By Cdr. Jim Matsey, USNR, and Lt. Mike Randazzo, USNR, Air Systems Program Public Affairs Officer

By training close to 200 ISO 9000-certified auditors over the last six years at an estimated cost avoidance of $400,000, Air Systems Program Reserve unit NADEP 0386 continues to play a pivotal role in enabling Naval Air Depot (NADEP) Cherry Point to provide aircraft ready for tasking at reduced cost.

The Naval Air Depot is located on the Marine Corps Air Station, Cherry Point near Havelock, North Carolina. It is one of one of three major Naval Air Systems Command's (NAVAIR) industrial facilities specializing in depot level aircraft maintenance and worldwide engineering and logistics management for Navy and Marine Corps weapon systems.

NADEP Cherry Point, which is aligned with NAVAIR's Logistics Competency AIR-3.0, supports and re-works aircraft weapon systems. NAVAIRDEPOT Cherry Point houses the latest in automated manufacturing and repair technologies with a highly skilled workforce of over 3,000 employees.

NADEP 0386’s mission is to support the operations of NADEP Cherry Point. This is accomplished in the primary areas of program, production, and information technology support.

ISO, which stands for "International Organization for Standardization," is a network of the national standards institutes of 148 countries. “In their effort to maximize efficiencies and the quality of reworked aircraft and system components, NADEP Cherry Point made the professional commitment and adopted the ISO 9000 model," said Dr. Bruce Laviolette, Director Corporate ISO, AIR-6.0. "Adherence to these international standards and the stated commitment to continual improvement are specific business objectives of the depot."

To support of the depot's efforts, in 1998 NADEP 0386 initiated an ISO 9000 certification program and became the first “all-Reserve” military unit to become ISO certified. This certification, and subsequent re-certification, to the ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 14001 Standards has enabled the unit to provide ISO Internal Auditor (IA) training and audit support to NAVAIRDEPOT Cherry Point. Every member of the unit attends the week-long ISO 9001:2000 Standards course, taught by Dr. Laviolette, regardless of their assigned duties or billet responsibilities.

The ISO 9001/14001 Quality Management System IA course is a comprehensive five-day course that includes three days of focused classroom work and two days of actual facility audits. "This value-added training allows ASP Naval Reservists to impart their civilian and military experiences while teaching ISO process auditing skills to NAVAIRDEPOT personnel," said Captain Mark Brazier, the unit's Commanding Officer.

The course reviews the ISO Standards and the Quality Management System and then focuses on audit role-playing to reinforce the objectives. Ultimately, the instructors coach and mentor personnel in proper audit techniques in the classroom. For the final two days the students are sent out to depot work centers to refine the techniques they learned in the classroom as they accompany qualified audit groups under instruction to assist in completing actual internal audits in the depot's work centers. An additional benefit from the two days of actual auditing is that the work centers are receiving important feedback to improve their processes and operations.

Unit personnel that obtain the ISO IA Instructor certification are required to perform a minimum of three weeks of intensive training and additional “instructor-under-training” classroom orientation, the equivalent of 1½ years of customary annual training for a Navy Reservist.

When the depot made the decision to implement ISO 9001, the unit’s primary mission became 100% focused upon developing the skill set to teach the Auditor Instructor’s course. "Due to the lengthy training process for these instructors, the unit ensures that their long-range training plan continually provides a minimum of four qualified IA instructors per fiscal year," explained Captain Brazier. In FY 03, for example, three captains, two commanders, and a lieutenant from the unit earned the IA instructor certification, Capt. Brazier elaborated.

Utilizing their extensive civilian and military skill sets, experiences, and best commercial practices, the unit's officers and support personnel developed and taught the ISO 9001 IA training course for the NADEP Cherry Point “ISO Center of Excellence” at an estimated total cost avoidance to the Navy of over $400,000.

This savings was calculated based upon what the depot would have paid for course development, classroom training, and course management. A total of 166 civilians and 14 military students have completed the IA course since its inception, including 35 NADEP and Department of Defense students. "Student and customer feedback from these classes has been overwhelming positive,” said Dr. Laviolette.

The Air Systems Program provides qualified and diverse civilian and military experience in operational support of NAVAIR research and development, engineering, program management, logistics, and industrial capability activities. The 650 Navy Reserve officer and enlisted men and women of the ASP train constantly to respond to evolving NAVAIR missions enabling the organization to harvest tangible cost reductions for fleet recapitalization. The ASP is comprised of 32 units that are located in 14 states.

For more information, contact Lt. Mike Randazzo via e-mail at [email protected].