Ten Future Lean Six Sigma Green Belts Graduate at USAMMCE
Ten Lean Six Sigma Green Belt candidates from the U.S. Army Medical Materiel Center, Europe graduated at a ceremony held Sept. 30. The graduating group was comprised of both military and civilian personnel.
To fulfill the first step in becoming an LSS Green Belt, the candidates completed two one-week blocks of classroom training. According to Jutta Herold, USAMMCE Green Belt and mentor for the candidates, LSS is taught in two steps involving classroom training followed by completion of an actual LSS project.
While division chiefs normally recommend projects to the USAMMCE commander for approval, final approval is given by the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command, which directs the USAMMCE. Some projects are also dictated by Balanced Scorecard initiatives, ISO findings, higher headquarters audit, or internal survey findings. The projects are process-oriented and must yield a savings of at least $50,000.
Maj. Jason Mathre, USAMMCE Black Belt candidate and chief of the Resource Management Division said, "LSS is the Army's approved methodology for continuous process improvement and to meet the efficiency savings goals established by the Secretary of Defense."
"It was one of the toughest classes I ever attended," said Juergen Kreissl, a USAMMCE local national employee.
He followed by saying that for a non-native English language speaker, it was hard to learn and understand the LSS terminology. His hope is that LSS training will not only improve the workflow of USAMMCE's business processes, but that it will also be helpful in other aspects of his daily life.
Capt. Dana Love, chief of the transportation branch, said that LSS affords him the tools to assess and implement effective changes in his current environment. He praised LSS instructor Lee Tapia as an exceptional teacher who is able to show her students how this course can change their work environment.
All of the graduates agreed that LSS training will enable them to improve their work processes.
The USAMMCE congratulates all of its LSS Green Belt graduates.