UCI: Are you ready

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Paul Lancaster
  • 56th Aircraft Maintenance squadron first sergeant
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  Operational Readiness Inspection, less than 30 days out, scheduled for May 4 through 8... easy day, right? No wait, now it's a Unit Compliance Inspection, which is actually harder. 

So, what's the difference? Basically an ORI grades your unit on executing its mission (what you do every day) plus deployed operations and emergency response. A UCI on the other hand grades you on your unit's procedural prowess, how well you comply with regulatory requirements and documentation - what the Air Force Instruction really says. 

Everyone should be aware of the UCI by now; if not, its time to pull your head out of the sand. This is the single most important mission we have this year. With five commanders fired last year for NSI inspection failures, it's critical for every Airman to be fully engaged. Since our last major wing inspection three years ago, we've had a lot of promotions, permanent-changes-of-station, operating instructions written and revised, and lost our experienced commander's support staff folks. A lot has changed. 

Now many of you are saying "Shirt, we're there already, everyone from the commander to the shop superintendent has briefed us, they ran the checklists, they had other sections come in to run the checklists - we're ready." 

I agree, by now we should all be ready and in the final stages fixing the final problems identified. So, what's left? 

Well, how about those new Airmen who just left first-term airman's center (40-plus in the last class)? I've received 13 new folks in the last month. They've heard of UCI too, but do they know what to do if an inspector approaches them? If you give them a task, can they explain it back to you? Can they find the procedure in the book? Do they know to always go to the book? Are they familiar with the Airman's manual? Teach them to quick-reference it and you can answer yes to all these questions. 

First-line supervisors, E-5 and E-6: Sit down with the Airmen you rate in addition to the sections you supervise. Ensure they use all safety gear required and observe all practices. Is there a specific tool called for by the AFI? Do we even have it? Your Airmen need to know why we officially don't use it. 

Go over customs and courtesies toward inspectors. The last thing you need, once an inspector has identified a discrepancy, is to have someone argue the point. No one argues with the inspectors! Be polite and respectful at all times. If they don't have the answer, go find the guy that does. 

Does everyone know they can do on-the-spot fixes? "Huh?" "What?" "Does the inspector prompt me to do that?" 

No, not so much. Once you know the problem, fix it right there in front of the inspector if possible. If it can't be fixed on the spot make sure you get the details, to include AFI reference, and report it up the chain. 

What else can you do? Records management will be a priority. Make sure everyone knows what constitutes a record and how long the records and forms are kept. Some easy write-ups to prevent are: V-red's - check to be ensure Airmen have them and their information is current. Ancillary training - is everyone up to date? Go out and watch your Airman perform daily tasks from start to finish. This is what the inspector will do. It can be unnerving working under a microscope, so get your Airmen use to it now. 

Review your Airmen's training records and then review their trainers' records to ensure they are still qualified to train. 

Help your shirt with family care plans. Do you have any military members who recently had a child or divorced but has custody of the children? They need a family care plan now. 

A few things Airmen should avoid: No one should say "yeah, I know the AFI says this, but we always do it like that." If we divert from the AFI it must be authorized by a policy letter change or LOI. Do your Airmen know what the reference is? 

Speaking of which, when's the last time you actually read the OIs? Are they still current? Are they signed by the current commander and not the one that was here during the last ORI? OIs need to be reviewed annually for changes. 

Oh yeah and what about those 13 new Airmen? Have they read the OIs or did they say, "Yes, sir," and sign the log. Ask questions on OIs, safety, etc. If your Airman doesn't give you the book answer don't explain it to them, have them look it up and show you the references. This way they gain the knowledge for themselves. Learning will occur. 

The most important part of this whole process besides getting it all right the first time is reporting all discrepancies. 

"But the inspector already documented it. It's a done deal, right?" Wrong! You need to report up the chain as soon as possible. 

The inspectors are here for four days, so they'll be moving fast. Your bosses need all the time they can get to verify and prepare for the out-brief. You do not want your boss caught unprepared in the out-brief. This wouldn't go over well when everyone's been checking, rechecking and checking again for more than six months. 

Do your best, check the fine print, and remember -- the inspectors will find something. Just make sure it's not one of your Airmen.