Tinker getting ready for no-notice inspection change, officials say Published Jan. 15, 2009 By Brandice J. Armstrong Tinker Public Affairs TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla., -- No-notice inspections will soon be an Air Force standard. Beginning Feb. 1, Air Force Materiel Command installations will be subject to limited and no-notice inspections. Despite the seemingly unnerving prospect, Tinker officials said Tinker can handle the change. "We already do a good job on most of these things," said Jonny Conover, senior exercise evaluator with the Installation Exercise Program Office. "Historically, most of the items the inspectors have found we've been aware of and our people are pretty good at self-identifying problems and trying to improve them. This is just a continuation of that." Under the new guidelines, the Air Force inspector general's office can give an installation as much as 14 days notice or absolutely no warning. Upon arrival at the installation, an IG can perform targeted compliance inspections, targeted readiness inspections, nuclear surety inspections, logistics standardization evaluation team inspections or a combination of them. They can also, though unlikely, perform full-up operational readiness inspections, unit compliance inspections and nuclear surety inspections. "Everyone has to change their mindset," Mr. Conover said. "They have to look at the next day as 'the IG inspector could greet me at the door.'" Mr. Conover said the change also helps the AFMC IG ensure the Air Force better utilizes resources by allowing one person to do three evaluations instead of having a team come to an installation, perform one inspection, only to have to come back and do another check. The change also ensures an installation is always ready. "Past ORIs gave a snapshot of the [Air Force's] state of readiness, but did not provide a picture of the day-to-day state of readiness," he said. "No-notice [inspections] will provide that missing piece." Tinker began to better prepare its personnel for the possibility of no-notice inspections last year. At that time, Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center personnel were required to conduct self inspections through the unit Self Inspection Program. As a result, personnel have been running checklists of necessary requirements and have taken the time to identify actions that are performed well and how they achieve acceptable outcomes. Personnel also note actions that are done poorly and actions necessary to correct the problems with open finding analysis and improvement plans. The open findings and corrective action drill-down plans are forwarded to the IG office at AFMC Headquarters for review, to help determine areas to target for inspection. To further ensure Tinker personnel remain ready for no-notice checks and in good standing with self inspections, Mr. Conover said his office will perform no-notice inspections in addition to scheduled exercises and inspections. Mr. Conover said his office has also changed the way they conduct deployed operations' exercises to more closely align with targeted readiness inspection methods at the IG's office at AFMC Headquarters. The first day of exercise will be all ability to survive and operate and the following two days are focused on mission capabilities.