PHILADELPHIA –
Industrial Hardware employees gained exposure to what their co-workers do to support the warfighter during the supply chain’s Cross Function Day April 6 at the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support’s Bldg. 6 auditorium.
The event was designed to boost information-sharing across the supply chain’s diverse units and functions.
“Cross Function Day was a great opportunity for everyone in IH to come together and hear not only how their processes impact other areas in IH, but also to learn how IH as a whole supports the warfighter,” Air Force Col. Glenn Chadwick, Industrial Hardware director, said. “With a lot of folks teleworking and working in different buildings, we don't often get the chance to sit with our peers to discuss how we can help each other do things better.”
Joanne Anello, IH Traditional Acquisition division chief and the Cross Function Day’s lead organizer, explained that the event materialized from feedback she was getting from her quarterly division meetings, as well as IH employee feedback in the 2016 DLA Climate Culture Survey.
“Some of the feedback I got from people was they thought we should get everybody together – all of the employees, not just from within my division – just so people were getting the same message about different topics,” Anello said.
Cross Function Day topics included product testing procedures, post contract-award requests, organic manufacturing, procurement-process support and information management.
“Everyone in IH does amazing work every day,” Chadwick said. “But the more chances we have to learn, the better and more efficient we can become, which will ensure the best possible support to our American service men and women around the world.”
Tina Dormer, IH material planner, said she gained more in-depth knowledge of quality notifications, including why they are received and how they’re processed.
“As a material planner, being able to accurately follow the QN, or issue being resolved, will help me provide accurate supply status to my internal and external customers for the items I manage,” said Dormer. “I enjoyed the meet-and-greet at the beginning of the program. I spoke with co-workers I hadn't seen since our division moved to [another building] and met co-workers that I had only exchanged emails with.”
While much of the day focused on procedural topics, IH tech quality product specialist Christopher LaFrancis engaged his fellow IH colleagues in a hands-on team building event.
“What if we represent all five services … paint it up and make it fun?” asked LaFrancis, recounting his creative process.
Using metal work skills garnered during his time in the U.S. Air Force, LaFrancis developed five sheet metal silhouettes of the Army, Marine, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard insignia. He gathered hardware actually managed by the IH supply chain – button head solid rivets, counter-sunk solid rivets, pull-though rivets, nut plates and shear bolts – to design what he called “Project X.”
IH employees gathered at work stations equipped with schematics, hand tools and detailed instructions on how to properly affix the letters “I” and “H” for Industrial Hardware to the front of the silhouettes.
Within roughly 45 minutes, new décor was ready for hanging within IH facilities. LaFrancis hopes employees will walk past and remember their involvement in the construction, even a specific bolt or rivet placement.
As the Cross Function Day concluded, Anello reflected on the idea that the success of Industrial Hardware is not just the actions of one person, but it is everyone working together across the different functions to achieve the ultimate goal of supporting the warfighter.
“Several employees, some who have been here for over 30 years and others who are newer, came up to me and told me that they learned something. To me, that is a success and we achieved our goal,” Anello said.