Are we compliant and how do we prove it?

  • Published
  • By Col. Rick Moore
  • 436th Airlift Wing commander
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  In November of this year--roughly 240 days from now--a diverse team of inspectors from across our Air Force will visit Team Dover to conduct a Combined Unit Inspection (CUI). The CUI is an attempt to consolidate an assortment of inspections, and is designed to ensure compliance while reducing the number of days per year a unit spends being inspected.


The inspection team will evaluate all groups and functional areas on their day-to-day compliance with executive orders, Department of Defense directives, Air Force, major command, and local instructions. Due to its vast scope and the number of inspectors involved, the CUI is the single most significant inspection our base will receive.


So how are we preparing? The wing has a cadre of folks (Wing/Group/Squadron point of contact) that are leading the charge in building tools for us to use as we begin our inspection prep. E-continuity book templates, consolidated electronic appointment letters, and a re-look at our Dover Air Force Base instructions are just a few examples of what the wing is doing to make your job easier as we get ready for this fall.


I challenge you to ask yourself, "What can I do to help my unit prepare?" Each of us needs to define our requirement through regulations and ask ourselves, "Are we compliant and how do we prove it?" Ensure you annotate any discrepancies in your unit's self-assessment and elevate up the chain of command.


A tool that will assist us in measuring our success is the Air Force Management Internal Control Toolset (MICT). The information in MICT assists leaders with fact-based resource allocation and decision-making by identifying process problems and shortfalls in recorded deficiencies. Your group and squadron CUI reps should be educating you on how to fill out these checklists.


We will look at our previous inspection write-ups and validate that those discrepancies are corrected. We will also analyze and validate our procedures through exercises, Staff Assistance Visits (SAV), and compliance spot-checks led and conducted by your group and squadron POCs...again, ask yourself, "Are we compliant and how do we prove it?"


The Chief and I understand that the time leading up to the CUI will be marked with periods of long hours of preparation. We also understand that each of you has a substantial number of "number one" priorities. We are doing all we can at the wing level to simplify this task, and I'm now asking each of you to help. We have no doubt that Team Dover will show the Air Mobility Command Inspector General what we already know...that we are the strongest team in AMC!