OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea --
In today’s ever-changing digital landscape, the Air Force is streamlining everyday processes with technology helping members do their jobs with less hassle and more efficiency.
The 51st Logistics Readiness Squadron Vehicle Maintenance Flight recently upgraded their outdated paper Technical Order manuals to a durable digital system capable of quick updates, saving money and manpower.
“For us, it’s all about having more efficient processes for the guys on the floor,” said Chief Master Sgt. Kevin Mead, 51st LRS Vehicle Management flight chief. “I want them to be able to have their TOs with them in hand because that’s what they should be doing when they work on a vehicle. The tablets give them that ability with ease.”
The upgrade to the digital TO system, eTools Lite, took a little over six months from inception to completion, which consisted of buying the tablets, a computer and peripherals, installing the programs and creating a streamlined updating process.
Before the upgrade, the shop maintained a huge, antiquated paper library of TOs for every vehicle model on base. Those TOs had to be updated manuallycosting many man hours and paper reams.
“We have TOs for every GOV car model on base and every single change within those models like body and engine type as well as fixes for everything that could go wrong,” said Senior Airman Collin Curry, 51st Logistics Readiness Squadron upgrade project lead. “Add onto that industrial application vehicles and then have a TO for every single minuscule version of that. It’s demanding, but we have to have it.”
With the new system, the tablets holds every TO in their digital library and all the updates happen seamlessly, with no paper printing or binding necessary.
The eTools Lite program is not new to the Air Force. Aircraft maintainers adopted the system several years ago to gain the same benefits and are still using it today, proving its capability and power over time.
“Now, our vehicle maintainers don’t have to go back off the shop floor into an office, find an available computer, look up the parts and print out some pages,” said Mead. “They have it in their hand. It saves us a ridiculous amount of time.”
The Airmen and civilians in the Vehicle Maintenance team ensures Osan’s 1,300 government owned vehicles remain in good repair. The eTools Lite system enables them in their duties putting all of the essential knowledge right in the palm of their hands.