Originally published at http://www.afrc.af.mil/HQ/citamn/Feb98/training.htm.

Attacking the Training Problem
Unlikely source leads command initiative 
using computer software

By Bo Joyner 

As head of training for Air Force Reserve Command, Col. Karen Wetzel is always looking for solutions to a problem that plagues almost every reservist: too many training requirements, too little time. 

She was a little surprised, however, when she found a possible solution tucked away in a corner of a bustling aircraft hangar at McClellan Air Force Base, Calif. That’s where Tech Sgt. Dave Bates, an aircraft fuel systems mechanic with the 940th Air Refueling Wing, stumbled onto a better way of presenting training material to his co-workers. 

Bates, who serves as an additional-duty training monitor for the 940th Maintenance Squadron, was tired of getting bogged down in recurring training requirements that were keeping him from working on the squadron’s KC-135 Stratotankers. 

"I was spending way too much time giving lectures and showing videos that our people had heard and seen over and over again," he said. "I knew there had to be a better and faster way to fulfill some of our recurring training requirements." 

A little over a year ago, Bates found that better and faster way in a rather unlikely place - deep inside a computer software program designed to help organizations navigate a course toward continuous improvement. 

The program is called CI Toolkit (the CI stands for continuous improvement), and one of its seven components is a computer-based training authoring function. A number of people throughout AFRC have CI Toolkit and use it while preparing for unit self-assessments and other continuous improvement activities. 

"As far as I know, nobody had ever done a whole lot with step six in CI Toolkit, the computer-based training section," he said. Bates decided to give it a try. Working mostly in his spare time at home, he spent the next three months producing a three-part computer-based training module on working in confined spaces. 

Fuel system mechanics, maintenance specialists and certain crew chiefs are required to receive annual confined space training. In the past, this training at the 940th consisted of 3 1/2 hours of lecture and video. Now, working on a desktop or laptop computer, mechanics can complete the training in an hour and 20 minutes. 

"Equally important, they can take the course when it’s convenient for them," Bates said, adding that the feedback from the course has been extremely positive. "Everybody who has taken the course said they liked it a lot better than the old method. Plus, it forces them to be actively involved. Instead of just listening to a lecture, they are interacting with the computer." 

In addition, Bates incorporated pictures of 940th mechanics and equipment in the module. 

"It makes a difference when you see on the computer screen people you know and actual equipment related to the training," he said. "It helps keep your interest." 

Bates’ idea has proven to be a resounding success. No one who has taken the computer-based training class on confined spaces has failed the certification tests that follow. 

Bates’ work hasn’t gone unnoticed. Early last year, he received the Chief Master Sgt. Ed Jones Memorial Award for superior performance during the 940th’s Quality Air Force Assessment; and in August, he received the Air Force Association of California’s NCO of the Year Award for his work with computer-based training. 

It didn’t take long for other people in the 940th to take note of Bates’ success with CI Toolkit. Working with the wing training office, he recently developed another computer-based training module. This one teaches people how to create their own computer-based training classes using CI Toolkit. 

The day after taking this course, Chief Master Sgt. Steve Barrett, 940th superintendent of maintenance, put together a team that immediately began building its own computer-based training module covering the wing’s composite tool kit program. The CTK program is designed to help mechanics keep better track of the tools they use in shops and on the flight line. 

"I see computer-based training as a tremendous opportunity to improve the way we do business," Barrett said. "We always hear about having to do more with less. Computer-based training is one of the few tools that actually helps us do this." 

For some people, it might be surprising that a fuel cell mechanic is leading a revolution of sorts in training at the 940th. But the wing commander isn’t surprised. 

"It’s indicative of the kind of people we have here at the 940th," said Col. Betty Mullis. "We have people who aren’t afraid to step out of their technical job description to take on tasks that will help the entire wing and, in this case, the entire Air Force Reserve Command. 

"We have a situation where some people have taken the initiative on computer-based training, and the best thing we can do is step out of the way and let them go with it." 

"Letting them go with it" is just what Wetzel has in mind. "We consider the effort started by Sergeant Bates to be something that we want to see grow into a mainstream activity in the Air Force Reserve," she said. "It represents a completely new philosophy on how and why we create, deliver, oversee and administer computer-based training." 

Wetzel, along with Master Sgt. John Sigler, chief of the TeleFORCE Plans and Technology Branch at AFRC headquarters, Robins AFB, Ga., visited the 940th ARW in December to encourage wing members to continue their groundbreaking training initiative. 

The "Grass Roots Academy Laboratory" is the name Wetzel has given to the 940th’s efforts in the distance-learning arena. She and other command officials are eagerly watching what the 940th is doing with computer-based training and other nontraditional training concepts in hopes of spreading their ideas throughout the command. 

"We hope the Grass Roots Academy will become a name that generates great respect and represents very significant achievements in how people at the unit level attack training problems and come up with some rather remarkable solutions to those problems," Sigler said. He believes the primary weapon in this attack on training problems could be CI Toolkit. 

"The authoring capability in CI Toolkit, with its relatively simple requirements, allows people to produce computer-based training courses that would otherwise require a more complicated and expensive computer program. If we can live with what comes out of CI Toolkit, we’ve got a tremendous opportunity. It turns our grass roots subject matter experts into computer-based authors without requiring them to be computer experts. 

"Now, anybody with knowledge and an interest is a possible source of computer-based training for the unit and potentially the Air Force Reserve. We’re talking about the serious ability to address many enduring training problems!" 

Bates has worked extensively with the company that created CI Toolkit and has made several recommendations that have been incorporated into Toolkit updates. 

"The Air Force Reserve is the primary user of the computer-based training portion of CI Toolkit," he said. "The customer support we have received has been outstanding. The manufacturer’s staff has always been very courteous and quick to answer our questions and address our concerns." 

Wetzel promised that anyone in the 940th who would like to try his or her hand at building a computer-based training module can get a copy of CI Toolkit. Also, she announced that the command has bought the wing 19 notebook computers and a digital still camera to facilitate the computer-based training process. 

"We decided to redirect some money that was earmarked for a previous command distance-learning program to the 940th, where the initiative and potential was shown," she said. "We want to give this laboratory every chance to succeed." 

Like many of his co-workers at the 940th, Bates is determined that the laboratory will be a success. He is constantly looking for ways to improve his computer-based training products. 

"Right now, I’m playing around with adding audio and video clips," Bates said. "The potential benefits from using locally produced video in training are tremendous." 

For example, Bates said "out-of-the-ordinary" aircraft maintenance procedures performed during the week could be videotaped, incorporated into a computer-based training module and then used to train reservists on unit training assembly weekends. "There are so many things you can do with computer-based training, we’ve just started to scratch the surface." 

Wetzel is hoping members of the wing will continue to scratch. 

"You’ll notice that we’re calling what is going on here at McClellan a laboratory, rather than a test," she said. "That’s because a test leads you to believe there’s a specific hypothesis to be tested. We don’t really know enough about what is needed to run a distance-learning program at any level to even formulate a hypothesis at this point." 

Col. Tom Gisler, 940th ARW vice commander, said he is excited about the Grass Roots Academy Laboratory and what could come out of it. 

"I’m glad they’re calling it a laboratory and not a test," Gisler said. "When you work in a laboratory, you usually get by-products that enhance other areas that you didn’t even envision. I wouldn’t be surprised if that happens here with our computer-based training efforts."