Barnstormers participate in new Air Force Inspection

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Lindsey Sarah Watson-Kirwin
  • Massachusetts Air National Guard Public Affairs
BARNES AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, WESTFIELD, Mass. --  The 104th Fighter Wing participated in an inspection onsite visit Oct. 31 - Nov. 2 here in preparation for the Unit Effectiveness Inspection Capstone scheduled for June 2015.

The inspection is part of the new Air Force inspection program, which focuses on four Major Graded Areas, which includes management of resources, improving the unit, leading people and executing the mission.  The MGAs show the Air Force that the unit is a well-run organization, not just in time for an inspection, but rather all the time.

The UEI focused on evaluating the unit's compliance with several programs within the Management Internal Control Toolset or MICT. The MICT program is the new and improved self-inspection process which allows offices to continually update their checklists to maintain compliance.   It also honed in on the Wing Inspection Team and Commander's Inspection program.

The inspection team, which consisted of 15 inspectors, verified the WIT and CCIP are giving the Wing Commander an adequate look at the unit, evaluating correctly and allowing for self-evaluation.

"MICT has changed.  It is not as cumbersome as it was a year ago," said Master Sgt. Lynne Bolduc, 104th Fighter Wing MICT/self-inspection program manager.   The days of checking boxes, closing out checklist and waiting for the inspection team to descend are gone.  With the MICT program, bases now have the power to continually document their successes with supporting documentation, as well as their plans for improvement in a place accessible to both the internal and external teams of inspectors.

"Every four years we have a Capstone inspection, and every two years in-between we have an onsite," said Bolduc.  Once the unit completes the Capstone in June, the unit will be on track to continue with a standard inspection cycle.  The inspection process will continue to evolve to the needs of the force.

"It is a constant improvement process, they are not graded anymore," said Bolduc.  "They are continually enhancing MICT and making it more user-friendly."

The success of the inspection is based on the preparation to learn the new system and stand up the new program.

"MICT is a continual process," said Bolduc.  "The more detailed the assessment notes are, the better.  Reference AFIs, provide specific comments, and supporting documentation.    The IG can do a virtual inspection and spend less time with you when they arrive for an onsite."

"It is the hard work, focus, and determination of our 63 Wing Inspection Team members that allow our AFIS (Air Force Inspection System) program to be so successful," said Inspector General Superintendent Chief Master Sgt. Anthony Swana.  The dynamic IG team here includes the IG Maj. Andrew Jacob, the IG Planner Maj. Nathaniel Zajac, the Complaint Section Maj. Sherman Cowan, IG Superintendent Chief Anthony Swana, and the Program Manager Master Sgt. Lynne Bolduc. 

Moving into the Capstone inspection in June 2015, the 104th Fighter Wing is on track. Although that inspection will bring four times more inspectors and last 4-days, it will be very similar to what the unit went through this weekend. 

"The inspection brought no major surprises," said Col. Ken Lambrich, Vice Commander, 104th Fighter Wing.  "This inspection showed that we as a wing are right where we need to be and well positioned moving forward.  This is thanks in large part to the outstanding foundation established by Lt. Col. Morris "Moose" Fontenot and the work over the past year by Maj. Andrew "Bishop" Jacob, the IG shop and the wing inspection team," concluded Lambrich.