If it isn’t broken you can still make it better Published June 29, 2015 By Senior Airman Stephanie Morris Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- Many Airmen hear the designator Inspector General and associate it with reviews, inspections and exercises. However, the 91st Missile Wing IG's duties fall under many more umbrellas than just keeping notes on processes and conducting reviews. The IG's mission is to validate and verify self-assessment programs and independently assess the performance of the wing and its component organizations. This means not only do they identify discrepancies, they also highlight strengths and work to continuously better all programs and procedures in their wing. The IG focuses on finding ways to improve the unit's procedures and also identifying personnel that are clearly performing above and beyond minimum requirements, by highlighting those members to their squadron leadership as "Superior Performers," said Maj. James Stoddard, 91st MW IG chief of inspections. "If one unit is managing a program especially well, we would identify that as a strength so that other units can take a look at that method to see if it would be a better way for them to do business," Stoddard said. "Since we get to see how different units perform similar functions, we can sometimes offer units suggestions on a more efficient way to meet a requirement that saves them money or time or effort." Recently, the IG has inspected tools, vehicles, training records, commander's support staff programs, wing facilities, computer equipment inventories and personnel proficiency. One of the main things wing IG teams are looking for is undetected non-compliance, Stoddard said. That means, there is a requirement for a unit to do something and they're not doing it. This may mean the unit isn't aware of the requirement or they aren't making any proactive efforts to become compliant. "We also try to look for things other than just the specific program under inspection," Stoddard said. "For example, if we're doing a tool inspection and happen to see an outdated appointment letter on a bulletin board, we try to catch those things for the unit as well. Sometimes it just takes someone who isn't looking at something every day to see those things." As a tenant unit, the Missile Wing IG office does not include a complaints resolution office. That function is performed by the host 5th Bomb Wing IG office for all base personnel. The Air Force Inspection System relies on deputized wing inspection team augmentees to work. Only a small number of people work permanently in the wing IG office. WIT members are trained by the IG team to conduct inspections, certified by the wing IG, and then borrowed from their normal work centers to help conduct local inspections within the wing. The IG office also plans and conducts all of the wing's local exercises and coordinates participation in higher headquarters exercises. According to the 91st IG, the next big inspection for Minot Air Force Base is the Unit Effectiveness Inspection capstone event to be conducted by the Global Strike Command Inspector General on both the 91st Missile Wing and the 5th Bomb Wing the last two weeks of August. This will be the first UEI for both wings under the new Air Force Inspection System, which relies heavily on unit self-inspections over a two-year period. In addition to unit self-inspections, the IG office also performs the job of wing gatekeeper. Agencies wanting to visit base are coordinate their request with the WG to make sure the wing is able to accept the visit without causing impact to mission schedules. IG maintains a calendar of all events to help de-conflict these types of visits and mission requirements. Though being part of the IG can be fast paced and demanding, it offers many unique opportunities for its members. "I most enjoy being able to work with all of the mission areas," said Lt. Col. Michael Samuel, 91st Missile Wing inspector general. "It is a great opportunity to be able to watch a security forces team respond to an exercise situation at a missile alert facility or observe a missile combat crew demonstrating their capabilities in an evaluation. I also enjoy playing a role in improving the wing." Commanders have a lot of things they're responsible for and they rely on many tools and programs to make sure they're accomplishing all their responsibilities, Stoddard explained. IG inspections help commanders by verifying those programs and tools are in compliance with all requirements and identify any areas to the commander that might need further attention before there is any impact to the unit's mission. Samuel explained, when a deficiency is identified during an inspection his team is helping the units to get better. When the discrepancy is corrected it makes the unit and wing better positioned to perform the mission. If a deficiency is identified, the responsible unit performs a root cause analysis to determine how and why the problem occurred, Samuel said. The unit then develops and implements a corrective action plan that is designed to fix the problem. Once the unit and wing commander are satisfied through re-assessment that the problem is fixed, the deficiency is closed. Members of the 91st IG conduct an average of two inspections per month, on and off-base and throughout the missile complex, each lasting three to four days. The intent of the new Air Force Inspection System is to ensure units are always inspection-ready by being mission-ready every day. "There is no longer an expectation of having 'inspection prep' or spinning up for an inspection," Samuel said. "Individuals and units are inspection ready by completing their training requirements for their primary job and any additional duties." The wings and installation conduct exercises throughout the year to demonstrate their readiness to execute the mission. These exercises allow them to self identify improvement areas and streamline their processes. "I love having the opportunity to see the pride that people take in their jobs in so many different parts of the wing," Stoddard said. "People really take ownership of the programs and resources they manage for the Air Force, and they try really hard to make things better. I especially love when someone shows me how they were able to fix a broken program -- It's very encouraging!"