Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      21st Space Wing reaches inspection milestonePublished April 15, 2014
                    
                    By Michael Golembesky
                    
                    
                    21st Space Wing Public Affairs
            **PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (AFNS) --**The Air Force Inspector General recognized the 21st Space Wing as the first active-duty or Reserve wing in the Air Force to fully implement the Air Force Inspection System, or AFIS, and become commander’s inspection program capable.
The 21st Space Wing achieved this milestone in February while leveraging an outstanding test bed effort on the part of U.S. Air Forces in Europe units.
We worked aggressively on the implementation of this new system within our wing,” said Col. John Shaw, the 21st Space Wing commander. “I am proud of the accomplishments of the 21st Space Wing and our IG team and look forward to improving our mission effectiveness through this inspection system.”
The AFIS is focused on assessing and reporting on a unit’s overall readiness to execute their assigned missions. The assessments are conducted regularly from within the organization, which is an adjustment from the previous system of bi-annual inspections conducted by an external organization.
“The old system focused on an external team assessing our units,” Shaw said. “It showed compliance at one given moment in time. The AFIS is focused on gauging the wing’s ability to self-assess on a regular basis – it is looking at what units have done to review, assess, and improve their programs since their last inspection.”
The system is seen as a much-improved process to the previous style of inspections, especially with its emphasis on placing responsibility in the hands of commanders and directors.
“This is proving to be fantastic; I am very excited that we are moving in this direction,” said Dr. L. J. Van Belkum, the 21st Space Wing inspector general. “The responsibility for conducting internal inspections is acknowledged as a commander’s role, which is what has always been true.”
With inspection oversight being recognized as the unit commander’s responsibility, there is also increased information flow and more timely corrective responses to issues on a regular basis. It ensures units are mission and inspection ready at all times.
This constant self-assessment also helps Airmen within each unit. Under the previous system, inspection preparation created a bi-annual strain, which could interfere with an Airman’s focus on the day-to-day mission.
“The frantic preparation was unsustainable,” Van Belkum said. “You can’t maintain at that speed and expect to stay mission ready and focused. Everyone was exhausted by the end of our most recent Consolidated Unit Inspection; the AFIS is designed to eliminate that. Now instead of just a snapshot of where our compliance is at one given moment, it’s more of a photo album spanning two years, looking at what units have done to maintain their programs since their last inspection.”
In order to aid in this constant self-assessment, the wing created a strategic plan to execute the AFIS.
“Our plan leverages multiple ways of assessment and reporting over time,” Shaw said. “We have a rigorous two-year plan at squadron, group, wing and external levels to achieve this plan.”
Units will also use the management internal control toolset to help streamline and create a more user-friendly process for maintaining and reviewing records as needed.
“This is a far better system; we were one of the first wings to start using MICT and we are looking forward to the way ahead,” Van Belkum said.
“While we know we don’t have this AFIS 100 percent right, we are on a good course to meet its intent of improving operations within the wing,” Shaw said. “I know we have the right people armed with the plan and tools needed to maintain this success and look forward to continued development of the AFIS.”
More information on the AFIS can be found in *Air Force Instruction 90-201* on the Air Force e-publishing website.Air Force Inspection System 



space 



inspector general 



inspections 



21st Space Wing Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                SecAF Kendall visits Bangor ANG Base
                    
                    Vice President Harris congratulates USAFA Class of ‘24
                    
                    Senate confirms Melissa Dalton as next Under Secretary of the Air Force
                    
                    ‘One Team, One Fight’: SecAF visits Keesler AFB
                    
                    SecAF Kendall experiences VISTA of future flight test at Edwards AFBInnovation
                AFSFC reaches final phase of fielding Model Defender gear
                    
                    Around the Air Force: PCS Allowances, Air Task Forces, All-Volunteer Force
                    
                    AFIMSC focuses I-WEPTAC topics on GPC solutions
                    
                    Optimizing AI, Air University hosts Artificial Intelligence Symposium
                    
                    AFIMSC tools deliver data-driven solutions across DAFMAJCOM News
                AFMC to expand AcqDemo workforce
                    
                    AFMC empowers small businesses for Air Force reoptimization
                    
                    Acquisition Instructor Course Class 25A open for nominations
                    
                    Air Guard leaders host 2024 Wing Leader Conference
                    
                    Referral bonuses aim to help fill mission-critical vacancies
 Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil