CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
There are 110 days until the Unit Compliance Inspection, leaving roughly 75 working days to prepare. As I review the inspection report from our most recent UCI Jan. 3-11, 2006, I noticed a recurring theme throughout the document. Here are some excerpts:
"However, Air Force Forms 623, On-The-Job Training Record did not consistently reflect currency."
"Leadership of several units throughout the wing did not have an adequate process in place to track completion of this requirement."
"Documentation records were not in compliance with directives."
"Hand receipts were not on hand."
"Supervisor did not properly document and route."
"However, serious deficiencies existed."
The 2006 inspection gave us an overall rating of "Excellent" with "0" major graded areas "below the line." Even so, there were obvious problems even in units that had an overall "Satisfactory" or better. In some cases, there were several marginal ratings that pulled down the overall rating for some units. As preliminary inspections are being conducted in preparation for the UCI, the recurring picture is many of the errors made in 2006 remain in 2009. Many otherwise good inspection reports end with "However ... " Deficiencies seen in 2006 may have been rectified in one section only to reemerge in another.
With our current operations tempo, personnel cuts and restructuring have become easy to justify "streamlined" operations. We often avoid or put off required documentation until there is more time when, in fact, that time never seems to arrive and is all too quickly forgotten in the hectic schedule required to accomplish our mission. The fact is, by ignoring or bypassing required documentation, the mission is not being done and we are not in compliance with the Air Force Instruction, directive or, in some cases, federal law.
Training records not in compliance may indicate a supervisor or training manger who is heavily tasked and it may also indicate that training is not being accomplished or not being accomplished properly. Errors made due to training deficiencies can be costly. Decertifying training tasks and remedial training are time consuming and have consequences that detract from accomplishing our mission.
Hand receipts seem a simple enough procedure. A perceived emergency or rush to accomplish other tasks all too readily push simple issues to the background -- equipment is lost or misplaced and quickly forgotten. If you have ever done a report of survey, you know the minutes saved by not completing a hand receipt as required to issue equipment is certainly lost in the hours and days required to find accountable items or to assigned accountability.
In short, not being in compliance does not save any time, and it costs far more to rectify than would be the case had issues been done correctly the first time.
If you need help to bring programs or records into compliance, ask for it. Don't be afraid to call another squadron or office to see how they do business. Continue to identify issues that need attention. If you lack the training or experience, someone can assist you. If you have expertise or extensive experience, offer your assistance. Team Charleston has always worked as a cohesive team to overcome formidable obstacles and the coming UCI will be no different. Know the AFIs, directives, etc., that apply to you and the programs and duties you are responsible for and ensure you cross every "t" and dot every "i."
Team Charleston - Take the Fight to the Enemy!