JULY 28, 2016, SAN DIEGO (NNS) – The Naval Aviation Enterprise (NAE) Total Force Cross-Functional Team (TF) developed an operational Nimitz-Class Ship Manpower Document (SMD) Billet Buy Tool, and in May introduced it to manpower analysts.
SMDs are developed by OPNAV’s Navy Manpower and Analysis Center (NAVMAC) to reflect the wartime manpower requirements (billets) necessary to accomplish missions and tasks. These documents ultimately comprise the Total Force Manpower Management System (TFMMS). TFMMS is the Navy’s authoritative manpower database, which sends the recruiting, training, manning, and manpower budget demand signal.
The tool automates the process of applying NAVMAC notes specifying how the SMD varies based on each Nimitz-class aircraft carrier’s equipment/system configuration to create a ship-specific SMD, and then performs the billet buy — matching existing requirements and funding to the new requirements. This information is then hand-typed into TFMMS.
Prior to the tool’s existence, ship-specific SMDs and the respective billet buys were generated via a manual line-by-line evaluation of 3,408 requirements per aircraft carrier. The tool was introduced to NAVMAC and Commander, Naval Air Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet (CNAP) N12 Ship Manpower representatives for evaluation and discussion.
Initial comments and observations indicate the tool will reduce the time it takes to produce a ship-specific document and perform a billet buy by 2-4 weeks for each of the Navy’s 10 Nimitz-class aircraft carriers. CNAP N12 manpower analysts have also used the tool’s output to make TFMMS data modifications to correct existing database entries.
The tool also:
* Produces a significant time-savings to complete paperwork — from weeks to minutes per document — allowing analysts to focus on fine-tuning implementation and resourcing decisions/tasks.
* Reduces the time it takes to implement a new manpower document. This makes the manpower requirements and execution process more responsive to changing mission needs and operating environments, which will positively impact readiness.
* Can be used continuously to rapidly generate updated manpower documents and forecast/identify necessary TFMMS changes as a consequence of carrier configuration changes, such as docking planned incremental availability (DPIA) and refueling and complex overhaul (RCOH).
* Is an improved, repeatable means in naval aviation to quickly and accurately achieve SMD implementation that will correct and standardize the manpower demand signal.
Efforts are now underway to include a Squadron Manpower Document (SQMD) capability to further enhance naval aviation manpower determination and execution.