News

Ideas net Reserve NCO $16,000

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Jake Chappelle
  • 446th Airlift Wing Public Affiars
A staff sergeant with the 446th Maintenance Squadron here was awarded nearly $16,000 in April for submitting two proposals that were approved through the Innovative Development through Employee Awareness program. 

IDEA is an incentive program that promotes process improvement or resource savings through ideas submitted by military and civilian employees. 

Staff Sgt. Christopher Parcasio, an air reserve technician with the 446th MXS, submitted two proposals in January. One was for repairing Intercom Set Control units, which are radio controls that allow aircrew members to communicate. 

The original process was to condemn the damaged units when they came back from the field, said Sergeant Parcasio. His proposal would allow the avionics section to test and verify the good parts of the unit. Then, the ICSC would be disassembled and the serviceable parts would be sent back to supply here. 

This allows the Air Force to keep all of the assets originally purchased from the vendor, said Sergeant Parcasio. This proposal saves the Air Force $332,177. 

The second proposal, submitted by Sergeant Parcasio was for Electronic Engine Control switch replacements. There are three switches on the front panel of an ECC. Originally, when the switches would fail, the entire front panel would be sent to the vendor for repair, said Sergeant Parcasio. With his proposal, MXS's back shop would fix the broken switches individually. This allows an Air Force savings of $74,112. 

"This program not only saves money, man hours and time," said Sergeant Parcasio. "It's cost effective and improves your job performance." 

IDEA is a base-wide program, said Sergeant Parcasio. Any shop on base, active duty or Reserve, that uses a technical order can submit a proposal; as long as it's cost effective.
Air Force Technical Order Form 22, AFTO Form 135 and an "After the Fact" IDEA submission are the three methods to submit for an award, said Sergeant Parcasio. 

"I'm actually working on other projects to save money and man hours," said Sergeant Parcasio. "The money I get is just a real good bonus, but this works out better for the Air Force as a whole."