Lean and the Marine CorpsLean is a system-wide thinking process. The physical assets and human resources present in a system and how they can be best employed will be discussed and an understanding of the Lean methodology will be gained. The Marine Corps and the entire Naval Aviation Enterprise cannot afford to conduct business under the current system. We have struggled for years to run business as usual and are unable to get to where we want to be due to many factors. We do not have sufficient budgets to carry out the activities required by current policies. We have excess inventory and excess “Work in Progress” which is treated as an asset or liability. We don't have significant surge capacity. Most workers are overworked due to excess non-value-added (NVA) work. We cost too much and take too long to complete the required work. We hold excessive fleet inventory due to NVA work processes and inability to complete work in required timeframes. These issues are examined and processes are put in place to prevent old methodologies from returning due to complacency or persistence. The saying, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks" is disappearing. Lean is a total business strategy/methodology for achieving continuous and significant improvements in performance through the systematic elimination of all wasted resources and time across the entire naval aviation enterprise. Why is it that after decades of doing business “the way we've always done it” the process is subjected to such scrutiny and proposals for radical change are not once again swept under the carpet? Through tests and analyzes it was discovered that waste was the culprit. We waste our physical assets and our human resources. The roots of Lean date back to the early 1900s. Henry Ford believed in continuous flow manufacturing and the elimination of waste. Samuel Colt believed in uniformity and interchangeability of parts. Dr. W. Edwards Deming believed that "It is not enough to do your best or work hard. You must know what to work on." (SkyMark, 2006) US supermarkets operate with pull systems. Toyota production systems are renowned worldwide for their high quality, efficiency and low waste. Lean thinking is modeled on the Toyota production system, centered on the total elimination of waste, focused on standardization of operations and provides the foundation for rapid continuous improvement in quality, productivity and customer service.