How Lean Six Sigma Improved U.S. Army Efficiency

The U.S. Army has emerged in the past decade as one of the foremost users of Six Sigma and Lean Six Sigma methodologies to make military operations more efficient. 

Starting in 2009, the Department of Defense adapted Lean Six Sigma as the “primary means by which the Department will become more efficient in its operations and more effective in its support to the warfighter.” 

While all branches of the Armed Forces have put process improvement into action, the Army led the way by starting its own Lean Six Sigma program in 2006 and used associated process improvements to save billions of dollars.

For military personnel, Lean Six Sigma can help improve operations during service as well as when they transition from the military to a job in the private sector.

What Is Six Sigma and Lean?

Engineers at Motorola developed Six Sigma methodology in the 1980s to reduce the number of errors in manufacturing processes, making them more efficient and effective. Six Sigma focuses on identifying areas where variance from expected outcomes occurs. The methodology provides tools and techniques to develop solutions for those areas using a data-driven approach.

One of the most-used techniques in Six Sigma is DMAIC, which stands for define, measure, analyze, improve and control. DMAIC is designed for use on existing processes. Using DMAIC, project teams define a problem, measure current results, analyze it to find the root causes of errors, improve the process and control it in the future to maintain the benefits of the changes that are made.

Lean focuses on identifying and eliminating waste in a process. Changes are made in processes based on what will benefit the end user or customer. Lean has evolved since its first use as part of the Toyota Production System.

When used in tandem, Lean Six Sigma combines the data-driven methods of Six Sigma with the waste cutting tools of Lean to identify and eliminate the root cause of defects and waste in a process, product or service. Over the years, multiple industries have adopted Six Sigma and Lean Six Sigma strategies, tools and techniques.

The Army COOL Program

The Army has a program called COOL – Credentialing Opportunities On-Line – that supports servicemembers who want to expand their knowledge by earning a credential. The COOL program helps connect soldiers with civilian credentialing programs that can help them make the Army more efficient as well as make them marketable civilian employees.

As the COOL site notes, “in the civilian world, credentials may be required for a job, or can make you much more likely to be hired for a job.”

Lean Six Sigma certification is mentioned on the site as helpful both during and after military service. This emphasis on process improvement is nothing new for the Army, which has put Lean Six Sigma into action for more than a decade.

How The Army Has Put Lean Six Sigma Into Practice

The U.S. Army Forces Command (FORSCOM) writes that Lean Six Sigma “assures the nation and its military competitors of continued Army innovation and efficiency.”

Training is a major component of the Army’s effort. In FORSCOM alone, as of 2018, there are 500 Lean Six Sigma Green Belts among servicemembers and civilian employees, 150 Lean Six Sigma Black Belt professionals and six Master Black Belt experts and candidates. The Army also lists Lean and Six Sigma training as “additional skill identifiers” required or considered when servicemembers seek certain jobs.

The emphasis on process improvement training and certification has resulted in many Lean projects throughout the Army. Examples of successful projects include the following:

• Eliminating a bottleneck in maintenance service requests on Chinook helicopters that resulted in a 251% increase in closure rates on maintenance requests and a 74% reduction in costs. A Master Black Belt led the project.
• Creating efficiencies at the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) through projects led by Black Belts, including reducing the modification time and labor costs on spare parts contracts and improving on-time delivery rates at the DCMA Boeing office in Seattle.
• Saving $4.5 million at the Letterkenny Army Depot in Pennsylvania, partly by reducing time and labor spent on painting mine-resistant ambush protected vehicles.
• Streamlining operations at the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Financial Management and Comptroller, which resulted in $1.7 million in cost avoidance, $9.5 million in cost savings and $55 million in revenue generation.

Projects such as these have made Six Sigma and Lean adoption a priority for the Army, and a way for military personnel to get training that helps them both during and after their years of service.

Villanova Online Lean Six Sigma Program

Villanova University offers a 100% online Lean Six Sigma program as well as individual courses in Lean Six Sigma, Six Sigma Green Belt, Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt*. Students who complete a course and required project are also eligible to take a corresponding certification exam. Earning a certification reflects competency of the core concepts and applications of the associated course.

If you are interested in furthering your education – you may be eligible to use your Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) education benefits for many of Villanova’s 100% online non-credit certificate programs, based upon your individual circumstances.

Villanova also offers a 15% savings per certificate course to active-duty servicemembers, veterans, Guardsmen, Reservists and their spouses and dependents (upon verification of military or discharge status).**

*To be eligible for the Master Black Belt course and certification exam, candidates must complete the Lean Six Sigma Black Belt course as a prerequisite. If a candidate holds a Black Belt credential from another organization, this may be considered as a prerequisite with University approval.

**This reduction is valid off the standard tuition fee rate of the listed courses offered by Villanova University with online administration by Bisk. This reduction is not stackable with other reductions, and you may not use this reduction in conjunction with other reductions. Reduction is based on eligibility requirements and proof of service.

VA Benefit Eligibility: Visit the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Web Enabled Approval Management System (WEAMS) to view which programs of study or courses are currently certified. Benefit certification depends upon your VA determined eligibility, enrollment status and certified program of study.

Information provided as to the availability and eligibility for military or veteran education assistance programs is for general informational use only. Please check with your Education Services Officer or local Department of Veterans Affairs for eligibility, benefit amount and application processes specific to your situation.