Commentary: Before, after change, CE will continue to lead the way

  • Published
  • By Gene Gallogly
  • Air Force Space Command
SCHRIEVER AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. --  Change evokes mixed reactions from all of us.

Some look forward to it while others resist leaving the routines and roles they've worked so hard to master. Most of us, though, probably fall in the middle - recognizing change can be good, but preferring it be gradual and easily comprehensible.

Civil engineering transformation has never really been a "comfortable, measured change" that we can easily adjust to and embrace at our own pace. Managed risk, asset management, performance-based restoration, common levels of service, industry standards, NexGen IT, privatization ... change has become the norm. As a result, I'm sure most of us have wondered: "Are we thinking things through or just reacting to the crisis du jour?"

Having been on both the giving and receiving ends of this, I'd like to offer a few thoughts of encouragement:

As Maj Gen Timothy Byers, The Air Force Civil Engineer, has shared throughout the journey, this is really about accomplishing our key capabilities, priorities and missions in a more efficient and effective manner. We are still the same great civil engineering force known for our ability to get the job done; we're just operating in a more resource-constrained environment. We have to adapt to that environment and continually find smarter ways to get the job done.

Even if we had all the resources we needed, we'd have found our way down this path. It's our engineering and service nature to root out inefficiency and waste.

We have a lot of great people brainstorming and collaborating to ensure we're not only on the right track, but that we have the right foundation for change. Sure, we'd all like more time to perfect the changes before we have to implement them, but know that these changes have been thoroughly researched and vetted with inputs from up and down the chain. Ideas were shared with our customers, contractors, sister services and other stakeholders, and senior leadership talked to leading corporations known for excellence in managing diverse, geographically dispersed plants. These industry leaders shared the management lessons from their transformation journeys - pitfalls and all - so we could apply them to our own operating environment. We also borrowed from other governments and agencies. Many of your peers worked tirelessly on these efforts - from process mapping to briefing Air Force senior leaders on alternative courses of action. It's been a team effort involving installation, major commands, forward operating agencies and headquarters staffs.

Like you, I know the results won't be perfect. However, because we're civil engineers, I know that our customers will see we achieved the impossible yet again. I know this because we all still share the same core values and culture.

We embrace challenges and pull together with the "can-do, will-do" attitude Maj Gen Byers often cites with pride when describing his team. We'll execute the plan with integrity, doing what's right even if we sense it'll require a little more effort on our part. Individually and as a team, we'll strive for excellence in all we do.

We'll also continue to adopt the overarching constructs, share constructive comments, and find new ways to streamline and innovate to increase our effectiveness.

Inquisitiveness, tenacity, and accountability are also engrained in our engineering culture. We'll want to understand why the changes make us more efficient and effective, and we'll develop metrics to track the improvements.

There will be some start-up issues, but we'll sort out anomalies from the systemic issues and quickly get back on-track. We'll understand that each of us has a stake in our success, and we won't accept anything less than our best.

Nobody understands the laws of nature better than a civil engineer, which is probably why we have such conviction in the belief that what you get out of something is directly proportional to what you put into it. We work hard, and as a result, can take great pride in what we bring to the fight.

Going forward, we know we'll have a solid foundation from which to continue our CE transformation. There will be challenges, but I have no doubt the CE community will use this as an opportunity, ensuring we "build to last!"