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COMMENTARY: How to prepare for upcoming UCI

  • Published
  • By Col. Lenny Richoux
  • 18th Wing vice commander
Since I arrived at the home of the Shogun Warriors in December, you have impressed me with your professionalism and hard work as you contribute to the 18 Wing's mission.

Every one of us plays an important part in providing the Pacific region with unmatched combat power, a forward power projection platform, and the common defense of Japan. And you do it well; in fact, you do it in an OUTSTANDING manner. From Aug. 7-13, the Pacific Air Forces Inspector General will be at Kadena to perform a Unit Compliance Inspection, or UCI. Like an Operational Readiness Inspection, the UCI will require a lot of preparation. The UCI will evaluate compliance with the laws and governing directives that dictate how we accomplish the tasks necessary to complete the 18th Wing mission. Work is already underway and you need to know how to help prepare. 

For those unfamiliar with a UCI, the inspectors use the same grading criteria as an ORI: Outstanding, Excellent, Satisfactory, Marginal or Unsatisfactory. Unlike the ORI, which focused on operational readiness, the starting point for PACAF UCI inspectors are the PACAF Mission Performance Checklists. Inspectors will also take a close look at key processes, procedures, and requirements identified by Headquarters Air Force in the form of Common Core Compliance Areas and Special Interest Items. Aside from these checklists, all regulations and directives are fair game; the inspectors may ask any unit to demonstrate compliance with the requirements of any directive governing their specific mission area. 

Getting that "Outstanding" grade requires some attention to detail and hard work. Like an ORI, the wing rating is based on each group's rating, and the group ratings are derived from individual performances that make up the squadron rating. Just answering the MPCs, CCCAs and SIIs is a good start for getting your "Outstanding." But simply demonstrating compliance only earns a "Satisfactory." To be considered for an "Excellent" or "Outstanding", you must show the inspectors how your operation exceeds mission requirements. You can do this by showing the inspectors a unique process your unit has developed--one that has significantly improved mission effectiveness or efficiency. The best part about this is that you are encouraged to borrow good ideas used by other bases. The IG likes it when units across the Air Force and PACAF share ideas that work. 

You are correct if you believe there is a lot for us to do as we prepare for the UCI. To help, 18 WG/XP built a UCI Prep Workbook, found at https://kadena.eim.pacaf.af.mil/18WG/18WG-XP/default.aspx. This guide contains valuable background information on the UCI, a UCI Prep checklist, grading criteria, tips on how to get that "Outstanding" rating, information on unit in-briefs, and a daily schedule for the last 30-day push before the inspection. You can also find a Unit Self Inspection Guide, which steps through the 18 WG Unit Self-Inspection Program and provides a detailed checklist, current Special Interest Items, unit-specific CCCAs, and how to report, track and close any open items identified during your Staff Assistance Visits or Unit Self Inspections. Finally, go to your unit or group UCI-Prep Lead for specifics about how your unit is preparing. 

18 WG UCI Prep Group Leads
18 CEG Primary - Master Sgt. Lorenzo Marsala, 632-8634
18 CEG Assistant - 1st Lt. Derek Gregory, 634-5199
18 MDG Primary - Tech. Sgt. Emily Loretz, 630-2538
18 MDG Assistant - Staff Sgt. Ann Marcellino, 630-4132
18 MSG Primary - Senior Master Sgt. Carl Thompson, 634-3382
18 MSG Assistant - Master Sgt. Kirk Marcum, 634-3249
18 MXG Primary - Chief Master Sgt. Kevin Parks, 634-5302
18 MXG Assistant - Tech. Sgt. Michael Chance, 634-7839
18 OG Primary - Lt. Col. Garren Roberts, 634-7979
18 OG Assistant - Lt. Col.Harlie Bodine, 634-5555
18 WSA Primary - Senior Master Sgt. Gilbert Edwards, 634-2122
18 WSA Assistant - Master Sgt. James Wells, 634-2179 

There's plenty of time to do everything necessary for us to shine during this UCI. Go through the UCI Prep Workbook and the USI Guide and start working with your unit and group UCI-prep leads. You already work hard and do an outstanding job. Now it's time to back that work up with documentation and standardization. Starting Aug.7, we will show the Inspectors that we are "Outstanding."