensure that maintainers/contractors are given as much info on what is coming the following week). Each department now provides updates to an in-house calendar where we track future events and post relevant information. Central to good leadership is maintaining strong and vibrant two-way conversations with ALL personnel. In order to open the lines of communication I have ensured that we hold quarters at least once every two weeks and hold all supervisor meetings every Monday. I use this time to let everyone know "the big picture" and to ensure that the entire chain of command knows what we are doing and why. Adjust day/night contractor schedules to permit more of an overlap to get better pass downs. I have engaged the unit leadership and shared the information in the survey. We have discussed command culture, communication, and standardization required to sustain long term production. The leaders of the squadron are now speaking with one voice. Having an open door policy on safety related issues has greatly improved communication within the unit. Attend more meetings (e.g., morning Maintenance Meetings) and show by example how contractor and military leadership needs to provide opportunities for juniors to voice their concerns/comments. Leaders sometimes need to "pull" information from juniors, and some leaders have not yet developed the skill to "pull" information. CO sets aside a "dialogue period" with aircrew/maintainers/contractors to discuss pertinent issues, such as: flight time, training requirements, the latest rumors, etc. Focus renewed attention on maintenance/contractor shift turnover. More frequent all-hands formations to ensure the CO is personally getting the word to all military and contract personnel. Military and contractor personnel can honestly misperceive that they are expected to cut corners when simply told to expedite their work. Carefully communicate all task requirements to prevent these and other misperceptions. Share all relevant information. Playing "I've got a secret" hurts productivity and morale. All large organizations have communication challenges. Find solutions for the bottlenecks and shortfalls. Communication is key across all military/contractor levels. Ensure it happens. Ensure all communication vehicles are used (e.g., face-to-face, POD, AOMs, formations, publications, etc.). Too often, vehicles to communicate are overlooked. Effective communication requires feedback. Ensure feedback mechanisms are in place and used by ALL personnel. No matter how much technology you throw at a problem, communication still requires face-to-face interaction. Do not allow poor communication due to too much reliance on one-way emails. I don't expect people to remember what I said two weeks ago. If it's important, publish it or restate it often. Provide a "state of the squadron" address. It will help you find out where you are and communicate it to your contractors and military personnel. Offer a monthly "Retribution Free" discussion period for flight crew, maintainers, and contractors to allow discussions with leadership and peers about situation where they feel pressure to cut corners, or discuss anything else on their minds. Discuss survey results and interventions with contractors to develop optimal solutions and increase survey process "buy in." If survey results are a "bad surprise," suspect communication shortfalls, lack of supervision, or personnel failing to bring issues to your attention for various reasons (e.g., fear of repercussions, complacency/apathy, or the lack of command response/feedback on prior raised concerns). Ensure intervention options are clearly communicated to contractors. Review the list/matrix of relevant Issue Papers on this website.
CTR	8	My organization keeps me well informed regarding important safety information. Include contractor personnel in safety programs. Often perceived as outsiders, this will help increase all avenues of teamwork while demonstrating genuine concern for the safety of all personnel. Assign the strongest and most effective personnel you can afford as safety representatives. Their levels of influence and respect amongst contractors and peers will greatly improve safety programs, teamwork, and communication. Maintain relevant hazard reports, notices, etc. in ready rooms/ lounges/contractor spaces to increase awareness/discussion. Increase emphasis on aviation and ground safety at AOMs and quarters. Encourage safety reps to use every morning meeting and evening pass down to address trends and "stay on message." They should get out and visit all military and contractor work centers. Have monthly contractor ground safety meetings. Don't beat a dead horse. Spammed safety emails, repetitive drive safe briefs, etc. are less effective or ignored compared with more targeted safety training efforts. Reach out to counterparts in similar units for contractor lessons learned and common concerns. Ensure intervention options are clearly communicated to contractors. Ensure your safety representatives maintain visibility with contractors. Routinely encourage your contractor leaders to work with your Safety Department personnel. Review the list/matrix of relevant Issue Papers on this website.
CTR	9	Our Maintenance Department conducts effective pass-downs between shifts. Improve communication/teamwork between contract and unit personnel. Focus renewed attention on maintenance/contractor shift turnover. Adjust day/night contractor schedules to permit more of an overlap to get better pass downs. All "major" maintenance evolutions (e.g., aircraft moves, engine wash, dynamic component change, etc.) are briefed prior to execution, including maintenance control, QA, and contractor supervisors. Central to good leadership is maintaining strong and vibrant two-way conversations with ALL personnel. All large organizations have communication challenges. Find solutions for the bottlenecks and shortfalls. Military and contractor personnel can honestly misperceive that they are expected to cut corners when simply told to expedite their work. Carefully communicate all task requirements to prevent these and other misperceptions. Communication is key across all military/contractor levels. Ensure it happens. Effective communication requires feedback. Ensure feedback mechanisms are in place and used by ALL personnel. No matter how much technology you throw at a problem, communication still requires face-to-face interaction. Share all relevant information. Playing "I've got a secret" hurts productivity and morale. Review the list/matrix of relevant Issue Papers on this website.
CTR	10	Tool Control is closely monitored. Beware of mismanagement due to insufficient mid-level contractor leadership. Establish, communicate (make visible), and enforce contractor and military performance standards in your command. COs/Contractor supervisors must periodically reinforce emphasis on procedures. Address (via mentorship, feedback, etc.) contractor and military supervisors who think it is okay to cut corners and discipline accordingly. Review the list/matrix of relevant Issue Papers on this website.
CTR	11	Safety representatives are effective at promoting safety. Assign the strongest and most effective personnel you can afford as safety representatives. Their levels of influence and respect amongst contractors and peers will greatly improve safety programs, teamwork, and communication. Encourage safety reps to use every morning meeting and evening pass down to address trends and "stay on message." They should get out and visit all military and contractor work centers. We have now assigned and advertised the names of safety reps at the company and shop floor level. We have an active safety council that meets regularly to address safety issues. Increase emphasis on aviation and ground safety at AOMs and quarters. Don't be the "Safety Guy." Motivate and inspire ALL personnel towards safer habits through example and timely information, not inspections and policing of individual actions. Safety training/interventions are not equally effective with all personnel. Tailor safety programs to reach personnel at all levels. Maintain relevant hazard reports, notices, etc. in ready rooms/ lounges/contractor spaces to increase awareness/discussion. Don't beat a dead horse. Spammed safety emails, repetitive drive safe briefs, etc. are less effective or ignored compared with more targeted safety training efforts. Reach out to counterparts in similar units for contractor lessons learned and common concerns. Ensure intervention options are clearly communicated to contractors. Ensure your safety representatives maintain visibility with contractors. Organizations with the longest running safety records are likely to become complacent. Maintain awareness through process reviews, mock drills, training, and sharing of incident/mishap information from other organizations. Routinely encourage your contractor leaders to work with your Safety Department personnel. Ensure all communication vehicles are used (e.g., face-to-face, POD, AOMs, formations, publications, etc.). Too often, vehicles to communicate are overlooked. Ensure your contractors have a safety climate that encourages reporting safety issues. Beware of mismanagement due to insufficient mid-level contractor leadership. Use survey results to identify weaknesses in personnel placement, then shift personnel as needed to maximize their abilities on the most important issues to our unit. Review the list/matrix of relevant Issue Papers on this website.
CTR	12	CDIs/QARs routinely monitor maintenance evolutions. All "major" maintenance evolutions (e.g., aircraft moves, engine wash, dynamic component change, etc.) are briefed prior to execution, including maintenance control, QA, and contractor supervisors. We are looking very hard at the process for designating CDIs and how we recognize and reward those individuals. Direct more command attention at those who do right than those who do wrong. Ensure the qualification process remains robust and honest. There is a tendency to relax standards to obtain a minimum level of qualified military and contractor personnel when "doing more with less." Recognition, teamwork, and empowerment of ALL personnel are often more effective in increasing operational effectiveness than threats, micromanagement, and over-emphasis on problems. Periodically review collateral duties to ensure fair and equitable distributions of workloads. Don't overburden (punish) the unit's hardest working and most effective personnel while allowing (rewarding) non-performers with lighter workloads. Establish, communicate (make visible), and enforce contractor and military performance standards in your command. COs/Contractor supervisors must periodically reinforce emphasis on procedures. Address (via mentorship, feedback, etc.) contractor and military supervisors who think it is okay to cut corners and discipline accordingly. Beware of mismanagement due to insufficient mid-level contractor leadership. Review the list/matrix of relevant Issue Papers on this website.
CTR	13	Maintenance records are accurately maintained. Establish, communicate (make visible), and enforce contractor and military performance standards in your command. Leadership should establish priorities (at all levels) and live by them. COs/Contractor supervisors must periodically reinforce emphasis on procedures. Address (via mentorship, feedback, etc.) contractor and military supervisors who think it is okay to cut corners and discipline accordingly. Be aware of an environment that encourages "work the system" and discourages personal accountability and responsibility. Beware of mismanagement due to insufficient mid-level contractor leadership. Review the list/matrix of relevant Issue Papers on this website.
CTR	14	Required publications are current and used in my organization. Beware of an environment where "work-arounds" are "the way we do things here." Ensure your contractor supervisors make on-the-spot corrections when they discover unsafe actions. Encourage/Reward them for doing so. Ensure ALL personnel are educated in the ORM process to the point that it becomes an automatic or intuitive part of decision making. Review the list/matrix of relevant Issue Papers on this website.
CTR	15	A contractor representative attends unit safety meetings. Include contractor personnel in safety programs. Often perceived as outsiders, this will help increase all avenues of teamwork while demonstrating genuine concern for the safety of all unit personnel. Leadership should establish unit priorities (at all levels) and live by them. Develop a formal safety training plan that covers the next year and is coordinated with department heads/contractor leaders. Implement a unit policy letter that encourages the reporting of safety issues. Ensure your contractors have a safety climate that encourages reporting safety issues. Encourage contractors to participate in the squadron's "Anymouse" program. Offer a monthly "Retribution Free" discussion period for flight crew, maintainers, and contractors to allow discussions with leadership and peers about situation where they feel pressure to cut corners, or discuss anything else on their minds. Routinely encourage your contractor leaders to work with your Safety Department personnel. Ensure your safety representatives maintain visibility with contractors. Review the list/matrix of relevant Issue Papers on this website.
CTR	16	Safety program objectives of the contractor and the military unit are in agreement with each other. Contractors often work under different standards/rules than their military counterparts. Ensure that all personnel are aware of these differences to reduce misconceptions. Include contractor personnel in safety programs. Often perceived as outsiders, this will help increase all avenues of teamwork while demonstrating genuine concern for the safety of all unit personnel. Develop a formal safety training plan that covers the next year and is coordinated with department heads/contractor leaders. Implement a unit policy letter that encourages the reporting of safety issues. Ensure your contractors have a safety climate that encourages reporting safety issues. Use CTR survey results to better interface the Safety Department with Maintenance (through QA) by realizing the importance of individuals' perceptions. Routinely encourage your contractor leaders to work with your Safety Department personnel. Review the list/matrix of relevant Issue Papers on this website.
CTR	17	Our organization has a reputation for high-quality maintenance. Outstanding command leadership teams are "brilliant on the basics." The foundation for operational success is our ability to lead our personnel, gain and hold their trust, deliver opportunities for personal/professional development, and provide the tools/training/time to perform their assigned tasks. Set priorities; don't try to do it all every day. Revisit lower priority tasks at the appropriate time. Focus on what you are doing correctly. Recognition, teamwork, and empowerment of ALL personnel are often more effective in increasing operational effectiveness than threats, micromanagement, and over-emphasis on problems. Don't reinvent the wheel. Make needed adjustments to shortfalls, leave the processes that work alone (and reinforce them). Reach out to counterparts in similar units for contractor lessons learned and common concerns. Establish, communicate (make visible), and enforce contractor and military performance standards in your command. Set the bar extremely high. Personnel only reach as high as the command's stated goals. Formalize contract maintenance training (not just OJT to work gripes). Contractor supervisors personally monitor training sessions to ensure quality. COs/Contractor supervisors must periodically reinforce emphasis on procedures. Monitor contractor/military supervisors who think it's okay to cut corners. Be aware of an environment that encourages "work the system" and discourages personal accountability and responsibility. Ensure your contractor supervisors make on-the-spot corrections when they discover unsafe actions. Encourage/Reward them for doing so. Review the list/matrix of relevant Issue Papers on this website.
CTR	18	Violations of SOPs, NAMP, or other procedures are rare. Contractors often work under different standards/rules than their military counterparts. Ensure that all personnel are aware of these differences to reduce misconceptions. Challenge established SOPs to ensure they are current and still relevant. When standards and rules invite "workarounds" due to their complexity, lack of clarity, or ineffectiveness, submit changes to the standards and rules! A "we've always done it that way" mentality will only lead to further complacency, rule-bending, and potential incidents/mishaps. Leaders set the example. Establish, communicate (make visible), and enforce contractor and military performance standards in your command. COs/Contractor supervisors must periodically reinforce emphasis on procedures. Monitor contractor/military supervisors who think it's okay to cut corners. Hold non-performers accountable and counsel/discipline those who demonstrate unsatisfactory performance. When accountability is not enforced, the command and control structure, which is held together by trust, falls apart and the command eventually fails. Direct more command attention at those who do right than those who do wrong. If the same problems areas continue to arise, your prior interventions are not working. Try more focused interventions and track their effectiveness. Complacency does kill. Periodically highlight concerns, challenge personnel, question practices, etc. to raise awareness . . . instead of waiting for a mishap to wake up the organization. Be aware of an environment that encourages "work the system" and discourages personal accountability and responsibility. Offer a monthly "Retribution Free" discussion period for flight crew, maintainers, and contractors to allow discussions with leadership and peers about situation where they feel pressure to cut corners, or discuss anything else on their minds. Ensure your contractor supervisors make on-the-spot corrections when they discover unsafe actions. Encourage/Reward them for doing so. Review the list/matrix of relevant Issue Papers on this website.
CTR	19	Training is conducted as scheduled. Hard schedule training. Leadership should establish priorities (at all levels) and live by them. Set priorities; don't try to do it all every day. Revisit lower priority tasks at the appropriate time. The foundation for operational success is our ability to lead our personnel, gain and hold their trust, deliver opportunities for personal/professional development, and provide the tools/training/time to perform their assigned tasks. Maintain proper perspective on operational excellence and safety. Specialized training on rarely used tasks should not take priority over basic skills/proficiency training. Stick to the schedule as much as possible. Crew rest, morale, and efficiency are improved if unexpected changes, add-on tasks, etc. are moved to the next day's schedule. Formalize maintenance training (not just OJT). Supervisors personally monitor training sessions to ensure quality. Invest the time (in training) now. It'll cost you, but less than later. Have QA provide a 15-30 minute training session to a different maintenance work center each day following FOD walk down. Review the list/matrix of relevant Issue Papers on this website.
CTR	20	Individuals are comfortable approaching their supervisor about personal issues/illness. Central to good leadership is maintaining strong and vibrant two-way conversations with ALL personnel. Communication is key across all military/artisan levels. Ensure it happens. Trust, built through human contact/engagement, is the fundamental building block of our command and control structure and our ability to achieve mission success. Don't shoot the messenger. Personnel should not fear retribution for raising concerns or pointing out problems. Survey respondents often provide additional written comments beyond the scope of a particular survey (e.g., drug/alcohol abuse, fraternization, racism/bigotry, financial/personal hardships, suicide, workplace anger, etc.). Leaders should carefully review all survey results for these types of sporadic comments to identify underlying issues that may greatly impact their organizational climate and their personnel's well-being. Be aware of inaccurate perceptions by your personnel. Engage your personnel and attempt to discover their issues and concerns. Leaders/Supervisors should take appropriate action on subordinates’ issues, so it does not appear that they are ignoring their concerns. Review the list/matrix of relevant Issue Papers on this website.
CTR	21	Individuals in my organization are comfortable reporting safety violations, unsafe behaviors, or hazardous conditions. Ensure your contractors have a safety climate that encourages reporting safety issues. Don't shoot the messenger. Personnel should not fear retribution for raising concerns or pointing out problems. Central to good leadership is maintaining strong and vibrant two-way conversations with ALL personnel. Empower ALL personnel to halt unsafe activities until hazards/risks are resolved. Ensure your contractor supervisors make on-the-spot corrections when they discover unsafe actions. Encourage/Reward them for doing so. If survey results are a "bad surprise," suspect communication shortfalls, lack of supervision, or personnel failing to bring issues to your attention for various reasons (e.g., fear of repercussions, complacency/apathy, or the lack of command response/feedback on prior raised concerns). Be aware of inaccurate perceptions by your personnel. Ensure your safety representatives maintain visibility with contractors. Routinely encourage your contractor leaders to work with your Safety Department personnel. Encourage contractors to participate in the squadron's "Anymouse" program. Offer a monthly "Retribution Free" discussion period for flight crew, maintainers, and contractors to allow discussions with leadership and peers about situation where they feel pressure to cut corners, or discuss anything else on their minds. Ensure your unit has an effective contractor safety awards program. Direct more command attention at those who do right than those who do wrong. Provide recognition/incentives to contract personnel for safety achievements. Publish a Safety Gram with recognition for ALL personnel's accomplishments/acts. Review the list/matrix of relevant Issue Papers on this website.
CTR	22	All members of my unit have the authority to halt unsafe activities until the hazards/risks are addressed. Empower ALL personnel to halt unsafe activities until hazards/risks are addressed. Involve the officers and senior enlisted personnel on appropriate issues. Challenge the enlisted leadership to be more proactive with their personnel and ensure the importance of doing things safely is very clear to them. Ensure closer supervision at the NCO/Petty Officer level by empowering them to make decisions regarding safety practices. Integrate the ORM process into planning and executing operations. Ensure members are educated in the ORM process to the point that it becomes an automatic or intuitive part of decision making. Routinely encourage your subordinate leaders to work with your Safety Officer and Safety PO/NCO. Ensure your unit has a safety climate that encourages reporting safety issues. Review the list/matrix of relevant Issue Papers on this website.
CTR	23	QA is well respected. I have made some changes within the QA division to make it a stronger and more independent division within the Maintenance Department. Reinforce the power of QA personnel. Implement a QA outstanding performer award. It will improve maintainer interactions with QA, while providing appropriate recognition for quality workmanship. Be aware of inaccurate perceptions by your personnel. Beware of mismanagement due to insufficient mid-level contractor leadership. Review the list/matrix of relevant Issue Papers on this website.
CTR	24	Our Safety Department is well respected. Include artisans in safety programs. This will help increase all avenues of teamwork while demonstrating genuine concern for the safety of all FRC personnel. Assign the strongest and most effective personnel you can afford as safety representatives. Their levels of influence and respect amongst artisans and peers will greatly improve safety programs, teamwork, and communication. Encourage safety reps to use every morning meeting and evening pass down to address trends and "stay on message." They should get out and visit all military and artisan work centers. We have now assigned and advertised the names of safety reps at the company and shop floor level. We have an active safety council that meets regularly to address safety issues. Increase emphasis on aviation and ground safety at meetings and other assemblies. Don't be the "Safety Guy." Motivate and inspire ALL personnel towards safer habits through example and timely information, not inspections and policing of individual actions. Don't beat a dead horse. Spammed safety emails, repetitive drive safe briefs, etc. are less effective or ignored compared with more targeted safety training efforts. Check in the box safety training damages a FRC's safety climate and culture. Conduct all training, surveys, etc. with a realistic goal to provide/obtain useful information or impart a skill. Safety training/interventions are not equally effective with all personnel. Tailor safety programs to reach personnel at all levels. Maximize safety program "buy-in" by quickly responding to individuals' concerns/ suggestions/ recommendations and by using group-developed solutions (e.g., by work center or "tiger team"). Develop a formal safety training plan that covers the next year and is coordinated with department heads/artisan leaders. Routinely encourage your artisan leaders to work with your Safety Department personnel. Ensure your artisans have a safety climate that encourages reporting safety issues. Provide recognition/incentives to ALL personnel for safety achievements. Ensure your safety representatives maintain visibility with artisans. Review the list/matrix of relevant Issue Papers on this website.
CTR	25	Contractors attend unit safety pauses. Include contractor personnel in safety programs. Often perceived as outsiders, this will help increase all avenues of teamwork while demonstrating genuine concern for the safety of all unit personnel. Review Appendix A (Good Safety Standdown Ideas) and Appendix B (Safety Standdown Tips) of Issue Paper #98. Leadership should establish unit priorities (at all levels) and live by them. Develop a formal safety training plan that covers the next year and is coordinated with department heads/contractor leaders. Routinely encourage your contractor leaders to work with your Safety Department personnel. Review the list/matrix of relevant Issue Papers on this website.
CTR	26	Our safety pauses are effective. Review Appendix A (Good Safety Standdown Ideas) and Appendix B (Safety Standdown Tips) of Issue Paper #98. Include contractor personnel in safety programs. Often perceived as outsiders, this will help increase all avenues of teamwork while demonstrating genuine concern for the safety of all unit personnel. Conduct a Safety Standdown focused on unit survey results, mishap/hazard reports, incident reports, recent "near misses," etc. , and utilize audience participation (via large or small group) to further clarify hazards, identify trends, and develop workable solutions. The group's synergy will help to identify previously overlooked factors, and the group-developed interventions will have greater acceptance/compliance. Plan Safety Standdowns well in advance to address key issues and heighten awareness. Maintain an updated list of speakers and topics to ensure "short notice" standdowns (e.g., following a mishap or other recent incident) are professional and worthwhile for both military and contractor personnel. Encourage, praise, and professionally respond to safety concerns raised in any forum (e.g., Safety Standdowns, Human Factor Councils, Safety Councils/Committees, "True Confessions," etc.). Ridicule, arguments, retribution, or inaction will stifle any further safety communication and greatly increase the risk that hazards will remain hidden until it's too late. Get Safety Standdowns out of the classroom/auditorium. Military and contractor supervisor facilitated activities, hands-on training, small group discussions, etc. may be more beneficial. Implement a grass roots safety campaign to give ALL personnel the opportunity to shape the safety messages vice the usual safety "stand-arounds." Seminar based safety day to get at the root of the problems. Reach out to counterparts in similar units for contractor lessons learned and common concerns. Organizations with the longest running safety records are likely to become complacent. Maintain awareness through process reviews, mock drills, training, and sharing of incident/mishap information from other organizations. Safety training/interventions are not equally effective with all personnel. Tailor safety programs to reach personnel at all levels. Develop a formal safety training plan that covers the next year and is coordinated with department heads/contractor leaders. Review the list/matrix of relevant Issue Papers on this website.
CTR	27	Contractors do not cut corners to accomplish their job/mission. The CO frequently reinforces the fact that cutting corners is not tolerated in this organization. The CO ensures department heads and senior contractor personnel understand that this is the only acceptable policy. Tell aircrew, maintainers, and contractors that there is NO pressure to make sorties in a training environment. Combat readiness comes from continuous good training with up aircraft, rather than individual sorties. Military and contractor personnel can honestly misperceive that they are expected to cut corners when simply told to expedite their work. Carefully communicate all task requirements to prevent these and other misperceptions. Set priorities; don't try to do it all every day. Revisit lower priority tasks at the appropriate time. Follow through on equipment purchases and repairs. Lack of proper tools and equipment leads to cutting corners, equipment damage, and lower morale. Beware of an environment where "work-arounds" are "the way we do things here." When standards and rules invite "workarounds" due to their complexity, lack of clarity, or ineffectiveness, submit changes to the standards and rules! A "we've always done it that way" mentality will only lead to further complacency, rule-bending, and potential incidents/mishaps. Offer a monthly "Retribution Free" discussion period for flight crew, maintainers, and contractors to allow discussions with leadership and peers about situation where they feel pressure to cut corners, or discuss anything else on their minds. Monitor contractor/military supervisors who think it's okay to cut corners. COs/Contractor supervisors must periodically reinforce emphasis on procedures. Be aware of an environment that encourages "work the system" and discourages personal accountability and responsibility. Beware of and monitor fatigue levels of your personnel. Monitor and be aware of perceived mission creep. Establish, communicate (make visible), and enforce contractor and military performance standards in your command. Review the list/matrix of relevant Issue Papers on this website.
CTR	28	Contractors get enough rest to do their jobs safely. Beware of and monitor fatigue levels of your personnel. Based on the info from the comments I have developed a squadron order to specifically define a "maintenance work day" as ten hours. We've shifted scheduling, developed a standard flight window duration, and created small recovery crews to ensure that no personnel are getting the short end. This fairly simple fix had an immediate and positive effect on both morale and in the reduction of fatigue. Implemented new rules on shift work going to duty in order to avoid excessively tired folks driving home. We are now tracking days off for each person in the squadron to ensure that each person receives adequate time away from work. We created a "weekend" shift to cover weekends rather than calling in duty sections every weekend. Set priorities; don't try to do it all every day. Revisit lower priority tasks at the appropriate time. Ensure personnel readiness and mission readiness are not weakened by an over-emphasis on collateral duties/tasks. We have looked in-depth at reducing extraneous tasking and learning to say no to requests. Educate your personnel to recognize fatigue "red-flags" (e.g., heavy eyelids, increased yawning, wandering thoughts, head-nodding, etc.) Ensure that the balance between mission accomplishment and quality of life does not result in overworked and over-stressed personnel. Review the OPTEMPO of your unit and its effect on safety and unit performance. Ensure all personnel understand the crew rest requirements and command policy on any waivers. For mission-critical events, always schedule a standby crew to eliminate fatigue/crew rest issues associated with the inevitable operational or equipment delays. Although we often "do more with less," always look for opportunities to eliminate non-essential tasks, share workloads, or improve planning to more effectively meet mission goals. Review the list/matrix of relevant Issue Papers on this website.
CTR	29	Contractors work effectively as a team. Improve communication/teamwork between contract and unit personnel. All "major" maintenance evolutions (e.g., aircraft moves, engine wash, dynamic component change, etc.) are briefed prior to execution, including maintenance control, QA, and contractor supervisors. Similar to a detachment concept, squadrons can assign personnel to permanent teams for particular aircraft or pieces of equipment (e.g., teams could be assigned two aircraft each within a squadron). The healthy competition between the teams will improve morale, productivity, and aircraft/equipment availability. Leaders set the example. Outstanding command leadership teams are "brilliant on the basics." Direct more command attention at those who do right than those who do wrong. Despite strong initial efforts, do not miss opportunities to reinforce the behaviors you are trying to strengthen. Recognition, teamwork, and empowerment of ALL personnel are often more effective in increasing operational effectiveness than threats, micromanagement, and over-emphasis on problems. Review the list/matrix of relevant Issue Papers on this website.
CTR	30	Morale in my organization is high. Safety survey results revealed that unit morale is more strongly affected by leader/supervisor actions than externally driven factors of OPTEMPO, resource constraints, etc. Unit leaders can improve morale through more effective communications, mentorship, enforcement of standards, and caring for members' quality of life. The foundation for operational success is our ability to lead our personnel, gain and hold their trust, deliver opportunities for personal/professional development, and provide the tools/training/time to perform their assigned tasks. Institute morale building incentives like "shop/platoon/company of the month." Provide recognition/incentives to contract personnel for safety achievements. Follow through on equipment purchases and repairs. Lack of proper tools and equipment leads to cutting corners, equipment damage, and lower morale. Share all relevant information. Playing “I’ve got a secret” hurts productivity and morale. Assign teams/tasks across departmental boundaries to reduce departmental rivalries (e.g., OPS versus Maintenance) and build camaraderie. Similar to a detachment concept, squadrons can assign personnel to permanent teams for particular aircraft or pieces of equipment (e.g., teams could be assigned two aircraft each within a squadron). The healthy competition between the teams will improve morale, productivity, and aircraft/equipment availability. Survey respondents often provide additional written comments beyond the scope of a particular survey (e.g., drug/alcohol abuse, fraternization, racism/bigotry, financial/personal hardships, suicide, workplace anger, etc.). Leaders should carefully review all survey results for these types of sporadic comments to identify underlying issues that may greatly impact their organizational climate and their personnel's well-being. Stick to the schedule as much as possible. Crew rest, morale, and efficiency are improved if unexpected changes, add-on tasks, etc. are moved to the next day's schedule. Plan ahead and share plans/timelines with personnel to improve productivity and morale Focus on what you are doing correctly. COs who prioritize the betterment of their command over the betterment of their careers have the most "operationally excellent" squadrons. Incorporate mentorship at every level. Ensure that the balance between mission accomplishment and quality of life does not result in overworked and over-stressed personnel. Review the list/matrix of relevant Issue Papers on this website.
CTR	31	The working relationships between contractors and military personnel are positive. Improve communication/teamwork between contract and unit personnel. Show me a squadron with a strong Sponsor Program, and I'll show you a squadron that is "Operationally Excellent". Incorporate mentorship at every level. Ensure that the balance between mission accomplishment and quality of life does not result in overworked and over-stressed personnel. Communication is key across all military/contractor levels. Ensure it happens. Do not allow poor communication due to too much reliance on one-way emails. Be aware of inaccurate perceptions by your personnel. Review the list/matrix of relevant Issue Papers on this website.
CTR	32	Contractor maintainers are treated with the same respect as our military personnel. Improve communication/teamwork between contract and unit personnel. Include contractor personnel in safety programs. Often perceived as outsiders, this will help increase all avenues of teamwork while demonstrating genuine concern for the safety of all unit personnel. Leadership should establish unit priorities (at all levels) and live by them. Establish, communicate (make visible), and enforce contractor and military performance standards in your command. Incorporate mentorship at every level. CO sets aside a "dialogue period" with aircrew/maintainers/contractors to discuss pertinent issues, such as: flight time, training requirements, the latest rumors, etc. Communication is key across all military/contractor levels. Ensure it happens. Do not allow poor communication due to too much reliance on one-way emails. Be aware of inaccurate perceptions by your personnel. Review the list/matrix of relevant Issue Papers on this website.
CTR	33	My organization has adequate resources (e.g., tools, equipment, publications, etc.) to perform its current tasks. Many hardships are outside your unit's control (e.g., resources, OPTEMPO, funding, etc.). Seek assistance from higher headquarters on these issues, while focusing your attention on the unit-level issues you can change. Follow through on equipment purchases and repairs. Lack of proper tools and equipment leads to cutting corners, equipment damage, and lower morale. We identified several shops that did not have adequate tools to do their job. We implemented a way for supervisors to identify tool deficiencies and were able to use end of the FY money to get them the correct tools. Ensure personnel readiness and mission readiness are not weakened by an over-emphasis on collateral duties/tasks. We have looked in-depth at reducing extraneous tasking and learning to say no to requests. Have the contractor supervisors, MO and OPSO meet and agree on the supportability of the schedule and attainable weekly goals. Although we often "do more with less," always look for opportunities to eliminate non-essential tasks, share workloads, or improve planning to more effectively meet mission goals. Review the OPTEMPO of your unit and its effect on safety and unit performance. Be aware of collateral mission creep. Monitor turnover in personnel. Beware of and monitor fatigue levels of your personnel. Leadership should establish unit priorities (at all levels) and live by them. Review the list/matrix of relevant Issue Papers on this website.
CTR	34	Parts are sufficiently available to meet maintenance/production demands. Beware of an environment where "work-arounds" are "the way we do things here." Follow through on equipment purchases and repairs. Lack of proper tools and equipment leads to cutting corners, equipment damage, and lower morale. Ensure your contractor supervisors make on-the-spot corrections when they discover unsafe actions. Encourage/Reward them for doing so. Integrate the ORM process into planning and executing operations. Ensure ALL personnel are educated in the ORM process to the point that it becomes an automatic or intuitive part of decision making. Review the list/matrix of relevant Issue Papers on this website.
CTR	35	Day crew has sufficient staffing for their workload. Many hardships are outside your unit’s control (e.g., resources, OPTEMPO, funding, etc.). Seek assistance from higher headquarters on these issues, while focusing your attention on the unit-level issues you can change. We have looked in-depth at reducing extraneous tasking and learning to say no to requests. Conduct a complete review of each qualification to ensure there are no immediate unit shortfalls. Then review the process for qualification to make sure you are teaching the right skills. Have the contractor supervisors, MO and OPSO meet and agree on the supportability of the schedule and attainable weekly goals. Use survey results to identify weaknesses in personnel placement, then shift personnel as needed to maximize their abilities on the most important issues to our unit. Ensure work shifts are adequately manned for workloads (e.g., night check often has more demands with less people than day shift). Although we often "do more with less," always look for opportunities to eliminate non-essential tasks, share workloads, or improve planning to more effectively meet mission goals. Be aware of collateral mission creep. Monitor turnover in personnel. Beware of and monitor fatigue levels of your personnel. Leadership should establish unit priorities (at all levels) and live by them. Review the OPTEMPO of your unit and its effect on safety and unit performance. Review the list/matrix of relevant Issue Papers on this website.
CTR	36	Night crew has sufficient staffing for their workload. Many hardships are outside your unit’s control (e.g., resources, OPTEMPO, funding, etc.). Seek assistance from higher headquarters on these issues, while focusing your attention on the unit-level issues you can change. We have looked in-depth at reducing extraneous tasking and learning to say no to requests. Conduct a complete review of each qualification to ensure there are no immediate unit shortfalls. Then review the process for qualification to make sure you are teaching the right skills. Have the contractor supervisors, MO and OPSO meet and agree on the supportability of the schedule and attainable weekly goals. Use survey results to identify weaknesses in personnel placement, then shift personnel as needed to maximize their abilities on the most important issues to our unit. Ensure work shifts are adequately manned for workloads (e.g., night check often has more demands with less people than day shift). Although we often "do more with less," always look for opportunities to eliminate non-essential tasks, share workloads, or improve planning to more effectively meet mission goals. Be aware of collateral mission creep. Monitor turnover in personnel. Beware of and monitor fatigue levels of your personnel. Leadership should establish unit priorities (at all levels) and live by them. Review the OPTEMPO of your unit and its effect on safety and unit performance. Review the list/matrix of relevant Issue Papers on this website.
CTR	37	Night crew has sufficient supervisors for their workload. Our senior maintenance leadership was predominantly on day shift. Now there is a balance between days and nights. Many hardships are outside your unit’s control (e.g., resources, OPTEMPO, funding, etc.). Seek assistance from higher headquarters on these issues, while focusing your attention on the unit-level issues you can change. We have looked in-depth at reducing extraneous tasking and learning to say no to requests. Conduct a complete review of each qualification to ensure there are no immediate unit shortfalls. Then review the process for qualification to make sure you are teaching the right skills. Have the contractor supervisors, MO and OPSO meet and agree on the supportability of the schedule and attainable weekly goals. Use survey results to identify weaknesses in personnel placement, then shift personnel as needed to maximize their abilities on the most important issues to our unit. Ensure work shifts are adequately manned for workloads (e.g., night check often has more demands with less people than day shift). Although we often "do more with less," always look for opportunities to eliminate non-essential tasks, share workloads, or improve planning to more effectively meet mission goals. Be aware of collateral mission creep. Monitor turnover in personnel. Leadership should establish unit priorities (at all levels) and live by them. Review the OPTEMPO of your unit and its effect on safety and unit performance. Review the list/matrix of relevant Issue Papers on this website.
CTR	38	Leaders/Supervisors in my organization emphasize safe maintenance in achieving flight schedule goals. Have the contractor supervisors, MO and OPSO meet and agree on the supportability of the schedule and attainable weekly goals. Have Ops brief the weekly plan at the Maintenance Meeting the day following its signing (an effort to ensure that maintainers/contractors are given as much info on what is coming the following week). We conducted operations/maintenance on an adhoc basis until this survey. We now operate on a scheduled, weekly basis. The Maintenance Officer holds a weekly "maintenance management meeting" for all maintenance and contractor leadership to ensure the MO's word is getting out and major issues are discussed. Leadership should establish unit priorities (at all levels) and live by them. We changed our Maintenance training attitude. Moving away from flying on training days to a dedicated day to train. Tell aircrew, maintainers, and contractors that there is NO pressure to make sorties in a training environment. Combat readiness comes from continuous good training with up aircraft, rather than individual sorties. Plan ahead and share plans/timelines with personnel to improve productivity and morale. Empower ALL personnel to halt unsafe activities until hazards/risks are resolved. Review the OPTEMPO of your unit and its effect on safety and unit performance. Monitor contractor/military supervisors who think it's okay to cut corners. Integrate the ORM process into planning and executing operations. Review the list/matrix of relevant Issue Papers on this website.
CTR	39	Leaders/Supervisors in my organization set a good example for following standards. Contractors often work under different standards/rules than their military counterparts. Ensure that all personnel are aware of these differences to reduce misconceptions. Establish, communicate (make visible), and enforce contractor and military performance standards in your command. COs/Contractor supervisors must periodically reinforce emphasis on procedures. Outstanding command leadership teams are "brilliant on the basics." The CO frequently reinforces the fact that cutting corners is not tolerated in this organization. The CO ensures department heads and senior contractor personnel understand that this is the only acceptable policy. Monitor contractor/military supervisors who think it's okay to cut corners. Hold non-performers accountable and counsel/discipline those who demonstrate unsatisfactory performance. When accountability is not enforced, the command and control structure, which is held together by trust, falls apart and the command eventually fails. Complacency does kill. Periodically highlight concerns, challenge personnel, question practices, etc. to raise awareness . . . instead of waiting for a mishap to wake up the organization. Review the list/matrix of relevant Issue Papers on this website.
CTR	40	Leaders/Supervisors in my organization care about my quality of life. Survey results show that unit morale is more strongly affected by leader/supervisor actions than externally driven factors of OPTEMPO, resource constraints, etc. Unit leaders can improve morale through more effective communications, mentorship, enforcement of standards, and caring for members' quality of life. The foundation for operational success is our ability to lead our personnel, gain and hold their trust, deliver opportunities for personal/professional development, and provide the tools/training/time to perform their assigned tasks. Although we often "do more with less," always look for opportunities to eliminate non-essential tasks, share workloads, or improve planning to more effectively meet mission goals. Ensure personnel readiness and mission readiness are not weakened by an over-emphasis on collateral duties/tasks. Personnel often want to be more involved and/or become mentors. These personnel are a "solution" to a myriad of problems and should be sought out, encouraged, and recognized for their support. Be aware of inaccurate perceptions by your personnel. Ensure that the balance between mission accomplishment and member's personal life does not result in overworked and over-stressed personnel. Beware of and monitor fatigue levels of your personnel. Review the list/matrix of relevant Issue Papers on this website.
CTR	41	Leaders/Supervisors know who the high-risk members are in my organization. Review personnel records for drug/alcohol histories. Monitor aggressive personnel who think rules aren't necessary. Be aware of improper perceptions by your personnel. Beware of and monitor fatigue levels of your personnel. Integrate the ORM process into identifying/managing high risk personnel. The first step in fixing problems is to identify them (e.g., surveys, communication, process reviews, supervision, etc.) Survey respondents often provide additional written comments beyond the scope of a particular survey (e.g., drug/alcohol abuse, fraternization, racism/bigotry, financial/personal hardships, suicide, workplace anger, etc.). Leaders should carefully review all survey results for these types of sporadic comments to identify underlying issues that may greatly impact their organizational climate and their personnel's well-being. Don't shoot the messenger. Personnel should not fear retribution for raising concerns or pointing out problems. Review the list/matrix of relevant Issue Papers on this website.
CTR	42	Work center supervisors coordinate their actions with other work centers. Improve communication/teamwork between contract and unit personnel. All "major" maintenance evolutions (e.g., aircraft moves, engine wash, dynamic component change, etc.) are briefed prior to execution, including maintenance control, QA, and contractor supervisors. Leaders set the example. Plan ahead and share plans/timelines with personnel to improve productivity and morale. Share all relevant information. Playing "I've got a secret" hurts productivity and morale. All large organizations have communication challenges. Find solutions for the bottlenecks and shortfalls. Communication is key across all military/contractor levels. Ensure it happens. The Maintenance Officer holds a weekly "maintenance management meeting" for all maintenance and contractor leadership to ensure the MO's word is getting out and major issues are discussed. Review the list/matrix of relevant Issue Papers on this website.
CTR	43	Maintenance/Production Control is effective at managing maintenance activities. All "major" maintenance evolutions (e.g., aircraft moves, engine wash, dynamic component change, etc.) are briefed prior to execution, including maintenance control, QA, and contractor supervisors. Set priorities; don't try to do it all every day. Revisit lower priority tasks at the appropriate time. Stick to the schedule as much as possible. Crew rest, morale, and efficiency are improved if unexpected changes, add-on tasks, etc. are moved to the next day’s schedule. Plan ahead and share plans/timelines with personnel to improve productivity and morale. Although we often "do more with less," always look for opportunities to eliminate non-essential tasks, share workloads, or improve planning to more effectively meet mission goals. Ensure work shifts are adequately manned for workloads (e.g., night check often has more demands with less people than day shift). Do not allow poor communication due to too much reliance on one-way emails. Focus renewed attention on maintenance/contractor shift turnover. Don't micromanage. Leadership growth and accountability requires that we provide our junior contractor and military personnel with opportunities to lead. Recognition, teamwork, and empowerment of ALL personnel are often more effective in increasing operational effectiveness than threats, micromanagement, and over-emphasis on problems. Don't reinvent the wheel. Make needed adjustments to shortfalls, leave the processes that work alone (and reinforce them). Reach out to counterparts in similar units for contractor lessons learned and common concerns. Similar to a detachment concept, large organizations can assign personnel to permanent teams for particular aircraft or pieces of equipment (e.g., six teams could be assigned two aircraft each within a squadron). The healthy competition between the teams will improve morale, productivity, and aircraft/equipment availability. Monitor and be aware of perceived mission creep. Use survey results to identify weaknesses in personnel placement, then shift personnel as needed to maximize their abilities on the most important issues to our unit. Review the list/matrix of relevant Issue Papers on this website.