Newspaper Page Text
HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1979
—Robins AFB Review-
Small Business Outreach
Brings Results At WRALC
Top awards are getting
to be a habit with the
small business ad
ministration office at
Warner Robins Air
Logistics Center.
Scarcely had
correspondence arrived
concerning the Secretary
of the Air Force Small
Business and Minority
Enterprise Award when
the 1979 award was an
nounced by telephone.
Bob Beckmann, office
chief since February
1969, proudly
acknowledges that his
people have earned the
award annually since
1972 except for 1974.
“But we haven’t done it
alone. The involvement of
everyone - manufac
turing, maintenance,
engineering, materiel
management - and the
support of the command
section enabled us to
reach or exceed our
goals.
“Just consider this. Os
the over one billion
dollars spent by this
center last year, $177
million went to small
business concerns. An
additional $15.7 million
went to disadvantaged
business firms.”
Beckmann said small
business contracts in 1978
totaled $l3B million -- the
goal was $122.1 million.
“But, we achieved $7.3
Women Playing
Important Role
At Robins AFB
By Joyce Taylor
The old adage is true:
‘‘lt’s an ever-changing
world.”
Except in times of war
(remember ‘‘Rosie the
Riveter” of World War II
fame?), women have
shied away from the non
traditional or ‘‘blue
collar” jobs -- jobs which
involve heavy lifting,
handling and operating
all types and sizes of
machinery, or working
outside in all kinds of
weather. Those were jobs
considered only for men.
Certainly, the more
than 4,600 blue collar jobs
in the Warner Robins Air
Logistics Center’s
Directorate of Main
tenance fit this category -
- jobs such as overhauling
aircraft, repairing
complex electronic units,
operating routers,
grinders, lathes or drill
presses, depainting and
painting aircraft.
Today’s environment,
however, reflects the
changing attitude of both
women and men toward
these non-traditional
jobs.
And that attitude holds
true for the some 600
women assigned to blue
collar jobs in the local
Maintenance activity --
those hard, dirty jobs
previously accomplished
by men only.
Deborah Strickland is
one of those women. Her
duties consist of ac
complishing aircraft
sheet metal repair such
as disassembly of
damaged sheet metal
parts and segments of
aircraft skin; then cut
ting, installing and for
ming replacement items.
As part of her assignment
to the Aircraft Division,
Deborah also performs
minor repair work and
cleaning operations on
the integral tanks and
fuel cells of C-130 air
craft.
Some women might
complain about having
their hands in dish water
several times a day, but
not Maryann Brantley
million,” he reveals.
He adds, “We’re
dealing primarily with
300 buyers. This is selling
process for us. It’s
the degree of selling that
my people do that get
them involved and
motivated to do the kind
of job that makes these
awards possible.”
Beckmann, who
worked in various
procurement manage
ment positions from 1958
to 1969 at Robins, smiles
in a relaxed manner as he
discusses the small
business operation. But
excitement leaps into his
voice as he begins to talk
about “Outreach.”
“I’m sold on this
program. I like to talk
about it. Do you realize
that 60 percent of the total
American population
earns its livelihood from
small businesses? That 97
percent of all U.S.
business is small; that 95
percent of all companies
have fewer than 20 em
ployees; that 40 percent
of the total volume is
small business firms.”
The Air Force gets into
the small business act, he
explains, when “we buy
the data along with the
system from an aircraft
company, for example.”
He says, “This is where
our outreach program
comes into its own. We
whose hands are
sometimes immersed in
silicon oil for eight hours
a day. Maryann, an
electronics mechanic
assigned to the Air
borne Electronics
Division, is responsible
for troubleshooting,
repairing and aligning
electronic subassemblies
on the ALT-28 Electronics
Warfare System used on
the B-52 aircraft.
The subassemblies
must be tested in a
chamber which is filled
with DC-200 oil due to the
high voltage present
during test.
Justine Norwood, an
electronics mechanic
helper also assigned to
the Airborne Electronics
Division, disassembles,
overhauls, repairs and
modifies the transmitter
of the ALT-28 system that
Maryann immerses in the
oil for testing on the
ALM-26A test set.
Maintenance women
are not limited to
mechanic or repair type
jobs, but are becoming
leaders in their field.
Vivian Gregory, an
aircraft electrician
foreman in the Industrial
Products Division,
supervises 14 electricians
involved in manufac
turing wire harnesses,
control panels, time
compliance technical
order (TCTO) kits and
many other items
required to keep C-130, C
-141 and F-15 aircraft
flying.
Maintenance is con
tinuing its endeavor to
recruit and train women
into these non-traditional
jobs through Apprentice
Programs. The five
current apprentice
programs -- electronics
mechanics, sheet metal
mechanics, aircraft
mechanics, instrument
workers and machinists,
all have women assigned.
The statement "it’s a
man’s world” no longer
applies to the Directorate
of Maintenance at
Warner Robins ALC.
attempt to broaden our
base to encourage
competition. Historically
this has resulted in lower
prices.
“But the two-man or
three-man shop doesn’t
entertain the idea of
doing business with the
Air Force. We have to
convince them that
aircraft parts don’t have
to involve an exotic
production system.”
Generally, the small
business office en
courages “people to come
in and look at our exhibit
of 2,500 to 3,000 sample
items before they say
they can’t do anything for
us,” Beckmann says. He
points to plastic items,
electronics and machines
parts, and many that
require sewing
capability.
“We desperately need
sources. Ours are limited
and our dollars are
limited. Actually, we’re
just being selfish. Most of
the 100,000 individual
items managed here are
for immediate con
sumption. Big inventories
are too expensive these
days so we need back up
parts available in the
market.”
Getting in to see Beck
mann is easy, he insists.
“Just call 926-5871 and
come to the gate. We
make arrangements for
you to come to our office
and look around.”
Although he canvasses
* the entire Southeast
looking for new com
panies, Beckmann ad
vises the small business
man or woman in this
area to remember this.
“We are the largest in
dustrial complex in the
Southeast. We’re a prime
market for your wares
and we’re right here in
your backyard.”
Ray Lowery, president
of the small Pembroke
Machine Shop in North
Carolina, is an example
of the success being at
tained by the Robins
outreach program.
Beckmann explains,
“He’s an Indian with four
people working for him. I
found him when I was in
North Carolina seeking
sources to meet our needs
in 1975. Because he was
certified by the Small
Business Administration
as a disadvantaged firm,
he obtained on a non
competitive basis his first
contract for a small roller
assembly to be used in a
mechanized loading
ramp system.
“However, he’s had
several other contracts
for which he submitted
bids. He’s working on
some now. These are for
other small parts.
“I also used him as a
keynote speaker at a
symposium we conducted
here for disadvantaged
firms.”
Lowery is typical,
Beckmann says. “It’s the
guy wearing a grease
stained apron I talk to in
a shop. When I ask to
speak to the president, he
just takes the apron off.”
Officially, the small
disadvantaged business
concern is at least 51
percent owned by one or
more socially and
economically disad
vantaged individuals ...
The armed services
procurement regulation
of July 27, 1979, describes
the socially disad
vantaged individual as
,419
/'.Vt SHOPPING
i DAYS LEFT
j CHRISTMAS
75th ANNIVERSARY
AMERICAN LUNG ASSN.
The Christmas Seal People *
one who has been sub
jected to racial or ethnic
prejudice or cultural
bias. The economically
disadvantaged are those
socially disadvantaged
individuals whos ability
to compete in the free
enterprise system has
been impaired due to
diminished capital and
credit opportunities ...”
For several years the
Robins small business
office operated a
traveling exhibit. “I
found an old trailer in the
scrap yard and we spent
$2,600 to renovate it. We
covered 25,000 miles on
the East Coast showing
small business com
panies just what we
needed. In 1974 we turned
it over to the command to
include displays from all
five centers. It’s now
rotating from center to
center. It’s out in
Robins AFB sth CCG Enters Space Age
The sth Combat
Comminications Group
has taken that small step
to make the giant leap
into the space age.
The group now has the
most versatile tactical
communications ter
minals in the Air Force
communications system
m i y' ___ \ /yi j \
Z* 1 **‘2y*i-y / I I / / Ky ft
OUTLET^WORLD
SeasonfoßeSaving!
Pio Nono at Eisenhower Parkway, Macon Mon.-Sat. 10-9, Sun. 1-6
Santa at Westgate through Christmas (4-9 p.m. weekdays, 10-9 Saturdays)
California and will be
moving soon to Texas.”
All procurement
requirements of SIO,OOO
or over must be publicly
announced in a com
merce business daily and
displayed at the local
office. There are two
segments: those open for
bids by large and small
companies and those that
are set aside for small
business firms.
“Invariably the small
business man gets the
award when bidding. The
next time that contract is
set aside for the small
business companies,”
Beckmann says.
The day is coming ,
Beckmann predicts,
when large Air Force
contracts will go to a
small group of little old
ladies or men operating a
sewing room in a garage
or even a spare bedroom.
inventory, according to
2d Lt. Michael D. Led
ford, the group’s Quick
Reaction Com
munications Facility
(QRFC) commander.
The two new terminals
communicate in the
super high frequency
spectrum of the radio
Robins Airman
Good Samaritan
No one can tell Airman
Bobby G. Carter of
Albany, Ga., that Good
Samaritans have gone
out of style.
Because of the death of
his father, Carter flew to
Georgia early Wed
nesday evening from
Norton AFB, San Ber
nardina, Calif. On arrival
at Robins, Carter found
out he couldn’t get a bus
home for several hours.
Immediately, a Robins
civilian at base
operations volunteered to
take two hours of annual
leave to drive the young
airman to Albany.
Retired Air Force TSgt.
Duane F. Nottis of
Warner Robins reports
that Carter was home by
11:30 p.m. Wednesday.
The Good Samaritan
himself was back at his
own house “about 1:45”
but didn’t have to report
for work Thursday -- it’s
hi? day off.
Nottis said he wanted to
help Carter because he
remembered his own
band, the lieutenant
explains. This, he said,
allows them to operate in
the worst weather con
ditions. Because they
operate via satellite, they
can be separated by one
third of the world’s
distance and still
maintain superior
father’s death on
Christmas Day, 1968.
“When I saw the situation
Carter was in, I started
thinking about my flight
from Mountain Home,
Idaho, to Chicago.
“That was Dec. 27.
There was a terrible
crash in Chicago and we
couldn’t get out to Buffalo
until the next day. Then,
we were the only plane to
land that day in Buffalo.
Snowstorms forced the
airport to close. I
remember that I barely
made my dad’s funeral. I
arrived just 15 minutes
before it started.”
Nottis said he
remembers, too, how the
Central Baptist Church in
Warner Robins, other
groups and individuals
in the Middle Georgia
community tried to help
him and his Vietnamese
wife, Suu thi, in the
spring of 1975.
“Saigon was falling and
we were trying to get her
son, Hue, then only 6
years old, out of the
communications, he
added. “The terminal is a
self-contained, highly
mobile unit.”
On hand when the
lieutenant accepted the
terminals’ keys from
Capt. B.E. Wallachy,
Tactical Air Command
Communications Area,
PAGE 3-A
country. We didn’t
succeed but we certainly
had many offers of
assistance.”
Nottis says he and his
wife - “she’s Sue since
she got her citizenship in
1977” - still are trying to
locate her son in order to
get him out of Vietnam.
“We’ve had a few
letters but we understand
we won’t succeed until we
come up with about $6,000
and cut through a lot of
red tape.”
Nottis, who retired in
September, 1975, has
been on base as a civilian
since February, 1977. He
is assigned to the tran
sient aircraft main
tenance branch. “We
park and service in
coming aircraft,’’ he
explains.
He and Sue have a 7-
•year-old son, Khoa, a
second grader at Park
wood Elementary School.
“We call him Danny. You
should see all the 100
papers he gets.”
Langley AFB, Va., were
Capt. Church Swanson,
Headquarters, Air Force
Communications Ser
vice; Jeff Thurston,
assistant program
manager, electronics
systems division, and
members of the QRCF
satellite section.