TOTAL ARMY QUALITY NEWSLETTER

The question we are asked frequently is "What do you do next when you have won the highest quality award?" To those of us in the quality journey, the question almost sounds like an oxymoron since everyone knows the quality journey has no end. But the question is a valid one since the tendency after winning quality awards in every conceivable forum might be to go into a state of rest or ratchet back.

This question is considered by author James A. Tomkins in the "Genesis Enterprise." The author addresses the question, "Why do companies that achieved great success follow that success with dismal performance?" Strategic planner and creativity guru Larry Ostuni of the Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC), in his book review of the "Genesis Enterprise" makes some pertinent observations. "There are indications that the American culture makes this a difficult challenge to meet. Americans are motivated by challenge; overcoming great odds; this can be seen in the emotional support for the underdog. Once a significant objective has been achieved, the motivation drops off. For example, everyone watched the first moon landing, and Apollo 13 wasn't even on prime time TV. Been there! Done that! What's new! That's the problem...how to keep the work force motivated to reach new heights. An organization that is not exceeding its previous performance will be overtaken by a competitor who is."

What does this mean to ARDEC? ARDEC took top honors in three prime forums, locally referred to as the Quality Triple Crown. First, as the 1995 R&D Organization of the Year, ARDEC competed and prevailed in competition with its Department of the Army research and development counterparts for the highest award. Second, as the 1996 Army Communities of Excellence (ACOE) Commander-in-Chief's (CINC) winner, ARDEC took top honors in that DA competition in which hundreds of world-wide installations compete for awards. Finally, the highest quality award bestowed in the federal government is the Presidential Award for Quality (PAQ). Winning the PAQ was considered the final leg of the Quality Triple Crown. ARDEC did this after taking second tier honors in the President's Quality Award (PQA) forum by winning the Quality Improvement Prototype award in 1995. It should be noted that in two out of three of the above competitions (ACOE and PQA), ARDEC is precluded from recompeting for several years thus cutting off these mechanisms as a source for feedback for a few years!

How does ARDEC change? ARDEC does this via the Malcolm Baldrige criteria. ARDEC Commanding General, BG Boddie put it this way, "The application of the criteria enables ARDEC to transform itself, using fresh eyes to help us prioritize and focus our improvement activities -- much better and faster -- than we would have." A few years ago, BG Boddie appointed the organization's senior leadership to act as category champions to review the feedback from the Baldrige-based evaluations and make recommendations for implementation of corrective actions. The champions each have facilitators from the writing team that enabled just-in-time insertion of improved practices into the latest version of the self-assessment.

These champions and facilitators have used the feedback from the PQA process, ACOE process, even the DA downselect process to provide the external perspective and input to further transform their approach. In December 1996, ARDEC was informed by Quality New Jersey (QNJ) that it was the first government agency to be presented the NJ Quality Partner Award. This evaluation also provided feedback on perceived strengths and areas for improvement -- which are the critical commodities that were used to harness efforts toward the future. Now that we have exhausted virtually all mechanisms for reward and feedback - what do we do next to provide the "juice". While we still have our eye on the coveted Baldrige award, up to this point government agencies have not been permitted to participate. We do plan to go back into the QNJ awards process in 1998.

How do we use the feedback from the external evaluations? ARDEC uses its annual self-assessment against the Baldrige criteria as a mechanism for change and renewal. Each year, a self-assessment Team Leader is appointed to conduct the self-assessment with the use of a cross-functional team composed of facilitators for each of the criteria. In the years that we applied for an external quality award we received feedback from the awards process. This input from external examiners was used as part of a continuous cycle of improvement. The external feedback provides a fresh perspective (eyes) to identify areas of perceived strength and areas for perceived improvement. This external feedback is assessed and provided to the TQM Executive Council via the Category Champions and their facilitators. ARDEC has used this feedback to effect profound changes in the way we do business. This process has enabled ARDEC to make out-of-the-box changes through these iterative learning cycles.

Where then should ARDEC go for impetus for change and renewal? The answer may be provided by the same question pondered in the movie Chariots of Fire, "Where does the power to win the race come from? It comes from within!" Tomkins' "Genesis Enterprise" internalizes a process of becoming its own best competitor! While profound, this is not new. Charles Darwin said, "It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change."

What are we doing now? We are developing a new set of quality objectives. These objectives were evaluated by importance and probability of success. Our next step is to align these goals against criteria we have selected and use them as continuing guideposts for our journey.

Albert Einstein recognized long before the rest of us that "The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them." Who would have thought that his insights applied to the competitive market environment? Our challenge is to continually reinvent ourselves to achieve a continually increasing impact on our external environment.

- Information for this article provided by Kathryn Daut, TQM Officer, Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center -

TARDEC Continues Its Journey

In 1994 the Tank-Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC), the nation's laboratory for automotive technology, was the first Army organization to win the President's Quality Award (PQA) Program Quality Prototype Improvement Award. Then, in 1995 TARDEC won the Program's coveted 1995 Presidential Award for Quality!

TARDEC's work force is a variety of individuals who work well together on teams. More than 50% of the staff of 1200 TARDEC professionals are Engineers and Scientists (E&S). Their prime customers are the American soldier, sailor, airman, and marine, and they provide products and services to many Army and Defense Department organizations.

During the years from 1990 to 2000 TARDEC's staff is shrinking nearly 40%. Their mission--to conduct research, development and engineering to maintain global technological superiority in military ground vehicles and advance the role of science in the broader national interest-is growing. The obvious need for change persuaded the organization to pursue a quality journey, not only as a good business practice, but also as a matter of survival.

In the early 1990's TARDEC set out to better customer relations, empower associates, and achieve higher efficiencies by developing high performance teams. They scrapped their functional organization and created an organization composed of 113 integrated product teams and six support teams. The integrated product teams report directly to the Executive Team that is involved in every facet of the quality journey: streamlining the TDA, developing new job descriptions, partnering with the union, and creating a vision and strategy. TARDEC sees these as the pillars of their quality journey which constitute the basic foundation.

TARDEC developed clear career ladders highlighting the cross-functional work force. Customers are involved in the "Quality Council" and are a vital part of the decision-making process. Associate directors serve as mentors or coaches, and TARDEC created a "virtual university" on site.

In 1995, TARDEC benchmarked corporate quality programs and created "Team Tapes," which outlines measurable team and individual objectives, connecting performance rating and employee awards to team evaluations. Next, they developed Integrated Product Teams, composed of experts in all areas. These teams are focused, self-directed, and cross-functional. They are operating at a higher level of creativity and are in tune with customers and are productive. A development process was instituted that shifted from a hierarchical to a "flat-lined" organization.

TARDEC accomplishes business more efficiently now. Results include: 5 management layers are eliminated; highly qualified E&S personnel are freed from management responsibilities; TARDEC can respond to customers faster; TARDEC has decreased the E&S to administrative support staff ratio from a former 1 to 6, to the current ratio of 1 to 25; the Fielded Vehicle Performance Database System (FBPDS) now measures performance and customer satisfaction; and they developed a virtual prototyping process, which enables early customer involvement.

The organization finds that despite difficulties, the rewards that come from a real quality journey are more than worth the investment. Their people have talents and energy to bring to their jobs that far outstrip what the traditional hierarchical organization allows.

TARDEC believes every organization must adapt to survive. They had to change. TARDEC succeeded, and they continue to fine tune current improvements and pursue additional areas for improvement.

- Information for this article provided by Ms. Pam Watts, U.S. Army Tank-Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center -

Army Wins Awards

Army Wins Productivity Excellence Awards

Department of Defense Military Service and Agency senior leaders joined to recognize the winners of the 13th Annual Secretary of Defense Productivity Excellence Awards Program on 21 May 1997 in the Pentagon Auditorium.

Six Army groups and one Army individual were among the winners at the ceremony. The Secretary of Defense Productivity Excellence Awards are honorary awards recognizing individuals and small groups who make substantial improvement in quality and productivity of Defense operations through suggestions, special acts, or other management improvement initiatives. The winning ideas are the individual's or group's own initiative and have demonstrated savings of at least $1 million over a completed 12-month period. Congratulations to the following winners of the 1997 Secretary of Defense Productivity Excellence Award Program for their creative and innovative ideas and outstanding representation of the Department of the Army.

The 1997 Army winners and recipients of the Secretary of Defense Certificate of Achievement are:

Fort Benning - PQA Nominee

Sole Federal Agency Nominee

The United States Army Infantry Center and Fort Benning, Fort Benning, Georgia, the home of the Army's foot soldier, is the winner of the prestigious Presidential Award for Quality subject to the approval of the President. Fort Benning is the only federal agency nominated to win in the 1997 President's Quality Award Program administered by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). This award is recognition for having significantly improved overall performance and for demonstrating a sustained trend in providing high quality products and services to customers.

Army Receives Three Quality Achievement Awards

Fort Benning and eight finalists will be honored at the 10th Annual National Conference on Federal Quality Awards Ceremony on 10 July 1997. OPM designated the eight finalists as Quality Achievement Award Winners for their efforts in deploying and demonstrating quality approaches and continuous improvement. Three of these eight finalists are Army organizations:

The President's Quality Award Program offers both the Presidential Award for Quality and the Quality Improvement Prototype Award (QIP). This is the third consecutive year the Army is the winner of the Presidential Award for Quality. The Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center, Picatinny Arsenal, NJ, was the sole winner in 1996, and the Tank-Automotive Research Development and Engineering Center, Warren, Michigan, won in 1995. Past recipients of the QIP Award are the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command, Logistics and Readiness Center, Fort Monmouth, NJ; U.S. Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center, Picatinny Arsenal, NJ; Red River Army Depot, Texarkana, Texas; and U.S. Army Tank-Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center, Warren, Michigan. There are no QIP winners in the 1997 competition.

Quality Effort Wins GEICO Award

The education coordinator at Army's Camp Henry in South Korea, Mr. James Kaderabec, is among the winners of the GEICO Public Service Award. The GEICO award helps focus attention on the many ways in which federal employees contribute to the quality of our nation.

The award honors civil servants whose efforts do not fit within their job descriptions. The GEICO Public Service Award gives recognition for initiatives aimed at substance abuse prevention, physical rehabilitation, car accident prevention and fire safety. The insurance giant selected Mr. Kaderabec for educating his community on substance abuse and starting alcohol-free events, including the country's first "First Night" New Year's Eve celebration.

Army Day Draws Eager Response

The Army Day Symposium hosted by the Director of Management is filled to capacity. The response from the field for participation is overwhelming. This first-time event is at the Omni Shoreham Hotel on 8 July 1997.

The Symposium evolved from numerous requests to the Strategic Management and Innovations Office, Management Directorate, for HQDA senior leaders to share their vision, expectations, and insights of the future with regard to Total Army Quality (TAQ).

The Secretary of the Army and the Chief of Staff, Army, are invited to participate, with other invited Senior Army Leaders scheduled to speak on the quality journeys of their commands into the 21st Century. An agenda will be on http://www.army.mil/dpr-page/home.htm by 11 June.

The Commanding General, U.S. Army Infantry Center and Fort Benning, is invited to discuss Fort Benning's exciting quest for continuous improvement leading to their successful nomination as the winner of the 1997 Presidential Award for Quality. Other invited speakers will be representatives from the Army Staff.

The Army Day Symposium provides linkage of current Army concepts and practices with the Bridge to the Future: Leading, Learning, and Linking theme of the Tenth Annual National Conference on Federal Quality on 9 - 11 July 1997.

1997 Federal Quality Conference: 9 - 11 July in Washington, DC

The 10th Annual National Conference on Federal Quality sponsored by the Office of Personnel Management is 9 - 11 July 1997 at the Sheraton Washington Hotel in Washington, DC. The 1997 conference, in partnership with a group of federal, private and public sector entities, has selected Bridge to the Future: Leading, Learning, and Linking as its theme.

The Army has excelled in the President's Quality Award (PQA) Program again. The U.S. Army Infantry Center and Fort Benning is nominated as the winner of the Presidential Award for Quality, subject to the approval of President Clinton. Also, three of the eight government-wide organizations chosen as finalists in the 1997 PQA competition are Army. OPM designated these organizations as quality achievement award winners. The Army organizations are: Rock Island Arsenal, Rock Island, Illinois; U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command Logistics and Readiness Center, Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, and U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command Acquisition Center, Fort Monmouth, New Jersey. The President's Quality Award Program Ceremony is 10 July 1997 at the Conference.

The conference will have general sessions with major public and private sector practitioners of quality and change. Invited speakers to the general sessions include federal government leaders, corporation executives, academic leaders and renowned authors. Concurrent learning sessions will address leading in the next century, learning improvement and the basics of quality.

Registration information is available from Conference Management Associates, Inc., 1010 Wayne Avenue, Suite 450, Silver Spring, MD 20910 (Phone: 301/538-8203; FAX: 301/585-1186), email:confmgtmd@aol.com

Total Army Quality Management Philosophy (AR 5-1) Revision

The Director of Management, Office of the Chief of Staff, Army, is revising Army Regulation 5-1, Army Management Philosophy, dated June 1992. The new title of the proposed revision is Total Army Quality Management Philosophy. The Secretariat, Army Staff, and MACOMs were forwarded a copy for review and comments. Also, information copies were provided by e-mail to organizations' Quality, ACOE, and NPR POCs. The projected date for a final draft is 8 Jul 97. Current milestones for the revision are as follows:

The revised regulation prescribes policy and procedures governing the Total Army Quality Management Philosophy. It is intended to encourage leaders, managers and employees to continue the pursuit of excellence to improve force readiness. The philosophy is designed to provide the principles and guidelines which form the framework for all Army management decisions and reinforce the relationship between leadership and management.

If you have any comments or questions concerning the revised regulation, contact your organization's Quality POC. The HQDA point of contact for the AR 5-1 revision is CPT John Drago at 703-602-2982, or E-mail dragojp@hqda.army.mil.

Army "Best Practices" Submissions

Procedures are now in place for identifying and submitting Department of the Army's "Best Practices." Organizations may submit their "Best Practices" directly to the Headquarters functional proponent or to the Office of the Chief of Staff, Army, Director of Management. All submissions are approved by Headquarters, Department of the Army before they are forwarded to the Office of the Secretary of Defense.

A "Best Practice" is defined as a superior method or an innovative practice that contributes to improved performance of the process. The practice must demonstrate through data that it is "better, faster, cheaper".

Background: The Office the Secretary of Defense (OSD) Quality Office maintains an Internet web site that highlights Department of Defense quality initiatives. A recent addition to this web site is the inclusion of a section devoted to "Best Practices." The Secretary of Defense expressed a personal interest in this section of the web site. He wants to get the word out, to as wide an audience as possible, about all the smart things DoD is doing to conduct business more efficiently.

The Strategic Management and Innovations Office in the Management Directorate forwards "Best Practices" monthly to the OSD Quality Office for inclusion on their web site. A "Best Practice" submission must include the following information:

Submissions are consolidated and forwarded to the appropriate Headquarters Department of Army functional staff for approval and then to OSD the third Friday of each month. Each category can have multiple submissions, so forward any "Best Practice" your organization wants considered and highlighted among DoD's best!

Forward submissions to CPT Drago at SMIO, 703-602-2982 or DSN 327-2982, Email:dragojp@hqda.army.mil.

Leadership

"Champion for the soldier as a system-the recognized leader in assuring the decisive materiel edge for the 21st Century Warrior"

Since the formation of the Soldier Systems Command (SSCOM) in November 1994, the process for strategic planning and organization to achieve optimum customer focus and continuous process improvement has been evolving. While striving to capitalize on the President's Quality Award (PQA) Program criteria experience, our senior leadership organized into two executive teams.

The Command Group Team (CGT) is composed of the Commander, Union President, and leaders of each of SSCOM's line organizations (Director, NRDEC; Director, Sustainment and Readiness; Project Manager-Soldier; and Product Manager-Soldier Support). The CGT sets the overall direction for the command.

The Command and Staff Team (CAST) includes: the CGT, Deputy Commander, Chief of Staff, Command Sergeant Major and staff directors of the command. The CAST assists in setting command direction as well as program execution, evaluation and continuous improvement. As part of the strategic planning process, the CAST worked diligently to develop our command's Vision, Mission, Values and Strategic Initiatives (goals and objectives) by consulting key customers and stakeholders for their input. The Vision, Values and Strategic Goals were developed with extensive employee involvement. This was done not only through the Union President's membership on the CAST, but also by continuous communication throughout the organization. Several draft documents were also distributed to the work force for review; their comments were incorporated into the final product.

Customer focus and continuous process improvement are achieved within the context of the SSCOM Continuous Improvement System. As mentioned above, customers had an influence on the development of SSCOM's Strategic Initiatives. However, consistent with the customer's input, the CGT has ownership of Strategic Goals and is responsible for providing direction and leadership to Lead Stakeholders in establishing command level supporting performance objectives. The Lead Stakeholders also identify process owners within the command to develop subordinate organizational performance objectives. Lastly, employee performance objectives are developed to identify a clear connection to organizational performance objectives and their part in satisfying the needs of SSCOM customers.

SSCOM's CAST is committed to conducting Business Quality Improvement in the context of the PQA Program criteria. The CAST assigned a "Champion" for each of the seven PQA Program categories. These Champions are responsible for utilizing the criteria to identify improvement efforts that cut across the Strategic Goals and supporting performance objectives.

The leadership teams (CAST, Champions, and Lead Stakeholders), working in continuous dialogue with customers, employees, suppliers and stakeholders, form the structure for the SSCOM leadership system and the means by which true business quality improvement is being achieved.

- Information for this article from Mr. Mike Bravo, U.S. Army Soldier Systems Command -

Are We Being All We Can Be?

The coaching staff of the U.S. Military Pentathlon Team created a world-class training center with more people benefiting from it than the athletes. They applied Total Quality Management (TQM) successfully in an athletic environment. The process began more than four years ago when the coaches asked themselves, "who are our customers?"

TQM has transformed their organization. The athletic program is now a leadership development and peak performance school, using an athletic arena as a proving ground for what the athletes learn. The athletes then apply what they have learned to their units and communities. They have created the best land navigation and marksmanship course in the military and offer cutting edge knowledge in many of the other courses they teach, some of which are not offered anywhere else in the military. They have become the standard for other NATO Military Pentathlon programs to follow. More than 15 countries are using their total quality manual and are following their lead in restructuring the purpose of their military pentathlon programs to professional development programs. It is easy to convince your competition to emulate you when you win gold medals in every category available over the last four years. The U.S. Military Pentathlon Team members are eager to share the benefits of their research and efforts with both active and reserve units by hosting them at their training camps, or by visiting their units to conduct training.

Vision-
To build a world-class training center. Confederation of Interallied Reserve Officers (CIOR's) reputation will grow as the best leadership and military skills school in the U.S. military training system. Training methods will become the benchmark for other military units. In the spirit of CIOR, we will share our training processes throughout NATO.

Mission-
Primary mission is to provide effective Professional Development and Peak Performance Process training in leadership and in military skills.

Secondary mission is to train selected reserve officers who have completed the CIOR Professional Development training cycle to represent the United States in the annual CIOR military skills competition. This includes fielding the best representative group of reserve officers possible in professionalism and ability.

Purpose-
To conduct training to military personnel in a joint-service environment that will be beneficial to them in excelling as leaders. This training includes physical fitness awareness, peak performance training, leadership development, and promoting the purpose and role of CIOR and NATO. The participants apply and/or disseminate the information and skills learned at CIOR in their units and where applicable, within their communities and civilian work places.

Meaning-
To help people discover their potential and provide them direction to achieve it.

Objective and Goal-
To constantly improve the CIOR training process to achieve maximum effectiveness of time and energy as well as the quality of our products and services. Our goal is to be the best training unit in the military and, secondarily, to experience peak performance in the NATO Competition.

Customers-
Our customers are our unit commanders and service members; our civilian leaders, managers and employees; our communities; and our families.

- Information for this article from Major Robert R. Thompson, Head Coach, U.S. Military Penthlon Team, (210) 221-1206 -

Imbedding Quality Training In Professional Development Courses

On 21 February 1995 the Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) identified the Army Logistics Management College (ALMC) as the training proponent for Total Army Quality (TAQ). In response to a recognized shortfall in quality training, TRADOC tasked ALMC to develop a training support package for TAQ as part of the Common Core curriculum for all officer and warrant officer advanced courses and the First Sergeants Course. ALMC completed the task analysis, "Improve organizational effectiveness by using the Total Army Quality (TAQ) concepts," and has staffed the task analysis with the executive agents for officer, warrant officer, and noncommissioned officer training. Additionally, all participants at the March 97 TAQ Training Review and Assessment Meeting were given the opportunity to review the task analysis and provide feedback. ALMC is currently completing the lesson outline for the task and the final training support package is due out by the end of summer 1997.

The critical challenge has been to identify what captains, warrant officers and senior NCOs need to know to effectively use TAQ for organizational improvement. First, they must understand the vocabulary, so that when someone talks about vision, or assessments or customer satisfaction, they can relate the discussions to their own work situations. Second, they must be familiar with the process of assessing an organization to determine the start point, developing a plan for improvement, implementing change initiatives, and measuring performance against the goals established in the plan. Finally, they must understand that this is a cyclical effort that focuses on the process, rather than a finite outcome. Concepts such as empowerment, team building and problem solving will also be addressed in the instruction.

While this TAQ inroad into the Institutional Training Base is overdue, it is important to realize that this block of instruction is only the first step. A comprehensive, multilevel training program is essential to imbed TAQ in the "way the Army does business." This training program must look at all levels of professional development, both military and civilian, as well as providing a resource available to the leader or commander in the field to facilitate organizational learning and development. If the Army is to exploit the recent success of organizations like the Tank-Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC), the Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC) and the Infantry Center and School, Fort Benning, Georgia, we must continue to press for a more comprehensive TAQ educational approach.

- Information for this article provided by LTC Bill Danzeisen, Army Logistics Management College -

Hawaii Contracting Office is Customer Oriented

It all started with a Process Action Team. An Army Contracting Office in Hawaii had the chance to use credit cards to make small purchases, but people did not like the bureaucratic procedure. So, they chartered a process action team (PAT) to make the system support their customers while fulfilling their responsibilities. The PAT developed a plan that allows non-acquisition personnel to buy eligible micro-purchases ($1 to $2,500) directly from commercial firms faster, cheaper, and without burdensome paperwork. They were successful! One of the key ingredients to the success of the program was to train and educate customers and suppliers (commercial firms). A highly visible dynamic marketing program was instituted by hosting cardholder training classes, meetings with potential vendors, sponsoring a networking workshop for vendors and cardholders, and giving informational briefings at various Command-level functions. More than 1,600 customers and suppliers were trained and educated since FY95.

The second key ingredient was getting the purchase cards into the hands of the customers. Concerted efforts in streamlining and promoting the program during FY96 resulted in the fielding of over 480 IMPAC cards. As a result, empowered customers generated 14,901 transactions totaling $8.16 million. The cumulative external purchase card transactions rate (excluding internal purchase card buys) increased from 32.4% in FY 95 to 92.3% in FY96, exceeding both the HQDA goal of 80%, and the overall Army average of 72%. Based on the recognized administrative cost savings of $92 for issuing a purchase card transaction rather than a purchase order, the US. Army Garrison, Hawaii saved over $1.37 million during FY96. And they are still improving.

The Command has recognized this as a value added program and a progressive way to do business. The Garrison Commander issued a policy memorandum requiring all eligible micro-purchases be purchased by their customers using the IMPAC purchase card.

- Information for this article provided by Mr. Adrian Ledoux, the Directorate of Contracting,
U.S. Army Garrison, Hawaii -

EUSA Quartermaster Laundry Story

The 34th Support Group observed in 1996 that its Quartermaster (QM) Laundry was operated at only 60% capacity, doing only organizational cleaning. So, it expanded its services to include individual piece rate laundry and dry cleaning service for U.S. military and civilian ID card holders at Yongsan in Seoul, Korea. It was also able to provide this expanded service at prices lower than its on-post competitors-Army Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) and Dragon Hill Lodge (DHL). The price difference ranged from 3% lower for a wool sweater, to 17% lower for a civilian shirt, to 42% lower for a set of battle dress uniform. On average, the prices were 20% lower than those changed by its competitors.

In August 1996 the QM Laundry distributed flyers announcing the expanded service and comparing its prices with those of AAFES and DHL. It did not take long for word to spread, and the QM Laundry's workload increased by 12% as its many new customers enjoyed expanded service at lower prices.

The 34th Support Group's parent command, the 19th Theater Area Command (TAACOM), was designated as a National Performance Review Reinvention Laboratory in October 1996. As a reinvention initiative, the QM Laundry is studying further expansion of its services to additional customers in Korea and converting its operations to a Nonappropriated Fund operation. The object is to reduce the 19th TAACOM's payroll costs. The challenge will be to continue the lower prices to customers.

- Information for this article provided by Mr. George Whitfield, 34th Support Group, Yonsan, Korea, Eighth United States Army -

Tripler: A Top Hospital

This year Tripler Army Medical Center is one of seven hospitals nationwide chosen to be featured in a national hospital accreditation publication for being one of the premier medical treatment facilities in the country.

The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), a commission that accredits both military and civilian hospitals nationwide, chose Tripler and the other six featured hospitals from a group of more than 5,000 medical treatment facilities throughout the United States to be featured in the book "Doing the Right Things Right." JCAHO accredits 80% of the hospitals in the United States, which accounts for 96% of all inpatient hospitals.

The hospitals featured in the book represent a wide variety of medical facilities that range from small hospitals with just 60 beds to huge, multi-hospital systems with 1,100 available hospital beds. The featured hospitals include: TAMC; Catholic Medical Center of Brooklyn and Queens (NY); Genesee Hospital (Rochester, NY); Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian (Newport Beach CA); The Shriners Hospitals for Children (Chicago); University of Iowa Hospital (Iowa City, Iowa); and Veterans Affairs Medical Center (Miami).

Of the seven institutions selected by JCAHO, Tripler was the only military health treatment facility included in the publication.

According to JCAHO, however different the seven organizations may appear, they share numerous common characteristics that make them model treatment facilities from which others can learn. These characteristics enable them to provide continuous performance improvement and strive for readiness.

Some of these characteristics include: leadership commitment, organized teamwork, a strong ethic for learning, a focus on customer satisfaction, with a culture valuing communication. The authors also concluded that these institutions are data driven and information smart, but what really makes them stand apart from others is the fact they have high degrees of physician participation in making performance and patient care improvements.

To determine seven of the premier medical treatment facilities, JCAHO reviewed more than 2,000 hospitals over a three-year period to determine facilities that "live the self-examined life" and use accreditation as part of their total quality management system, particularly to measure, assess and improve that system. From there, JCAHO officials then narrowed the field down to the organizations they thought would be able to pass an inspection at any time, with or without prior notice.

-Information for article from Mr. James A. Brown, Tripler Army Medical Center Public Affairs Office -

TQM:

What is it? A philosophy focused on continuous improvement involving everyone. Many employees view quality management as just words, and words "I don't want to hear." The normal reaction is, "Don't bother me with that. I have work to do." Our current environment of resource and people cuts requires us to search for tools that will improve efficiency and ensure that we discontinue non-value added work and identify the work processes that are beneficial and cost effective. Total Quality Management or TQM has proven to be one such tool.

Where is it? Our employees are our greatest asset. We have employees who possess the skills and abilities directly related to the tools used in quality management. We should capitalize on the training already in place and provide any additional training needed (Acquisition Reform, Reinvention, Reengineering, TQM Awareness, Leadership, Team Building, Process Flow, etc.). There are many employees who are using quality management tools in their day-to-day work. Quality management could be in your office. Once you know what it looks, smells, and tastes like, you will be able to identify the tools and their use within your office.

In our current environment of reduced budgets and people, we must find new and innovative ways of doing our business. Analyzing the processes within each organization will identify the value added and non-value added work being done. Process improvement identifies duplication of effort and targets actions that can be used to eliminate waste. In many instances these improvements require additional manpower, thus spaces lost in elimination of duplication can be used to implement the needed change. We all know that in order to get the work done, it takes people to do it. The people who have direct contact with our customers, internal and external, are the most important people in the organization. These are the people who know what works and does not work. These are also the people who are rarely in on the changes made in their areas of responsibility. Quality management wants to include the people on the line in the decision making processing concerning their jobs. Quality management also wants to know how the processes can be improved. This answer can come only from the employees.

We must strive to take a different approach to institutionalizing quality management. We have the lessons learned from many organizations and view them as opportunities for process improvement and information for organizational planning. We will "use TQM to do TQM."

Quality management is a philosophy that is heavily dependent on top management commitment and involvement. It is also vitally focused on people and people issues. The implementation of this philosophy and the approach being used must focus on the use of in-house assets and the expansion of in-place process.

The Space and Strategic Defense Command (SSDC) is striving to provide the tools needed to improve the overall performance, professionalism, teamwork, and work environment. Below are a few examples of quality management at work at SSDC:

- Colonel Jimmie L. Slade, Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence, said, "...the Total Quality Management process, the Quality Management team, and the use of a Strategic Planning Model enabled us to develop an enduring plan of action that will support the execution of SSDC Vision 2010. This improved our management of personnel, enhanced our marketing efforts, gained new customers and additional funding support and even resulted in the development of our own Internet page."

- Colonel Cottrell states that United States Army Kwajalein Atoll (USAKA) has established Process Action Teams to analyze and improve internal processes as well as those which involve multiple command elements. These teams are composed of customers and suppliers who utilize TQM tools and techniques to improve a specific process."

- In November 1995 SSDC was designated a Reinvention Laboratory. This designation serves as the vehicle to remove regulatory hindrances that stifle creativity and innovation. This type of tool allows the employees to see some results from their many great ideas.

- Information for this article provided by Ms. Elizabeth J. Hurt,
U.S. Army Space and Strategic Defense Command -

Mark Your Calendar

DoD Quality News

In the area of training, the OSD Quality Office is researching the process to develop a "Quality" correspondence course. More to follow...

The OSD Quality Office will form and facilitate a group to develop macro quality definitions for consistency of language throughout DoD.

HQDA 98 President's Quality Award Program Board of Examiners are selected and will assess applications, 24 Jul - 1 Aug 97. Organizations submitting PQA applications must submit by 1200, 18 Jul 97.
Board of Examiners will select up to six PQA applications and forward to OSD by Sep 97.
Look on the "Leading Change" Home Page for more TAQ information.

Currently, the Air Force is identifying their best practices, so they are used across the force. The Air Force wants to ensure that airmen transferred from one command to another can build upon the quality lessons already learned and not have to learn new practices.
The Air Force is developing an Air Force-wide Strategic Plan which is tentatively scheduled for completion by 1 October 1997.

The Navy developed several courses and materials for quality that can be downloaded. Look on our "Leading Change" Home Page to access them or click Navy Quality.

Marine Corps Headquarters is in its second year of implementing its Continuous Process Improvement Program. This involves senior leaders in major process review efforts. The Marine Corps-wide Workshop is scheduled on 15 - 16 Jul in Washington, DC. The theme is implementation of quality management and process management. POC is Dr. West, (703) 614-0853.
The Marine Corps Recruit Depot has won two Hammer Awards, one for using debit cards to pay recruits and the other for recycling recruits' utility uniforms due to physical fitness training.

The next National Performance Review Electronic Meeting will be conducted on June 19, 1997. The meeting will focus on how HQDA can assist MACOMs in institutionalizing Total Army Quality. Information concerning the electronic meeting can be obtained by contacting LTC John Wise, (703) 607-1314 or E-mail wiseje@hqda.army.mil

To Our Readers....

We hoped you enjoyed this issue of "Leading Change".....the Department of the Army (DA) Total Army Quality (TAQ) newsletter. The purpose of this newsletter is to communicate DA initiatives directed at Quality, continuous improvement, and the National Performance Review (NPR); to provide educational materiel regarding Quality and NPR principles and concepts; and to publicize and share the successes that many Army organizations are enjoying as they continue along their Quality journey. "Leading Change" is published by the Strategic Management and Innovations Office, Management Directorate, Office of the Chief of Staff, Army.

We will continue to publish "Leading Change" quarterly and encourage you to send us any articles or information you would like to see included in the future. The next issue of "Leading Change" is scheduled for publication in September 1997 and will focus on partnering. Additionally, we would like your comments and suggestions on how we can improve this publication. Please send your comments and article submissions for publication to Ms Gail Terry, HQDA OCSA, ATTN: DACS-DMC-P, Crystal Square Two, Suite 1001, 1725 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, Virginia 22202, or E-mail terrygh@hqda.army.mil. Look for this newsletter and other information about on-going and future TAQ and NPR initiatives on the World Wide Web: http://www.army.mil/dpr-page/home.htm.

Headquarters, Department of the Army
Office of the Chief of Staff, Army
Director of Management
Strategic Management and Innovations Office (SMIO) *

SMIO Staff

Ms. Randa Vagnerini	Director, Strategic Management and Innovations Office	(703) 602-2760; DSN 332-2760 E-mail: vagnerm@hqda.army.mil
Vacant	Total Army Quality Team Chief	(703) 602-2726; DSN 332-2726
Ms. Gail Terry	Quality Specialist, TAQ Team	(703) 607-1307; DSN 327-1307 E-mail: terrygh@hqda.army.mil
LTC John Wise	National Performance Review Team Chief	(703) 607-1314; DSN 327-1314 E-mail: wiseje@hqda.army.mil
Ms. Diane Farhat	Reinvention Coordinator, NPR Team	(703) 602-2723; DSN 332-2723 E-mail: farhadl@hqda.army.mil
Ms. Susie Carrington	NPR Team Database Administrator	(703) 607-1320; DSN 327-1320 E-mail: carrisp@hqda.army.mil
CPT Bernard Banks	Marketing and Administrative (M&A) - Team Chief	(703) 607-1305; DSN 327-1305 E-mail: banksbb@hqda.army.mil
CPT John Drago	Marketing and Administrative (M&A) -	(703) 602-2982; DSN 332-2982 E-mail: dragojp@hqda.army.mil
SGT Christopher McFarland	Army Ideas of Excellence Program (AIEP) Coordinator, M&A Team	(703) 607-1321; DSN 327-1321 E-mail: mcfarcj@hqda.army.mil
Ms. Vivian Collins	Administrative Specialist, M&A Team	(703) 607-1303; DSN 327-1303 E-mail: collivd@hqda.army.mil
Ms. Mary Richardson	Administrative Assistant, M&A Team	(703) 602-2694; DSN 332-2694 E-mail: richamw@hqda.army.mil

Mailing Address
Office of the Chief of Staff, Army
Strategic Management and Innovations Office
Crystal Square Two, Suite 1001
1725 Jefferson Davis Highway
Arlington, Virginia 22202
(FAX Number: (703) 602-2758; DSN 332-2758)

Staff Revision	9 May 97
Receive Input	6 Jun 97
Staff Final Draft	13 Jun 97
Final Draft Completed	8 Jul 97
Submit for Printing	11 Jul 97

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

TACOM-ARDEC Quality - The Next Step!

TARDEC Continues Its Journey

Army Wins Awards

Army Wins Productivity Excellence Awards

Fort Benning - PQA Nominee

Sole Federal Agency Nominee

Army Receives Three Quality Achievement Awards

Quality Effort Wins GEICO Award

Army Day Draws Eager Response

1997 Federal Quality Conference: 9 - 11 July in Washington, DC

Total Army Quality Management Philosophy (AR 5-1) Revision

Army "Best Practices" Submissions

Leadership

Are We Being All We Can Be?

Imbedding Quality Training In Professional Development Courses

Hawaii Contracting Office is Customer Oriented

EUSA Quartermaster Laundry Story

Tripler: A Top Hospital

TQM:

Mark Your Calendar

DoD Quality News

To Our Readers....

Headquarters, Department of the Army
Office of the Chief of Staff, Army
Director of Management
Strategic Management and Innovations Office (SMIO) *

SMIO Staff