CPI cuts fitness test wait times, gives time back to mission

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Dawn M. Weber
  • 48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England --  


Fitness assessments recently underwent a makeover at the fitness assessment cell here, implementing innovative, yet subtle changes to maximize the efficiency of fitness testing during a Continuous Process Improvement, or CPI, event.

The goal was to find ways to reduce wasted man hours. This week-long event was facilitated by Master Sgt. Kelly McKenzie, 48th Fighter Wing director of CPI, and included subject matter experts from different sections around the wing.

According to Mark Geairn, 48th Force Support Squadron fitness and sports director, fitness assessment sessions have been cut in half by reducing 24 testers to 12 per session, and tests are now administered three times a day.

Adding a third session and cutting down the people per session helped cut back on wait times for testers, Geairn said, allowing the testing time to go from approximately two hours to under an hour.

"The process is more manageable now," said Tech. Sgt. Steven Narick, 48th FSS fitness center NCO-in-charge. "With less testers per session, augmenters are able to give more one-on-one time with testers, making them feel more comfortable."

Maj. Jason Schenck, 48th Comptroller Squadron commander, who has tested under both the new and old program here, said the new process was clearly an improvement.

"Under the old program, it took me well over two hours to complete testing," Schenck said. "The process was disorganized with too many Airmen standing around wasting time. The new process is focused and deliberate and, in under an hour, my full assessment was complete."

According to Narick, previous fitness assessments were administered to 25 testers per session twice a day.

"The biggest benefit of the streamlined process is it gives time back to our Airmen and their work centers," Schenck said. "This mission here at RAF Lakenheath is demanding and our time is valuable, so I think we all appreciate when we can get things done faster and easier.  It enables us to focus on other important priorities."

According to McKenzie, based on the number of testers per year, with a the majority of tests falling in the 1.5 - 2 hour range, roughly 5.6 thousand man hours annually have been given back to the Liberty Wing and its Airmen.

The changes have not only improved the quality and consistency of fitness assessments, but also the testing process itself, keeping the 48th Fighter Wing forward, ready, now.