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Inspection ready

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Kevin Gangadeen
  • 87th Logistics Readiness Squadron commander
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. --  I recently had the privilege of serving as an Air Mobility Command Inspector General augmentee. Not only was it an eye opening experience to see the inner workings of the IG machine in action, but how quickly I realized how these folks were just like all of us in the Air Force with suspenses, long days and doing their best to provide a quality product to the wings they're evaluating, the AMC commander and, of course, the Air Force. 

With various inspections all around the corner, I thought I'd share some of the things I learned/observed (which I hope will not be a surprise to most of you) on my brief time with the IG: 

· Not difficult to earn at least an "Excellent" - if you plan, prepare, train, know your job, Air Force Instructions, technical orders, Airman's Manual, IG ground rules, and any applicable regulations
 
· You may have an IG augmentee evaluating you 

· Know the grading criteria. Why do you care? How about a performance report bullet that reads: "His/her efforts were directly responsible for Wg/Gp/Sq earning an 'Outstanding' on ATSEP/LSEP/NORI/ORI". Maybe you'll be recognized as an "Outstanding Performer". Not to mention the sense of accomplishment, reward or satisfaction you'll get from being on a winning team. If that's not enough to get your blood pumping, I don't know what will! 

Here are some of the basic requirements work centers should have in order to be successful during the ORI: 

· Charts to track personnel/equipment/vehicles 

· Internet capability for Battle Staff Directives; access to the Commander's Channel 

· Bug out plan/checklist, bunker location and assigned personnel in bunker (identify the bunker commander) 

· Map of deployed base to track unexploded ordnance, vehicle dispersal, bunkers, etc. 

· Small Fax/copier/printer 

Safety is paramount - watch out for tripping hazards, blocked fire exits, etc. Know the small details such as mask inspections, doing buddy checks after donning MOPP gear; where to dispose of contaminated material, just to name a few. 

A positive attitude and a healthy sense of urgency will go a long way and is contagious. Realize that problems will always pop up, but it's how you handle them that counts. Be ready, focused, and get your head in the game. Make sure you're ready: personal/mobility bags are packed, paperwork/processes in your work section are ironed out and practiced. Practice your ATSO skills and know your SABC for medical emergencies. Act and look sharp! 

If you're in a leadership role, lead by words and actions - motivate, communicate and set a positive example. If you're a follower, follow taskings quickly and effectively, use teambuilding skills and always keep focus on the primary mission - to launch and recover aircraft.

One observation I made was that the scenarios were very similar to our last exercise in Gulfport: Knowing how to protect your personnel and critical equipment from contamination/attacks, de-contamination procedures, marking contaminated vehicles, knowing what the colors on M8/9 paper indicate, SALUTE reporting, etc. 

You must have good turnovers between shifts; use event logs (AF Form 4377) and make sure you highlight the important pieces of information to pass on to your counterpart. 

Visibly exude pride in yourself, your unit, your mission and your base. Believe me, do all the above and you'll be doing your part to ensure Team McGuire comes out on top of any inspection!