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CIC keeps command inspections on track

  • Published
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --   When he took the reins as Air Mobility Command’s Inspector General in August 2003, Brig. Gen. Mark Zamzow’s charter for his staff was to validate for the AMC commander, Gen. John W. Handy, if his units were in fact viable, mission-ready and compliant. 

The AMC/IG said his team is successfully meeting the commander’s objectives, and that a foundation for much of that success is the Command Inspection Calendar. The CIC shows every higher headquarters inspection or staff visit that all AMC or AMC-gained units will receive for the next seven years. 

“With this fantastic scheduling tool being used at all levels to prepare and plan for these key events, we’re seeing far fewer schedule conflicts, and the units are more prepared for the inspections than ever before,” said General Zamzow. “We’re back on track, and we’ll stay that way.” 

The most critical IG events on the CIC are the Wing Operational Readiness Inspections. Conducted every 40 months for active-duty units and every 60 months for most Guard and Reserve units, the WORI tasks units to deploy their most critical functional capabilities (the Unit Type Codes or UTCs) to a specific forward operating location. 

“Essentially, we direct them to pack up and deploy their key personnel and equipment to a forward base, employ those forces in combat scenarios that we develop, and then safely redeploy back to their home bases,” he said. 

Depending on each specific unit’s timing within the inspection cycle, the WORI tasking could involve anywhere from a dozen personnel and a couple pallets of equipment to nearly 800 personnel and 1,600 tons of cargo. 

“Of course, units with mobility aircraft assigned are expected to deploy most of their aircraft, aircrews and maintainers like they would in a real contingency,” said the general. “However, the bulk of the inspection scenario involves the expeditionary combat support UTCs like security forces, civil engineering, services, medical, logistics and the other key ‘building blocks’ necessary for a fully functional base.”

Having just completed the first 12 months under the command inspection calendar concept, the general said he’s excited about the success he’s seen.

“When we re-initiated WORIs in April 2004, after a 21-month cessation due to the high tempo of the Global War on Terrorism, we knew the first few inspections would be challenging for us to orchestrate and for the units to successfully accomplish. But now, with 10 ORI-style inspections behind us, I clearly recognize, from an overarching perspective, the units are in fact mission-ready, and that’s a great feeling,” said General Zamzow.

The AMC Inspector General staff has worked to inspect more than 72 units and 6,200 Airmen over the course of the past year-plus. General Zamzow said these numbers would have been a lot bigger had it not been for instituting a “credit program,” which allowed units to count certain real-world deployments or large scale exercises as the equivalent of an inspection.

“The juggling act our units have performed has not been easy, and the leadership here at AMC recognizes the Herculean efforts they’ve made,” said the general. “From wing level supervisors all the way to the senior staff at Headquarters AMC, it’s clear our Airmen recognize the importance of training and inspections. Everyone accepts the fact that our successes in combat are based on preparedness; consequently, our warriors train very hard while still balancing the myriad of other non-contingency duties that must be performed.”

Another key to IG success was the involvement of AMC’s Total Force. “The leadership and assistance of our active duty, Guard and Reserve wing commanders was foundational to our catching up on inspections,” the general said. “They truly motivated their teams to excel, not only for the WORIs, but for excellence in every endeavor.”

The Total Force air mobility team has supported the Global War on Terrorism at home and overseas, including deployment of operations, maintenance and expeditionary combat support Airmen.

“Not only have our units supported the war on terror, they have also continued their support of other higher headquarters’ missions and local training; motivated and supported their Airmen and civilian personnel to sustain morale and welfare at the highest possible level; and taken our inspection write-ups and ‘fixed’ the problems so our units are even better prepared for deployment and mission success,” said General Zamzow. “This support has been outstanding.”
Almost 130 inspectors are needed to properly evaluate a WORI. While they aren’t all permanent members of the AMC Inspector General staff, General Zamzow applauds their efforts for making the program a success.

“About 40 percent of the inspectors are augmentees from AMC units and AMC-gained units,” he said. “It’s a ‘win – win – win’ situation having the augmentees. It allows us to accomplish our mission, it’s a great opportunity for augmentees to broaden their skills, and the augmentees can return home to provide their wing commanders with an insider’s view of the WORI.”

With the inspection calendar rolling into its second year of existence, the command’s top inspector forecasts even greater stability as the WORIs become more institutionalized. 

“As we move through our second year of WORIs, the number of units participating at each inspection venue decreases,” said General Zamzow. “Soon there will be between two and five units involved during that WORI week. With fewer units involved, there will be greater synergy and cohesiveness among the inspectees, so we’re likely to see even better inspection results.”