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Air Force Institute of Technology

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Aspects Of Profession And The Military Perspective, Jody B. Dow Sep 1998

Aspects Of Profession And The Military Perspective, Jody B. Dow

Theses and Dissertations

The term "Profession" does not have a consistently applied definition within society. In the military, the ambiguity of the definition places military members in a situation where understanding their professional responsibilities is difficult. This thesis examines the characteristics of traditional professions and draws parallels to the military. This study identifies critical characteristics of professional behavior that military members should be aware of in pursuing professionalism. Data were gathered from academic and popular literature for evaluation. Sufficient evidence exists in literature to identify the factors of special knowledge and service orientation of a profession as critical to professional status. The military, …

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Material Requirements Planning In Air Force Depot-Level Maintenance, Kevin J. Gaudette Sep 1998

Material Requirements Planning In Air Force Depot-Level Maintenance, Kevin J. Gaudette

Theses and Dissertations

The Department of Defense has historically relied on Wilson's Economic Order Quantity (EOQ) model for consumable item management at all levels. With inventory practices under intense Congressional scrutiny over the past decade, the Air Force Materiel Command has searched for alternative systems to better manage its consumable inventory. Material Requirements Planning (MRP) is one such system, as is the MRP-based Repairability Forecast Model (RFM) developed by CACI. This thesis examines the wisdom of applying MRP logic in a remanufacturing environment. MRP has had some degree of success in environments where requirements are relatively certain and demand and lead time variability …

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An Economic/Demographic Comparison Of Air Force And Other Service Families, John C. Glover Sep 1998

An Economic/Demographic Comparison Of Air Force And Other Service Families, John C. Glover

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to compare economic, attitudinal and demographic variables for families in all branches of service to see in which areas the Air Force is ranked/rated higher and lower than other services. Analysis is broken out by officers and enlisted personnel in all main branches of service (Air Force, Army, Navy, and Marines). Two testing methods are employed to determine if there is a difference between the services: Tukey's multiple comparison procedure, and pair-wise comparisons of proportions for the different services. Results indicate that Air Force officers rate the Air Force higher for lower number of …

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Factors Influencing Utilization Of Air Cargo Containerization In The United States Air Force, Joel W. Gartner Sep 1998

Factors Influencing Utilization Of Air Cargo Containerization In The United States Air Force, Joel W. Gartner

Theses and Dissertations

As the Department of Defense budget continues to decrease, the growing requirement to meet national strategic mobility objectives with limited resources provides a major impetus for cost effective and credible transportation innovations. The commercial transportation industry has increasingly accepted cargo containerization as a method to take advantage of intermodal shipping efficiency and cost savings. The military implementation of these same shipping initiatives must be flexible, reliable, and compatible with the existing cargo handling systems already designed to deliver fighting forces to conflicts throughout the world. This thesis examines cost and container utilization factors among units familiar with the ISU bins …

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A Comparison Of Proposed Air Expeditionary Force Packages Using The Thunder Campaign Simulation Program, Brian M. Godfrey Sep 1998

A Comparison Of Proposed Air Expeditionary Force Packages Using The Thunder Campaign Simulation Program, Brian M. Godfrey

Theses and Dissertations

There are currently only two force packages under consideration for Air Expeditionary Force (AEF) deployment: the Eagle package and the Falcon package. This thesis examines these and three other force packages for operational feasibility. The comparisons made between the five packages were based on five operational measures and two which describe the logistics involved with deploying each package. The operational measures and one logistics measure are obtained from the THUNDER simulation software package. The other logistics measure, amount of short-tons of cargo required to support each package, was obtained from the Logistics Plans office at HQ ACC. The principal contribution …

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Strategic Planning Within The Department Of Defense: A Focus On Strategic Hierarchical Consistency, Thomas E. Hartzell Sep 1998

Strategic Planning Within The Department Of Defense: A Focus On Strategic Hierarchical Consistency, Thomas E. Hartzell

Theses and Dissertations

Mandated within the Department of Defense (DoD) by the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) of 1993, strategic planning is a systematic process organizations employ to envision the future and direct actions to desired outcomes within that future. Unfortunately, strong evidence suggests DoD and United States Air Force (USAF) planning efforts to date have met with limited success. This research explores one reason for this limited success. Towards this end, it defines a strategic hierarchical consistency construct and proposes a scale to measure one component, the alignment of mission, vision, and goal statements among a hierarchy of organizational plans. It …

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Effects Of Group Support Systems On United States Air Force Strategic Planning Efforts, Bryan K. Hasty Sep 1998

Effects Of Group Support Systems On United States Air Force Strategic Planning Efforts, Bryan K. Hasty

Theses and Dissertations

Strategic planning at an Air Force wing is a team based activity that offers many advantages to the Air Force. But, it is clear there are still questions about how to properly conduct strategic planning to produce the highest quality plans in the most effective and efficient manner. To answer this question, the Air Force created a research project aimed at discovering new methods to improve strategic planning at Air Force wing levels using a computer-mediated communication system. The research project's goal is to apply collaborative processes and technologies, such as Group Support Systems (GSS), to improve the quality of …

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A Descriptive Study Of Information Operations And Information Warfare Awareness In The United States Air Force, Ryan D. Hollman Sep 1998

A Descriptive Study Of Information Operations And Information Warfare Awareness In The United States Air Force, Ryan D. Hollman

Theses and Dissertations

Information has always been important in military affairs, conflicts, and wars. Information warfare is an important new concept that is emphasized by the significance of computer and information technology. The United States Air Force has educated and trained individuals in information warfare since recognizing the importance of information warfare in 1995. The Air Force Information Warfare Center and the information warfare squadron were also created to address information warfare concerns. Information warfare is important to the entire Air Force. How familiar are Air Force people generally in information warfare? This thesis addresses awareness of information warfare and information operations concepts. …

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Evaluation Of The Performance Of The Cooperative Logistics Supply Support Arrangement For Rokaf, Mansik Hur Sep 1998

Evaluation Of The Performance Of The Cooperative Logistics Supply Support Arrangement For Rokaf, Mansik Hur

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the performance of the Cooperative Logistics Supply Support Arrangement (CLSSA) for Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF). As one of the biggest FMS customer countries, ROKAF buys a substantial portion of its weapon systems from the U.S. Government and relies on the follow-on supply support from the source of acquisition. Because of the advantage of the CLSSA program for its timely support to foreign countries, the CLSSA has been the preferred method of follow-on supply support for FMS customer countries and its magnitude and coverage are being increased. To find out the level of supply support for …

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An Examination Of The United States Air Service's Logistics Operations, Andrew W. Hunt Sep 1998

An Examination Of The United States Air Service's Logistics Operations, Andrew W. Hunt

Theses and Dissertations

This historical study details the U.S. Air Service's logistics operations at home and abroad in an attempt to determine the relationship between the process and more recently established logistic principles. The information in the study was collected through an extensive review of both first hand accounts and historical compilations of the nature of World War I aviation logistics. Information regarding the production of the De Haviland DH-4 and Liberty Engine serve as the primary case examples of the operation of the logistics system. The established principles required for comparison were extracted from the writings of a number of expert military …

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An Analysis Of A-76 Study Effectiveness, Joshua M. Kovich Sep 1998

An Analysis Of A-76 Study Effectiveness, Joshua M. Kovich

Theses and Dissertations

As the Air Force budget continues to decrease, A-76 studies have become an increasingly popular method to cut costs. By cuffing costs, money is then freed up for other requirements such as force modernization. Care must be taken to ensure the process is working as designed and the actual savings are in line with projections. This thesis examines an A-76 study recently conducted at Wright Patterson AFB, OH. The focus is to evaluate the costs used in the decision and how the decision would have been affected by changes in these costs. The results indicate that some costs are incorrectly …

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Impact Of Facilitator Co-Location And Alignment On The Efficacy Of Group Support Systems Employed In A Distributed Setting, Jeffrey A. Lea Sep 1998

Impact Of Facilitator Co-Location And Alignment On The Efficacy Of Group Support Systems Employed In A Distributed Setting, Jeffrey A. Lea

Theses and Dissertations

Group Support Systems (GSSs) are a combination of hardware, software, and human facilitation designed and employed to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of decision making groups. Engineers at the Sustainment Logistics Branch of the Air Force Research Laboratory have recently proposed employing the technology in a distributed setting to conjoin geographically separated members of decision making groups in order to facilitate the reengineering of logistics processes in an any place/any time environment To date GSSs have been studied and employed primarily in the same time/same place setting. Consequently, little is known or understood of the effects that use of these …

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A Return On Investment Model For Air Force Technology Transfer, Bradley W. Mcdonald Sep 1998

A Return On Investment Model For Air Force Technology Transfer, Bradley W. Mcdonald

Theses and Dissertations

Air Force policy states the fundamental reason for participating in technology transfer is to maximize the return on investment (ROI) on research and development (R&D) funds. Public law dictates that federal agencies, including the Air Force, are to spend no less than 0.5% of their overall R&D budget in the pursuit of technology transfer. However, there is currently no ROI model available to the decision maker in the evaluation of alternative transfer opportunities. This research effort develops a model that measures the ROI of individual cooperative research and development agreements (CIWAs) on the basis of the objective and subjective benefits …

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Full Integration Of Women In The Air Force: Myth Or Possibility?, Helen M. Newell Sep 1998

Full Integration Of Women In The Air Force: Myth Or Possibility?, Helen M. Newell

Theses and Dissertations

The full integration of women in the military, particularly the United States Air Force, has been an ongoing effort. Based on the definition of "full integration" as allowing all qualified military personnel the opportunity to hold any position and accomplish any mission, given that they are in possession of the required capabilities and training, without restriction, certain issues have arisen during the course of the integration process. These issues include sex, as defined by gender and function, the capability of women to accomplish the same tasks as men, and the combat issue. To support and establish the full integration of …

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Measuring The Effect Of Rfid Technology On Movement Of U.S. Army Resupply Cargo, Leigh E. Method Sep 1998

Measuring The Effect Of Rfid Technology On Movement Of U.S. Army Resupply Cargo, Leigh E. Method

Theses and Dissertations

This research is an analysis of the effect that the added in-transit visibility (ITV) associated with applying Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to Army resupply cargo makes on total cycle time (from entry into to exit from the system) within the Air Mobility Command (AMC) portion of the Defense Transportation System. Although information technology applications are known to contribute to ITV, there has been no attempt to quantify it despite a perception held by at least part of the DoD community that ITV initiatives will reduce logistics response time by improving cycle time. This study was aimed at quantifying RFID …

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An Investigation Of The Reliability Of The Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (Cpars), John C. Odum Sep 1998

An Investigation Of The Reliability Of The Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (Cpars), John C. Odum

Theses and Dissertations

An Industry trend is to establish long-term relationships with reliable suppliers. One of the criteria used to pick these "reliable suppliers" is past performance. The Department of Defense is also attempting to capitalize on this logical trend to the maximum extent possible by using past performance as an evaluation factor in source selections. Air Force Material Command (AFMC) employs the Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS). This thesis examines the reliability of the CPARS. This thesis found, despite the fact that policy mandates color ratings be based on period objective measures, the cost color ratings were more consistent with cumulative …

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A History Of The Developments Of Fraternization Policies, Jeffrey C. Russell Sep 1998

A History Of The Developments Of Fraternization Policies, Jeffrey C. Russell

Theses and Dissertations

Criticisms of the Air Force's fraternization policy predominantly conclude that the prohibition of fraternization is based upon a caste system, which evolved from the class divisions of the Middle Ages and is designed to maintain those social divisions. The Air Force maintains that fraternization policies are necessary because fraternization adversely affects morale and discipline. This study uses qualitative research methods, ethnography and grounded theory, to consider the impacts of military customs, military structure, and societal structure to analyze the evolution of fraternization policies through Western military history as they relate to the development of the current Air Force policy. This …

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An Examination Of Information Technology Valuation Models For The Air Force, Todd A. Peachey Sep 1998

An Examination Of Information Technology Valuation Models For The Air Force, Todd A. Peachey

Theses and Dissertations

Information technology investment has become a significant part of the Department of Defense's budget. The Information Technology Management Reform Act requires that government quantitatively evaluate future information technology investments. Quantitative evaluation of IT investments present special problems for agencies that do not generate incoming cash flows. This thesis is designed to examine models that are currently being used in the public and private sector of the economy to evaluate Information Technology investments to learn which ones might serve the needs of the United States Air Force. The methodology is an exploratory study based on Criterion based Congruence Analysis. This technique …

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Student Assessment Selection Behavior Analysis Of Institutions Conducting Distance Education, Clayton W. Sammons Sep 1998

Student Assessment Selection Behavior Analysis Of Institutions Conducting Distance Education, Clayton W. Sammons

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis discovers issues universities use when deciding what types of exams will be used for distance education students. Many universities conduct distance education courses electronically but do not conduct the evaluation instruments electronically. Universities across the country, diversified by academic rankings, tuition, and student population were interviewed. Results generally revealed security concerns as the most prevalent reason for universities avoiding electronic exams. However, some universities have created evaluation methods to mitigate the security risks and perform electronic assessments such as projects or exams that are tailored to reduce the possibility of cheating. Examples of the tailored exam questions include …

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A Comparison Of 8-Hour Vs. 12-Hour Shifts On Performance, Health And Safety In A Usaf Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Kelly J. Scott Sep 1998

A Comparison Of 8-Hour Vs. 12-Hour Shifts On Performance, Health And Safety In A Usaf Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Kelly J. Scott

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the effects of converting a large USAF aircraft maintenance squadron from an 8- hour shift system to a 12-hour shift system. In 1996, the squadron converted its 24-hour operations from three 8-hour work shifts, to two 12-hour work shifts with compressed work weeks. The squadron maintained 12-hour shifts for 19 consecutive months. A comparison was made of organizational performance, worker health and safety measures before, during and after 12-hour shift implementation. Findings indicated that changing from 8- to 12-hour shifts resulted in a slight increase in aircraft Mission Capability rates. However, this benefit appears to have come …

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Outsourcing: An Historical Review For The Projection Of Future Savings, Leslee J. Saleck Sep 1998

Outsourcing: An Historical Review For The Projection Of Future Savings, Leslee J. Saleck

Theses and Dissertations

Because of continuing budget and personnel limitations and the need to fund weapons modernization, the Department of Defense has increased its emphasis on outsourcing support activities. Recent studies have suggested that aggressive outsourcing of support activities by the DoD could produce billions of dollars in savings. The overriding purpose behind this research was to determine to what extent projected savings can be substantiated. To explore the potential for savings, this thesis examines the evolution and impact of outsourcing and privatization in both the private and public sectors. Next it looks at the experiences of private and public sectors to identify …

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Technology Acceptance: A Fusion Of Human-Computer Interaction And Management Information Systems Constructs, Patrick W. Wright Sep 1998

Technology Acceptance: A Fusion Of Human-Computer Interaction And Management Information Systems Constructs, Patrick W. Wright

Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, information technology has advanced at a pace that few would have anticipated. It has been estimated that the computing power of the modem desktop computer has been increasing at the rate of 1000% per decade. In combination with the development of personal computers, the advent of networks and the world wide web provide unprecedented access to information and computing power. However, the problem of developing useful user interfaces remains a problem. In many military and commercial settings, the increased computing power offered by current information technology remains unexploited because of user interfaces that are difficult to use. …

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An Exploratory Study On The Strategic Use Of Information Technology In The Source Selection Decision-Making Process, Kathy L. Spainhower Sep 1998

An Exploratory Study On The Strategic Use Of Information Technology In The Source Selection Decision-Making Process, Kathy L. Spainhower

Theses and Dissertations

The strategic use of Information Technology in the acquisition field can be very useful in the decision making process of evaluating alternative solutions during a Government source selection. Current implementation of information technology provides a more tactical approach to systems development. The use of Electronic Commerce/Electronic Data Interchange and the internet to electronically transfer information is only the beginning of the shift towards a more strategic design process for information systems within Government procurement agencies. A schematic model was designed to demonstrate how information technology, such as Decision Support Systems, Expert Systems, and Shared Data Warehousing could assist the SSA …

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A Pilot Study Of Space/Missile Crews And Crew Resource Management, John E. Varljen Sep 1998

A Pilot Study Of Space/Missile Crews And Crew Resource Management, John E. Varljen

Theses and Dissertations

This study is a first step in formalizing CRM training as part of Undergraduate Space and Missile Training (USMT) and individual Unit Training thereby capitalizing on techniques already developed and in place for pilots. We evaluated the usefulness of two modified versions of existing CRM measures. Because an attitude measure is easier to implement, this study analyzes the use of an established flight crew attitude measure, the Cockpit Management Attitudes Questionnaire (CMAQ), and a modified version of the Air Force Mobility Command AMC Form 128, March 1995. We conducted the study in two phases. Phase 1 dealt only with Space …

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The Effects Of Internet Misuse On Productivity, Scott A. Stevens Sep 1998

The Effects Of Internet Misuse On Productivity, Scott A. Stevens

Theses and Dissertations

The Internet has become one of the most used technological devices in the United States. Air Force members too, have become dependent on the Internet to complete their work. The Internet offers many features that are important to the members of the Air Force, but the Internet also offers features that may interfere with the member completing their assigned duties. This thesis will address the misuse of the Internet by Air Force personnel and how the Internet affects the productivity of the members within their work environment. This thesis also looks at the problem of personal use of the Internet …

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Effects Of Shiftwork On Air Force Aircraft Maintenance Personnel, Craig A. Campbell Sep 1998

Effects Of Shiftwork On Air Force Aircraft Maintenance Personnel, Craig A. Campbell

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the effects of converting a large aircraft maintenance squadron from 8-hour shifts to 12-hour shifts. The squadron studied converted its 24- hour maintenance work force from three 8-hour work shifts to two 12-hour work shifts incrementally, with one section converting to 12-hour shifts in January, 1996, and the remaining section converting in July, 1996. Both sections remained on 12-hour shifts until September, 1997, when both sections converted back to a three shift 8-hour operation. Health and well being, on- and off-duty accident rates, day shift vs. night shift accident rates, and the effects of stress and fatigue …

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An Evaluation Of Characteristics And Practices Associated With Effective Mentoring Within The United States Air Force, Sharon Gibson Sep 1998

An Evaluation Of Characteristics And Practices Associated With Effective Mentoring Within The United States Air Force, Sharon Gibson

Theses and Dissertations

The US Air Force has recently implemented a policy of assigning supervisors as the mentors of company grade officers. This study investigated the differences in mentoring effectiveness and perceived barriers to mentoring reported by Air Force company grade officers (CGOs), their organizationally assigned mentors (assigned), and CGO selected mentors (voluntary). Results indicated that junior officers believed they had effective mentoring relationships from both assigned and voluntary mentors, but as officers progressed to the rank of captain, they were more likely to seek out mentors outside of their chains of command. Junior officers indicated work related contact time spent on career …

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Building A Conceptual Model To Define The F-22 Supply Support Decision Process, Steven P. James Sep 1998

Building A Conceptual Model To Define The F-22 Supply Support Decision Process, Steven P. James

Theses and Dissertations

The Air Force requires a method to determine the most effective and efficient means of supply support for new weapon system acquisitions. This study is a qualitative research effort that examines this requirement in an environment that embraces interim contractor support for the F-22. A series of six propositions are suggested to incorporate in the supply support decision-making process. A conceptual model is developed from these propositions to describe the process for determining the optimal timeframe for making long term supply support decisions. A systems approach to project management is used as the vehicle for this process, and the F-22 …

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A Forecasting Approach To Improve Logistics Planning In The Colombian Air Force, Daniel A. Melendez Sep 1998

A Forecasting Approach To Improve Logistics Planning In The Colombian Air Force, Daniel A. Melendez

Theses and Dissertations

The Colombian Air Force recently installed a logistics operating system to improve the logistics system. However, the inventory cost and turnover have not stopped growing; subsequently, the operational readiness has been affected. The purpose of the study was to compare the performance of several forecasting techniques to improve the current planning process of aircraft parts in the CAF. The research used five phases. The first phase identified the relevant factors and the forecasting techniques selected for the experiment. The factors were repairability, demandability and uniqueness. The forecasting methods were single and double exponential, moving average, autoregression and linear regression. The …

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Determining The Characteristics Of The Air Force Telecommuting Program, Joseph L. Wolfkiel Sep 1998

Determining The Characteristics Of The Air Force Telecommuting Program, Joseph L. Wolfkiel

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores advantages and disadvantages to be realized from telecommuting, along with developing a linear regression model that identifies factors correlated with preference for telecommuting among Air Force personnel. This thesis uses a stated preference model derived from existing telecommuting research to characterize the factors impacting the preference for civilian, officer, and enlisted Air Force personnel. The regression models developed showed that factors affecting telecommuting preference were different among different sub-samples. Two factors were universal across the sample. Those were "Amount of Telecommuting Job Allows," and "Allow More Work Done." These two factors gave R-squared values of over .39 …

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