Employee of the Year (2023) - Benjamin Rauenbuehler

Employee of the Year - 2023

Benjamin Rauenbuehler

Executed daily support for 2371 sorties at Spangdahlem AB with 99.5% mission effective rate.
Spearheaded numerous Spangdahlem maintenance actions including sixty-six 90-day inspections, thirty-two 180-day inspections, and forty component removals and installs.
Maintained site operations amidst consistent low manning – site 57% staffed for 2nd half of year.
Quickly mastered job tasks and processes upon being hired in Feb of 2023; subsequently made significant improvements resulting in being awarded Employee of the Quarter Q3-2023.
Designed pod maintenance actions database; created 5 tracker spreadsheets to manage shop maintenance actions data and cross-check RAMPOD data.

Actions Tracker: Records all maintenance actions and corresponding data and allows easy filtering for troubleshooting and reference. Single data entry populates four spreadsheets.

PMI Tracker: Pulls information from the Actions Tracker to auto-update table showing when inspections are due for each pod, as well as current ETMs and cumulative hours.

Corrected cumulative hour miscalculations in RAMPOD for 3 pods due to lost entries.

Pod Inventory Tracker: Provides an auto-updated table of all serial numbers in each pod and highlights any inconsistencies with data in RAMPOD.

Corrected 20 serial number discrepancies between shop data and RAMPOD.
Led to recording 24 missing serial numbers, site now 100% SN tracking compliant.

180 Day Checklist: Produces an inspection report printout to use while inspecting pods. Automatically populates serial numbers for each component in pod (for verification).

Developed a digital RTO Shot Log to replace handwritten shot log. This spreadsheet contains 50 unique buttons coded with over 500 unique lines of VBA code and shared USAFE wide.

Faster, more accurate shot recording—20% faster, lower RTO workload and improved SA.
Features include adjustable real-time Probability of Kill calculations, multiple, editable, simultaneous shot tracking, and manual override for pilots to meet desired learning objectives.
Lauded by 52FW pilots for clean, easy to read logs and for auto generated statistics capture.

Began development of digital SAM 1 shot log; final product will replace handwritten log, producing real-time auto-calculated results.

Ensures record keeping accuracy and improves pod loading efficiency, saving 1 hour per week.
Advantages include sorting by location, auto-highlighting pods coming due for inspection, and autonomously showing pods available for loading and their total cumulative hours.

Established a sortie tracker spreadsheet to function as a single source of data of all sorties.

Organized to easily compare numbers to monthly sortie report and RAMPOD sorties.
Includes a macro to export sortie data into the correct format for auto-import into RAMPOD.
Saves at least 10 hours/month from previous system and reduces conflicts between reports.

Developed and proposed new TD522 format. If implemented, could save each site at least 5 hours monthly and provide better data visualization for the company.
Repurposed unused unit assets; provide all six employees new desks and monitors--saved $5.2K.
Completed physical overhaul of site manager office layout and organization; lauded by PMR team.
Stepped in as site computer specialist position; completed TARIF software updates on 16 devices.

Streamlined cloning procedures; PGS refresh done 5 days early--increased productivity 20%.
Troubleshot TARIF update issue on TGS computer--maintained cybersecurity compliance.

Introduced various digital organizational efficiency changes to shop, including a shared task list, shared calendar for reoccurring tasks, and restructuring the site’s computer file structure.
Initiated idea of sending monthly TARIF updates electronically; implemented DOD Wide.

Process reduced cybersecurity incompliance; expedited software delivery lag up to 4 months.

Key player in establishment of new LMOC room at Spangdahlem. Expanded and improved RTO capability and enabled use of MIDS-J, BOSS, and high-side feed in a central secure location.

Led multi-agency site survey team--identified 3 potential sites.
Sourced purchasing of equipment required for LMOC and COMM room.
Routed networking cables through building to expedite LMOC communication network set-up.
Set-up new furniture and equipment and routed/organized cables in LMOC and COMM rooms.
Designed and fabricated four cases for KP-32s; saved over $400 and increased desk space.

Executed Alternate Site Manager duties, single-handedly managed shop during Cobra Warrior EX.

Led team in 52FW WarRoom $10K equipment purchase; prevented $3.7K in unnecessary costs.
Coordinated sorties data collections with deployed units; fixed 10 errors.

Spearheaded tech refresh: upgraded 5 of 6 computers and added 2 tablets for mobility tracking.
Facilitated use of NIPR computers outside of office; enabled use while TDY--saved 20 hrs. monthly.
COMSEC Officer; received zero discrepancies during AF COMSEC audit--awarded highest AF rating!
Led pod team to achieve 99% sortie rate during Air Defender 23, largest exercise in NATO's history.
Refurbished 19EWS UPS at Polygon; replaced batteries and saved USAF $1.5K in additional cost.
Repaired intermittent RRU; replaced faulty parts with zero downtime to 52FW mission support.
Supported pod testing on Tornado; ensure software fix for German aircraft deploying to Red Flag.

Finished three self-improvement books on topics such as effective communication & habits.
Continually learning VBA coding/excel functionalities, automated complex and tedious office tasks.
Volunteered 120 hours to Cadence Int’l; improved MWR for local chapel associated organization.
- Designed and fabricated new coffee/serving bar, led weekly young adult group consisting of airmen and spouses, and served in the children’s ministries.
Improved hands-on skills through woodworking hobby. Designed and built an 8-person oak dining table and chairs, TV low board, 2 end tables, a sofa table, and a glass piece display case.