AFSPC IG inspectors are among us

Published March 1, 2011
By Monica Mendoza
21st Space Wing Public Affairs staff writer

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- Inspectors from Headquarters Air Force Space Command arrived at various locations throughout the 21st Space Wing this week to perform the wing's Operational Readiness Inspection and Unit Compliance Inspection.

ORIs, conducted by an AFSPC team of up to 100 inspectors, measure how prepared a wing is to go to war. At the end of the month, the 21st SW will find out just how ready it is when the Inspector General gives his report to Col. Stephen N. Whiting, 21st SW commander.

The 21st SW also received news that, for the first time, the Logistics Compliance Assessment Program -- which checks the installation's compliance with maintenance, logistics and supply chain management policy -- will run simultaneously with the ORI.

For the wing, that means no stone will go unturned. For 23 days, a team of inspectors will examine and probe every aspect of the wing's operations. The ORI will evaluate and measure the wing's ability to perform wartime contingency or force sustainment missions, said Master Sgt. Christopher Raynor, AFSPC Inspector General's Mission Support Inspections Branch.

Sergeant Raynor laid out the ground rules for the inspection, from safety to how inspectors will be identified, during the inspection in-brief Feb. 25 at the Peterson Air Force Base auditorium.

During the ORI, inspectors will grade initial response, employment, mission support, and ability to survive and operate in crisis conditions. The inspection could include a mobility line, setting up remote workstations, and running simulated natural and man-imposed disasters.

"ORI scenarios presented by the IG must be treated as real world," Sergeant Raynor said. "You are expected to demonstrate full capability in any scenario presented."

A five-tier rating system - outstanding, excellent, satisfactory, marginal and unsatisfactory - is used for major graded areas and overall wing performance. The 21st Space Wing emerged from its last ORI in April 2009 with a "satisfactory" grade.

Inspection team members will meet regularly with wing leadership throughout the inspection to review activities and provide feedback on inspection observations.

"If critical issues surface, we will ensure leadership is promptly informed to maximize your time to address them," Sergeant Raynor said.

Inspectors will wear badges and, during ORI scenarios, inspectors will also wear yellow reflective vests. Team members will document strengths, weaknesses and areas for improvement. Along the way, the IG team also will identify superior performance by individuals and teams.

"Our commitment to you is to be fair and objective during the inspection and to leave you with a value added report to improve your mission and effectiveness," Sergeant Raynor said.

Col. Tom Sadlo, LCAP team chief, said the reason to run the LCAP at the same time as the ORI is to avoid duplication of multiple inspections.

"The purpose is to provide an evaluation of the unit's ability to perform key processes in safe, standardized and repeatable manner," Colonel Sadlo said.

His team's inspections will likely lead them to the 21st Operations Group, 21st Logistics Readiness Squadron, 21st Civil Engineer Squadron and the 21st Security Forces Squadron, he said.

Col. Scott Gilson, AFSPC inspector general, told Colonel Whiting that his inspection team has been paying close attention to how the 21st SW has prepared for this set of inspections. Many members of the 21st SW helped AFSPC inspect sister units so that they were prepared to succeed, he said.

ORI in-brief