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Starting the new year right with a Cost Conscious Culture, C3

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Jessica Keith
  • 17th Training Wing Public Affairs
GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  With the new year, many people are setting goals to lose weight, save money or spend more time with family. The Air Education and Training Command is also trying to start the new year right by continuing the Cost Conscious Culture program or C3.

C3 is a broad program centered on cost savings and cost avoidance. Last year, faced with current and future budget constraints, Gen. Edward A. Rice Jr., Commander of Air Education and Training Command, identified the need to develop a cost conscious culture throughout the command to achieve savings. A cost-conscious culture focuses on achieving savings at all levels. If each AETC Airman saves just $3 per day, the command can save $37 million in one year.

"Cost savings means shopping around and finding the best price on a project," said Col. Paul Bugenske, 17th Mission Support Group Commander. "It means we are still spending money, just not as much. When it comes to cost avoidance, we look for ways to avoid spending money, such as furbishing a new building with furniture we already have, but may not be using. In the long run, we save more money this way."

Of the 12 training wings in AETC, the 17th Training Wing is in second place, "earning" $5,946,842, almost double the $2,282,735 goal, in cost savings and avoidance in 2012.
What one would think of as "savings" the program describes as "earnings." The program doesn't actually provide any extra income, but the funds become available for spending on other mission essential initiatives. This increases a wing's spending power without increasing its budget.

"The main objective of C3 is for everyone to make an effort to cut back on spending and work on ways to avoid spending when not necessary," said Master Sgt. Lori Mailoux, 17th Training Wing Knowledge Operations superintendent. "We have to analyze our spending to avoid unnecessary expenditures, so each base can do its part to drive down mission costs. We have to find ways to do more with less."

C3 encompasses a wide variety of cost savings and cost avoidance initiatives, which can be large or small and still have an impact. Each of the base's training groups have made significant contributions to the 17th TRW's outstanding "earnings."

For example, the 517th Training Group began employing students as tutors for students in danger of failing their classes. Every student who achieves a passing score saves the Defense Department $180,000. The 17th Medical Group saved $10,000 by utilizing unused medical equipment parts and tool inventories from other Air Force bases rather than purchasing new equipment. The 17th Mission Support Group started bundling concrete deliveries saving between $200 and $300 per truck load in delivery fees. The 17th Training Group scrubbed their computer hardware requirements and realized acquisition efficiencies, which saved $48,000.

Some of the smaller contributions include the 17th Contracting Squadron changed their contract writing system default setting for single spaced font from double spaced, creating smaller documents. The 17th Force Support Squadron went from using four fluorescent light bulbs to two throughout the squadron. The 17th Security Forces Squadron installed an energy efficient solar roof. The 17th Communications Squadron identified and canceled the service of 20 unused portable electronic devices across the base. Additional initiatives throughout the base currently cut tens of thousands of dollars per month.

This is a program every service member in AETC can help support, even something as small as turning off a light when you leave a room makes a difference.

For more information call Master Sgt. Lori Mailoux at (325) 654-4021.