Reinvigorating a culture of compliance Published Oct. 26, 2009 By Lt. Col. Richard A. Donley 21st Space Wing inspector general PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- Last year General Norton Schwartz stressed the importance of "applying back-to-basics standards of precision and reliability in the execution of every mission." Getting back to the basics entails focusing on the fundamentals. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary of Law defines compliance as "observance of official requirements." When we talk about compliance within the 21st Space Wing, Air Force Space Command and the Air Force as a whole, compliance entails much more than this simple definition. Compliance is the bedrock that allows all of us to Fly, Flight and Win in the most effective and efficient manner possible. For Team Pete, this means focusing on the underlying principles of our assigned missions. Our mission guidance is codified in technical orders, instructions, policies, and directives. The key to ensuring we execute with precision and reliability is directly tied to complying with our mission guidance. Compliance is verified through real world mission performance and inspections. Validating corrective actions through Condor Crest exercises, unit level drills or follow-up inspections before closing a previously identified deficiency helps ensure fix actions are adequate and enduring. Our Air Force has gone from detailed regulations to thinned instructions. We have also gone from a Fiscal Year 1995 end-strength of 400,409 Airmen to a Fiscal Year 2010 recommended 331,700 Airmen. Ensuring constant compliance requires that we all do more. The 21st Space Wing received approximately 200 discrepancies during our 2006 AFSPC IG inspection. This year we had more than 500 discrepancies. The message is clear, the standards are being enforced and we are being held accountable. If there is any doubt, one only need to look at the Air Force's recent history of removing senior leadership from command and other posts. Per AFI 90-201, inspector general activities, "Compliance inspections are conducted to assess areas mandated by law as well as mission areas that are critical or important to the health and performance of organizations. Unit failure to comply with the established directives in these areas could result in legal liabilities, penalties, or mission impact." Compliance inspections encompass those areas stated in AFSPC checklists, major graded areas, Air Force special interest items and AFSPC special interest items. AFI 90-201 implies Air Force members should have knowledge and a complete understanding of applicable laws, instructions and policies for their respective units and it assumes units can demonstrate compliance. All Airmen are leaders and each of us has a responsibility to ourselves, our wing, and the Air Force to ensure and enforce compliance. As Airmen, we can all help our units excel by following our technical data and operating with precision in accordance with applicable guidance for our work areas. We can also ensure our units are ready for compliance inspections by educating ourselves and getting more involved if not already. You can contact your unit self-inspection monitor and ask what the requirements for your functional area are and what other compliance areas are applicable to you. Knowing what checklists apply to your unit and providing honest and fair assessments are key to improving your unit's mission effectiveness. Don't ever be afraid to stand-up and tell your leadership when there is a deficiency. Doing more with less does have it limits and sometimes you need to document a resource shortfall that prevents your unit from being compliant. This can be in the form of personnel, money, materiel or additional time to become compliant. Commander awareness and emphasis drive improvement in all processes and ensure self-inspection programs do not become mere paperwork drills to fill a square. Remember that self-inspection is nothing without integrity. Doing the right thing even when no one is watching is a critical component of any self-inspection. Our wing, group, and squadron commanders have a tremendous amount of responsibility. They trust us to accomplish our mission because they believe in the technical competence, integrity, and ability of the Airmen in our wing to execute our mission with high standards of precision and reliability. Let's demonstrate that we've earned their trust by enhancing our culture of compliance and continuous improvement.