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Inspector General briefs new program to Wing leadership

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. David Dobrydney
  • 319th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  Leaders of the 319th Air Base Wing held their first Commander's Inspection Management Board (CIMB) on Dec. 6. The CIMB is a key component of the new Air Force Inspection System (AFIS) being implemented across the Air Force.

Lt. Col. Aaron Bass, 319th ABW Inspector General, described how the CIMB, chaired by 319th ABW Commander Col. Paul Bauman, drives the local Commanders' Inspection Program. During the meetings, wing leadership reviews inspection results, corrective actions for deficiencies, and inspection team status.

Under the new AFIS, each wing must establish a local Wing Inspection Team (WIT) manned by unit personnel. WIT members will be trained and certified as IG inspectors and will execute inspections under the direction of the inspector general. Inspection deficiencies will be documented and briefed to leadership at monthly CIMB meetings.

"I cannot implement this program without a strong Wing Inspection Team," said Bass to the gathered leadership. "I need the expertise your folks have."

Currently there are more than 50 WIT members that are awaiting formal training and swearing-in before beginning work as inspectors. The required training is being offered in four classes this month.

Bass stressed that this new inspection regimen will not just focus on how many problems are uncovered. It will also ensure problems don't go unacknowledged.

"The great thing is this is an opportunity to look at areas where perhaps we aren't as compliant as we'd like to be, and measure that against the risk to operations," he explained.

Bauman offered his view that the new system should lead to a more collaborative effort toward remedying problems in units. CIMB meetings will allow trends to be discovered and units to share best practices if a problem affects multiple work areas.

"It's identifying where our shortcomings are and working to fix them," Bauman said. "It's cleaning our house together."