Hickam Airmen strategize AFSO21 weight reduction initiative

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  • By MC3 Jason Segedy
  • AFPN
HICKAM AIR FORCE BASE, Hawaii --  Members of the Hickam Air National Guard have been categorizing parts of a KC135 Stratotanker to figure out what can come off during certain missions to save fuel and money for the Air Force.

The project was initially launched when Dr. Ron Ritter, assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force visited Hickam earlier this month to show how this was done at other bases and to educate leadership on Air Force Smart Operations-21. Money saved through the program will help in reshaping the Air Force.

"We consume about 60% of the government's energy in the Air Force," said Dr. Ritter. "A lot of that is jet fuel, so it's important to look at smarter use of the fuel and more efficient use."

A lot of the Aircraft components in question, such as toolboxes and bunks were only a necessity on certain missions. Winter snow gear wouldn't see much use in the warm Hawaii climate, and the extra weight from many of the components combined added up to approximately five-thousand pounds.

"I've been in the service for 26 years and it has always been do more with less," said Senior Master Sgt Robert Santos, 154TH Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Aircraft Manager. "We have to pay for the war and new equipment needs to be purchased, and just like any other business or service we have to make things better."

"They had a rubber floor-mat that weighed more than 290 pounds," said Major General Daryll Wong, Commander of Hawaii Air National Guard. "Do we need it, I'm not sure, but if it's going to save fuel and money it might be something people should take off the airplane."

General Wong has even started applying fuel conservation to his personal life, by taking his golf clubs out of the trunk of his car.