SAVs key to inspection success

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Joseph Kapinos
  • 319th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. - All Warriors of the North will be under the microscope during a Unit Compliance Inspection to be conducted by members of the Air Mobility Command inspection team April 21-April 29. 

Squadrons shouldn't be worried about the upcoming inspection though, because the 319th Inspector General office stands by to offer help through the use of Staff Assistance Visits, or SAVs. 

"The purpose of a SAV is to help prepare our units for an inspection," said Maj. Steven Dougherty, Deputy Inspector General. "It allows us to notify a section of where exactly they stand and what areas can be improved." 

"It also informs wing leadership of where their units stand before a big inspection," he added. 

Each unit and section within the wing will conduct a SAV based on a schedule formed by the IG team. The units will only have a moment's notice that they will have the visit. This allows the team to get a proper idea of where the units stand in their checklist. 
Preparation is essential to passing both the SAV and the UCI says Maj. Dougherty. 

"When we conduct a SAV, we expect the units to treat us as if were the actual inspectors. This means meeting us when we arrive, having the proper team members on hand as well as having the proper checklists ready," said Maj. Dougherty. 

"Anything we need, we will ask for and it needs to be ready to view," he said. 

Any unit that is having difficulty getting the proper checklists for the inspection needs to visit the IG Community of Practice section of the wing's intranet Web site and the Air Force Portal. All the necessary checklists for SAVs and the upcoming UCI can be found there. 

Maj. Dougherty, who plans and conducts exercises for the wing, has some additional suggestions for units slated for the visits. 

"Have your proper checklists and concentrate on safety," he said. "These are areas that have been of concern lately." 

"Always remember," said Maj. Dougherty. "We only do a portion of the checklist, but if we find errors, we will have to dig further, just like the inspectors. If you have everything in order, it will go smoothly and quickly."