In their continuing search for a more efficient military, U.S. Army officials now annually honor those who have developed methods for saving money, improving operations and increasing combat readiness.

To do so, the Army has turned to Lean Six Sigma.

Since 2006, the Army has seen thousands within its ranks become Green Belts, Black Belts and Master Black Belts in Six Sigma. They have used Lean Six Sigma methodologies to save the Army more than $19 billion through eliminating operational inefficacy and improving services.

In May, Army officials held a ceremony in Washington, D.C., to honor 13 programs across 11 departments that ranked as the best Lean Six Sigma initiatives for 2016. In all, the projects saved millions of dollars and eliminated wasted time and effort by military personnel.

They’ve also made the Army stronger. Money saved from Lean Six Sigma programs can be “ploughed back into war readiness,” Karl Schneider, the senior career official performing duties of the undersecretary of the Army, said at the ceremony.

How The Army Uses Lean

The Army’s use of Lean Six Sigma methodologies began in 2006. The billions of dollars saved since that time have included cost savings in current programs, avoiding costs in future programs and generating revenue from reimbursable activities.

By 2010, the Secretary of Defense had made Lean Six Sigma a necessary step within the cost-benefit analysis of any new Army project. By 2011, the Army reported a 700-to-1 return on investment from the Lean program.

The Army continues to move toward its goal of making Lean Six Sigma a self-sustaining effort within the military branch’s numerous departments. The LSS Program Management Office helps facilitate the training needed to make Lean methodology a “routine way of doing business” across all Army departments.

The 2016 Award Winners

At the ceremony in May, held at the Pentagon, the 13 award-winning Lean programs came from a variety of departments. Three departments earned the Process Improvement Deployment Excellence Award:

  • The Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Financial Management and Comptroller, for Lean projects that led to a total of $66.2 million in costs savings, cost avoidance and revenue generation.
  • The U.S. Army Medical Command for programs that led to better healthcare services for military personnel and cost savings of $5.7 million.
  • The 21st Theater Sustainment Command, U.S. Army Europe for programs that led to greater commander involvement and a cost savings of almost $3 million.

Benefits of Six Sigma Training

All of this means that opportunity is there for servicemembers who wish to earn Six Sigma certification. They not only can become involved with cutting-edge projects during their time in the service, but also attain skills that make them attractive job candidates after leaving the military.

While the roots of Six Sigma lie in industrial manufacturing, use of the methodology has become widespread across many different industries, as well as with nonprofits and government organizations.

Those with security clearance also can get the inside track on jobs with defense contractors, a growing industry that frequently utilizes Six Sigma.

As the Lean Six Sigma program shows, the Army values the benefits of those with training in Six Sigma. It not only creates savings for taxpayers, but provides solid employment opportunities for military personnel.