Celebrate success, continue compliance Published March 30, 2011 By Col. Stephen N. Whiting 21st Space Wing commander PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- On Jan. 11, the head coach of a high-visibility sports team said: "It's (over)," adding that his team would "have to start all over starting today." At first blush, this sounds like a coach coming off a bad season and facing the prospect of having to completely rebuild. But that's not the context of this quote. Rather, this quote was made by coach Gene Chizik of the Auburn Tigers, only 10 hours after his team defeated Oregon to win the 2010 NCAA football national championship. So, why would coach Chizik make such a statement on the heels of his team's greatest achievement? It's because he understands that he and his team can't rely on past success for future performance. Being the reigning national champions won't add a point to the scoreboard next season when his team takes the field. It won't make his players faster, stronger or smarter. And it certainly won't scare next year's opponents into giving up before the kickoff (if anything, it means Auburn will get everyone's best shot next year). No, next year's team will have to prove themselves by their own merits in practice and on game day. Similarly, our team has just come through one of its greatest achievements of the last two years. Your performance during the recent simultaneous Operational Readiness Inspection, Unit Compliance Inspection, Logistics Compliance Assessment Program Inspection, and AFSPC Weather Inspection was simply superb (not to mention that your support to the joint fight, other day-to-day ops, and execution of installation support responsibilities all continued unabated). You demonstrated the capabilities of the 21st Space Wing in a commendable manner, with many of you being named professional performers and professional teams. Equally as impressive was the time you spent in preparing and exercising for this inspection. Now that we are through the inspection, however, what's next? Well, first we are going to celebrate success. On the afternoon of April 14, we will have a wing-wide celebratory event for all the Knights here in the Colorado Springs area. We will then have a wing "Down Day" April 15 in recognition of all the hard work that went into the inspection results. Second, and more importantly, however, we will rededicate ourselves to successfully accomplishing our missile warning, missile defense, space control, and installation support missions each and every day, knowing that yesterday's success really guarantees nothing about how we will accomplish the mission tomorrow. We will start by aggressively tackling the findings laid out in the inspection reports provided to us by the Air Force Space Command Inspector General and related inspection teams. Just like we've spent the last two years using the 2009 inspection report as a vector, we will do the same with our current reports. Additionally, we will revisit our GSU Support Plan to see how we can continue to better support our geographically separated units, while also making sure our self inspection program and blue teams better capture all the source documents that provide compliance guidance to our units and programs. Finally, we will use AFSO21 tools to attack areas highlighted by the IG, and to look at other problem areas within the wing. Just as the national championship football team will have to use their recent success to remotivate themselves to work harder (and smarter) in spring practice, in the lifting room, and during next season's games, leaders at all levels within the wing must proactively motivate their teams to focus on today's mission while charting a path to future improvement using all available tools. Retired Air Force Gen. Speedy Martin has an excellent quote that is applicable in these days following the inspection: "Nothing ever stays fixed." This means it will take leadership, hard work, and focus to ensure we sustain the level our wing has attained, while advancing to the next level. Reliance on past success as a substitute for performing today's mission the right way is a sure path to future mission failure. So, lead-turn the upcoming PCS season by having a plan to maintain continuity in your programs; don't let compliant programs atrophy; leverage upcoming exercises as opportunities to improve weak areas or train new team members; and develop and execute a plan to produce continual improvement. These are hallmarks of a culture of compliance. Thank you again for your great work over the last several months. While we still have a little celebrating left to do, it's now time to look forward, building upon the wing's past success, but not relying on it for successfully executing today's mission.