Key Insights and Decisions

Going into this week, we had two hypotheses we intended to examine:

 

1. Would the ability to have a Maintenance Production Report audited autonomously provide value to a higher level, Quality Control level Marines?

 

It turns out that this sort of tool would primarily provide benefit to the Marine’s in charge of validating the service requests. By scanning through these reports for common discrepancies, we would present the Marine who is responsible for checking (MSgt. Lemus) with flagged items to check over more carefully. He would

 

1. Having the ability to upload status’ of vehicles with a mobile device would save time and provide greater reporting accuracy.

This is an issue we approached before, one that we believed had a solution. We discovered that even if it is coming, the Marine Corps will not have the infrastructure needed to use it. There are many applications that a scanner would have in terms of improving the maintenance floors logistics, among which are vehicle checks, service requests, and LTI replacements. The primary beneficiaries differ by area of help but virtually every area of the Maintenance Battalion would benefit from some aspect.

 

Next Week: We will need to focus in on hypothesis two and determine which area in that we would first like to pursue. We will also need to decide which of hypothesis one or two would provide the most benefit.

 

Capt. Bender

• An app that helps the operations side track QC checks would certainly have an impact on the groups with larger motor pools. Far less meaningful to units with only a couple of vehicles.
• Applicability of the app to aid in the area of assisting readiness in actual deployments is likely a lesser case due to other tech in the pipeline.
• The concept of an audit tool around the MPR is interesting. It would be a tool for both line managers and back-end managers.
• Another area ripe for more study is applications of big data analytics. Ultimately, to truly advance this area we concluded data access and security clearance would be required.
• Significant discussion of parting thoughts and advice and Capt. Bender retires and sponsorship shifts to Capt. Baker.

 

MSgt McLaughlin

• TCPT expert. He knew about all the different fields that we would need to transfer between systems.
• TCPT does auto-populate data with Excel sheets but not the date available field that we believed it could. This was the whole point of our idea, so it makes no sense to go down to Lejeune now.
• TCPT can update the relevant information for the personnel side through excel, however
• We will not be going down to test anymore, as it is a waste of time, we will instead prep a microservice to present to them that they can take to their vendors to fix or have us install. THere is no way to do it without having some form of access to their APIs.

 

MSgt Lemus

• MSgt Lemus and GSgt List have spoken and are now on the same page regarding the desired outcome of an auditing tool for the MPR.
• The tool would highlight shortcomings in various policies and provide concrete evidence for amendments.
• While less close to his concerns, an app for frontline personnel that reduces the time to updated GCSS while increasing the accuracy and frequency of the updates is certainly powerful.
• There would also be a significant power in demonstrating a better model for enabling frontline personnel with computing power.
• Discussed details of the Friday test and visit.

 

GySgt List.

• Knowledgeable source on many different areas we are examining, however, very eager to show he is different from the rest of the Marine’s, seems like he may be over exaggerating issues because of this.
• In regards to the Auditing tool:
  • There are tools existing that do this but do it poorly. A tool called CCLM has a readiness rating for each part. Essentially would do what we are trying to do but it is just horrible at doing so. The ratings are very skewed and never really followed, so basing a tool off of this would be inaccurate.
  • Wasn’t a huge fan of the idea until he talked to Lemus after our call.
• In regards to the Maintenance app:
  • He is working on a tool that will scan in equipment during inventory. It uses the QR codes on equipment to register it.
  • Says if we could make it do even just one of the parts of the maintenance process we would save hundreds of people time.
  • If we want to use the QR codes, he could give us a list of fields contained in the QR code.

 

SSgt. Clemens

• Truck master in motor pool
• Has the permissions and ability to export from GCSS and MOL
• Can export reports from MCTIMS (training sheets and licensing not Excel, but can convert it over?)
• To modify an entry in TCPT for a vehicle — right now just modify date available and status fields
  • while using TCPT, navigate to tabs at very top → equipment tab → equipment profiles → availability
  • TCPT has no set format because file just sits in the system
  • Date Available field inputted into TCPT for equipment is generated from dispatcher knowledge, NOT in GCSS
• Can import docs into TCPT but it doesn’t do anything (can just be stored in places)
• No specific export button in GCSS, just option to run the report
• Can change user status, manipulate things, but can’t do that in MOL, only in profile on personal account
• He has unit leader permissions that allows him to modify other profiles

 

MSgt. LeClair

• Idea for an app to assist preventative maintenance is a big opportunity in his view.  He is Truck Master for 73 trucks. Marines spend 2 weeks of the month conducting preventative maintenance.
• There are Marines out doing it now in the rain. Ink is bleeding, paper is getting ruined, the Marines are having to recopy everything once they get back inside.
• If a vehicle needs to be inducted into maintenance, then GCSS needs a service request opened and vehicle availability needs to be changed in TCPT.  Otherwise, if the vehicle passes, there is no computer entry. The completed paper checklist is simply put on file until the next round.
• An app to assist with OVE (On Vehicle Equipment) is also a major winner.  There are 50-130 pieces of equipment for each of the 73 trucks. They have 4-10 operators a day tasked to conduct OVE checks.  
• It would also be valuable to supplement the OVE checks with an equipment check-out/check-in process.

 

SSgt. Crady

• Already existing tool called Maintenance Management Toolbox that scans MMR (similar to MPR but more in-depth) and highlights inconsistencies between parts’ priorities, missing data
• MMR is a report more for maintenance people; officers (who want more concise information) and people who aren’t familiar with the information on the MMR may find a similar tool for the MPR helpful
• Noted that a similar tool may be helpful for a counter report, for when mileage has to be updated after a long trip in a vehicle. This information must be updated correctly after such a trip happens

 

Patrick Nevins

• Does work for the Air Force on logistics, I brought up the idea of the app at the maintenance level and he said if we could accommodate some of the Air Force-specific areas, he could see a bunch of the people he works with benefitting from it.
• As far as auditing goes, it is one of the biggest issues he has encountered is avoidable errors in reporting maintenance. If we were able to comprehensively understand errors, he sees this as a huge supplement to some of the things he is working on. It also has many commercial applications such as the maintaining of the post office and warehouse items.
• He thinks that the app would be great but unlikely for us to win the contract for it unless we essentially create the contract. So whenever we end up building it we need to find the acquisitions officer and help him draft the contract.

 

Michael Jelen

• Works in consulting
• Working to make Abu Dhabi a smart city, implement ultra-modern infrastructure
  • Less developed than NYc or HK so makes it easier
  • Adopt and implement new technologies
• Recommends looking into RFID
  • QR codes are good and cheaper, but not as automated
  • Lots of sensors are cheap in making Abu Dhabi a smart city: is this trash can full or not?
  • Look into buying sensors and making your own system around it for inventory
• Photo recognition packages?
  • Not sure if possible, but recommends looking into it; has gotten a lot cheaper
• Blockchain
  • Lots of value add for logistics and supply chains
  • Lots of players inputting into one place, not all players need to see all the info

Kati Samerigo

• GCSS is DOD-wide
  • ERP system (enterprise resource platform)
    • Based off of SAP
  • PeopleSoft (Army is looking towards)
  • Look up GCSS team on Google to get the GCSS/GArmy API’s
• Workcodes
  • System is German, inflexible, need specific work codes for specific situations
    • G-ARMY had a dictionary that translated all these work codes
• Army weapons checkout process
• Parts and Maintenance
  • Property Book Officer (find USMC equivalent); keeps track of higher level inventory/logistics
    • 5988E Form, print it out every week and go to PMCS (preventative maintenance checks and services) and note any deficiencies on the form; when it got turned back into the motor
• Help USMC talk to GCSS programming team
  • Lots of disconnect between users and programmers
  • Issues often aren’t resolved b/c of disconnect (i.e. cryptic workcodes)
• Figure out more on how deadlining works; what are the critical equipment list?
  • Army O26 report, the critical equipment list
  • Delve deeper in MPR’s

Capt. Baker

• Filled her in on projects status and made the decision to not go down Friday.
• Has very little experience with these systems and the different areas of maintenance that we are hoping to address
• Sees the benefit of being able to mobilize GCSS. Her main value proposition is the ability to do this remotely. She wants us to explore the idea of how applicable this could be to combat situations.
• Auditing tool is interesting to her, but she hasn’t noticed as big a problem as we have been hearing. Although she admits she has never worked closely with MPRs so her view may be incomplete.
  • Side Note: We may need help getting her to be responsive. We had to work very hard to get this short time with her. We had a lot of contact with Capt. Bender before and they are in the same position so she should have time to talk with us.