33rd FW Commander addresses retention survey results, improvement efforts

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Andrea Posey
  • 33rd Fighter Wing Public Affairs
04/18/2016 – EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – --  Col. Lance Pilch, 33rd Fighter Wing commander, hosted a commander’s call at the Academic Training Center April 15 to speak with Airmen about the one question retention survey and his plans to use the results.

The retention survey was sent out via email and asked Airmen their opinions on what needs to change for them to stay in the Air Force. The colonel received 250 responses where Airmen identified money, time, control or transparency in assignment process and leadership as issues.

The survey is a continuing initiative which focuses on using feedback and communication to help the commander learn what conditions in the wing and Air Force displease Airmen personally so he can take action to fix them. The all call is his first effort to address concerns found in the survey face-to-face with Airmen and discuss his plans for implementing changes.

He asked Master Sgt. Loren Cossette, 33rd Maintenance Group first sergeant, to address the issue of money by explaining military pay basics and discussing military benefits such as insurance, education and retirements. When speaking about these benefits, the first sergeant compared military pay and benefits to civilian equivalents.

“There are two real factors you have to consider when you think about money and how that’s going to effect the decision to stay in,” said Cossette. “Number one is having a thorough understanding of how much you actually make, what our compensations consist of, what you’re entitled to and where all that money goes. The second part is being able to take an objective, honest look in the mirror and say how much am I worth? What are my skill sets worth? How much would something like this get me outside; so you can determine if it is worth it for you to stay in or for you to move on?”

After Cossette's brief, Pilch presented time management concerns and his solutions.

The colonel recounted his discussion with Lt. Col. Brad Bashore, 58th Fighter Squadron commander, about wing and Air Force time management solutions to focus efforts on the mission. Such solutions included reducing required paperwork, like streamlining award packages and performance report processes; reviewing the advantages and disadvantages of the Air Force Inspection System and consolidating or eliminating some Air Force computer-based training.

Pilch encouraged Airmen to speak to their leadership about improperly used time they believed is connected to Air Force or Defense Department mandates and give suggestions for alternative initiatives.

“This is a big Air Force emphasis item,” said Pilch. “[The Air Force] wants you to focus your time on the mission, your family or making yourself better. If [the focus] is outside of those three things, we have to look closely at why we’re doing it.”

To show his resolve, he tasked each unit commander to identify and implement at their level least one time saver. Pilch plans to execute any proposals based on legality and has begun his own implementation of reducing meetings to save time.

In the category of control or transparency in the assignment process, Pilch explained recommendations from Lt. Col. Bradley Turner, 33rd Operations Support Squadron commander. These included benchmarking the U.S. Navy practice of employing a wing career counselor who assists and counsels personnel in their assignments, implementing a warrant officer program for pilots, applying overseas returnee processes to all assignments to create predictability and using base of preference and follow on rules.

“To me this is the toughest to solve,” said Pilch. “We’re stuck in an assignment system that’s from the 1950s or so. I think in this new age we can make it better, we just have to figure out how.”

Finally, the colonel spoke of leadership and policies he is implementing internally for leaders to show Airmen they care.

The commander is soliciting and initiating successful practices used for Airmen and spreading them across the wing. For example, commanders will conduct mentoring lunches with NCO’s, Airmen and company grade officers to take inputs for better leadership practices.

“What I can tell you is your leaders care about you – but sometimes, it’s a matter of communication or time,” said Pilch. “So we’re trying to figure out how to make sure your leaders show they care about you.”