53rd Wing preps for UCI

  • Published
  • By Ashley M. Wright
  • Team Eglin Public Affairs
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  Members of the 53rd Wing are preparing for a different twist on Mother's Day this year.

The wing will receive its first Unit Compliance Inspection since 2005 May 9-14.

"[The inspectors] stated purpose is to give us an independent look and ideas...in areas where we might need some help in compliance with Air Force and Air Combat Command regulations," said Lt. Col. Christopher Myers, 53rd Wing director of staff. "[It provides] a helpful look at how we could be better or more efficient and compliant."

The colonel stressed that unlike an ORI, Operational Readiness Inspection, the wing will not receive a graded inspection of pass/fail or satisfactory/excellent rating. The wing will be rated in percentages of thirds: compliance, complying with comment and not complying.

Not all of the 53rd Wing's units at 20 geographically separated locations are subject to the inspection.

"It is for Eglin and Tyndall units only. We have a lot of other [outside] units that won't get touched," Colonel Myers said.

Wing members began preparing months in advance for the inspection.

"So far we have established [points of contact and checklists] for each of the squadrons," the colonel said. "After that, we completed internal inspections of the squadrons on their own."

In addition, the wing formed an independent UCI team in September 2009 to inspect the units complete with subject matter experts for areas open to examinations.

"We had those teams physically go to the squadrons and perform a UCI," Colonel Myers said. "They wrote up their results and presented them to commanders so the squadrons could have something to look against."

Since that time, the wing has been conducting bi-monthly video teleconferences with each squadron reporting on the previously reported issues. The units are also going through one more round of internal scrutiny prior to the UCI.

The final round of self-inspections will help in case of any changes in regulations, the colonel stated.

In the five years since the wing's last inspection, several items have changed. These changes have to be explained to the inspectors. According to Colonel Myers, the Web site for the inspection team shows a standard wing package with a maintenance group, medical group, etc.

"Here at the 53rd Wing, we don't have either," he said. "So, there is going to be a lot of back and forth to try and educate them on how we are different from other wings as a tenant unit."

In addition, changes to the wing structure have morphed over the past half-decade. One example is public affairs. The UCI team inspected the wing public affairs office on their last visit. However, since that time, that office has consolidated into the host wing.

With several offices no longer belonging to the wing, the ACC inspectors stressed they would report the level and quality of support the ACC tenant units are receiving from host units, the colonel said.

In 2005, the wing received 81 percent complies; 17 percent complies with comment; 2 percent does not comply.

"The proud members of the 53rd Wing have been very diligent in their effort to prepare for this UCI," Colonel Myers said. "We are primed and ready for the opportunity to showcase our mission as ACC's premier Operational Test and Evaluation (OT&E) organization--perfecting the lethality, survivability and sustainability of the Combat Air Forces' weapon systems."