Trash or treasure, let AFREP decide

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman La'Shanette V. Garrett
  • 2d Bomb Wing
BARKSDALE AFB- LA --  In the early to mid 90s the Air Force adopted a program from the Navy known as Gold Flag. Today, it is called the Air Force Repair Enhancement Program and performs two functions-- cost avoidance and cost savings. 

Cost avoidance is the repair of items to avoid replacement costs. The program repairs items such as circuit cards, aircraft parts, printers, shredders and televisions for base organizations. It is limited to repair items based on funds, warranties and authorizations.
"Cost avoidance also encompasses aircraft assets that can be repaired on base, but are not ordered enough to warrant or have the item added to the cost savings repair list," said Tech. Sgt. Jason Baldwin, AFREP manager. 

Cost savings are either aircraft or aircraft support equipment assets that can be repaired for less than 50 percent of the cost of a new like item. For cost savings AFREP is limited to repair items that are coded as either expendable or base repairable items.
 
"The difference is considered saved and put into an account which can be used for base improvements and morale needs," said Sergeant Baldwin.
In fiscal year 2009, AFREP repaired 352 assets and saved the 2d Bomb Wing $258,035.60 in replacement costs. 

Also, AFREP yielded a total cost savings of $41 million, surpassing the million dollar mark for only the second time in Barksdale AFREP history, the first was in fiscal year 2007. 

AFREP savings are currently being spent on a new electric power lift, base marquee, honor guard uniforms, smart boards for wing training, tools and tool boxes, required building upgrades and furniture. 

Airmen from various career fields are selected to operate the AFREP office. 

"Getting selected for AFREP is a highly competitive process," said Sergeant Baldwin. "Personnel are hand-picked by their supervision and allowed to interview for a position when one becomes available. Items taken into consideration are last five enlisted performance reports, awards won, supervision recommendations and overall impression given during the interview. Due to the high impact and high visibility of AFREP, there are a lot of very important briefings given through the course of the year. This requires individuals with great public speaking abilities." 

Once hired, AFREP personnel are sent to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz, for a seven-week training course for certification. 

"Training includes a miniature portion of soldering, soldering components that can be seen with the naked eye," said Sergeant Baldwin. "Once an individual passes this section, they will receive training on micro-soldering. This section is performed under a 20X microscope with very strict standards. After micro-miniature certification there is a one-week course in utilizing the huntron station, which is a piece of test equipment that is used to test circuit cards by measuring signatures across every component on a circuit card.," continued Sergeant Baldwin. 

AFREPs goals are far more modest. Their aim is to optimize Air Force resources by increasing the wing-level repair capability in an effort to save other units the hassle and cost of purchasing brand new items as older parts wear out. 

"For fiscal year 2010, AFREP will continue its focus on A-10 aircraft items while monitoring item serial number data to ensure repair quality," said Master Sgt. Bryon Trowbridge, 2d Maintenance Squadron product improvement manager. "AFREP has also recently hired a jet engine mechanic to look for unique opportunities not normally examined by AFREP before. With only four personnel assigned, AFREP's achievements are impressive and consistent but there are always improvements to uncover. 

For offices that have equipment thats not functioning properly or needs to be repaired, and don't know if it's trash or treasure, contact AFREP at 456-8986.