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Air Combat Command Inspector General team visits 188th Wing

  • Published
  • By Capt. Holli Nelson
  • 188th Wing Public Affairs Office
EBBING AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Ark. --  Members of the 188th Wing welcomed the Air Combat Command Inspector General team June 4, 2015, for a two-day inspection and overview of the new Air Force Inspection System assessment process for Wing Inspection Team members, commanders and the 188th Inspector General.

Since the inception of AFIS, units across the Air Force, including the 188th Wing, have begun implementing processes and tools to drive inspection responsibility to the wing level.

With the help of WIT members, who are subject matter experts that conduct inspections across the base, the commander can focus assessments of mission readiness and local priorities, which differentiates from how previous inspections were performed.

The old system, which promoted a culture of "inspection prep," has now been replaced with constant self-assessment programs that report compliance with requirements in each unit's program. These factors include a unit's effectiveness, ability to execute the mission, manage resources, lead people and improve performance.

"By identifying deficiencies and documenting them we are creating data points from which we can measure our progress toward initial operating capability," said Lt. Col. James Krohn, 188th Inspector General. "Honestly answering the checklists, performing genuine self-assessment, and doing thorough inspections will enable us to make sure all of our effort is going toward becoming IOC and not chasing some perceived goal that we 'thought we had to have' but doesn't really enhance the mission."

Fundamentally, the new AFIS is about enabling commanders with a supporting system to find and fix problems locally as well as provide quality data on policy and program improvements. Part of this self-evaluation system is performed through the management internal control tool set or MICT, an online program designed to track unit compliance.

"This new IG construct allows for open and honest conversations about our proficiencies and inefficiencies amongst wing members and the entire command team," said Col. Bobbi Doorenbos, 188th Wing commander. "I want our Airmen to be the first line of defense in finding and reporting deficiencies through the inspection process because the overall end result from that is enhanced mission readiness."

By shadowing the ACC IG team, WIT members gained valuable knowledge on how to properly review checklist data, conduct interviews and program evaluations and write reports while inspecting the Civil Engineer and Security Forces Squadrons.

"The Commander's Inspection Program, or CCIP, is the local unit portion of AFIS that is the fundamental building block for the system to work around," said Lt. Col. Barry Hutchison, ACC IG team officer in charge stationed at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia. "So what we're here to do is to coach the WIT and help to advise the commander on the direction she needs to take to make sure that she has a successful, integrated CCIP that is giving her an orderly process she and her subordinate commanders can make decisions, accept risk and ensure mission effectiveness."

Under the new system, the 188th Wing will execute self-assessments for four years before inspectors conduct a capstone event, rating the base from a five-tiered grading system of ineffective to outstanding.

The wing's capstone assessment is schedule for 2016.

Air Combat Command Inspector General team visits 188th Wing

  • Published
  • By Capt. Holli Nelson
  • 188th Wing Public Affairs Office
EBBING AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Ark. --  Members of the 188th Wing welcomed the Air Combat Command Inspector General team June 4, 2015, for a two-day inspection and overview of the new Air Force Inspection System assessment process for Wing Inspection Team members, commanders and the 188th Inspector General.

Since the inception of AFIS, units across the Air Force, including the 188th Wing, have begun implementing processes and tools to drive inspection responsibility to the wing level.

With the help of WIT members, who are subject matter experts that conduct inspections across the base, the commander can focus assessments of mission readiness and local priorities, which differentiates from how previous inspections were performed.

The old system, which promoted a culture of "inspection prep," has now been replaced with constant self-assessment programs that report compliance with requirements in each unit's program. These factors include a unit's effectiveness, ability to execute the mission, manage resources, lead people and improve performance.

"By identifying deficiencies and documenting them we are creating data points from which we can measure our progress toward initial operating capability," said Lt. Col. James Krohn, 188th Inspector General. "Honestly answering the checklists, performing genuine self-assessment, and doing thorough inspections will enable us to make sure all of our effort is going toward becoming IOC and not chasing some perceived goal that we 'thought we had to have' but doesn't really enhance the mission."

Fundamentally, the new AFIS is about enabling commanders with a supporting system to find and fix problems locally as well as provide quality data on policy and program improvements. Part of this self-evaluation system is performed through the management internal control tool set or MICT, an online program designed to track unit compliance.

"This new IG construct allows for open and honest conversations about our proficiencies and inefficiencies amongst wing members and the entire command team," said Col. Bobbi Doorenbos, 188th Wing commander. "I want our Airmen to be the first line of defense in finding and reporting deficiencies through the inspection process because the overall end result from that is enhanced mission readiness."

By shadowing the ACC IG team, WIT members gained valuable knowledge on how to properly review checklist data, conduct interviews and program evaluations and write reports while inspecting the Civil Engineer and Security Forces Squadrons.

"The Commander's Inspection Program, or CCIP, is the local unit portion of AFIS that is the fundamental building block for the system to work around," said Lt. Col. Barry Hutchison, ACC IG team officer in charge stationed at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia. "So what we're here to do is to coach the WIT and help to advise the commander on the direction she needs to take to make sure that she has a successful, integrated CCIP that is giving her an orderly process she and her subordinate commanders can make decisions, accept risk and ensure mission effectiveness."

Under the new system, the 188th Wing will execute self-assessments for four years before inspectors conduct a capstone event, rating the base from a five-tiered grading system of ineffective to outstanding.

The wing's capstone assessment is schedule for 2016.