Commentary: How can I prepare for the 2009 Unit Compliance Inspection? Published May 26, 2009 By Senior Master Sgt. Carl Thompson KADENA AIR BASE, Japan -- You're sharp. You're motivated. You want to contribute to the team. I know you're asking the same question I've asked myself many times before... How can I help the 18th Wing prepare for the 2009 HQ PACAF Inspector General (IG) Unit Compliance Inspection (UCI)? Glad you asked! Today, I'd like to answer that question from 3 different perspectives... If you're an Airman in a work center, ask your supervisor to see a copy of the most recent work center evaluation and the last UCI report. This will show your work center's strong and weak areas and help focus your preparation priorities. You can run 10,000 checklists and most often, you'll find that a good majority of them overlap many of the areas covered by your local Quality Assurance or Standards and Evaluation personnel when they inspect your work center. If you're running a work center, you may want to visit the 18th Wing Plans and Programs SharePoint site. This is an excellent source of information and there is tons of useful data to help you prepare for the UCI. The site has UCI specific publications, forms, PACAF/Wing compliance checklists and AFI guidance. Additionally, there is a UCI Prep Workbook, which provides a daily checklist for the final 30 duty days of preparation before the UCI. Again, great info to assist you in preparing for the UCI, I suggest you use it! In addition, visit the PACAG IG SharePoint site and review the latest UCI reports from others wings. There are a ton of UCI reports from other PACAF units. Now compare your programs with theirs... can you make yours better? The answer is undoubtedly YES! It would be foolish not to learn from what has been identified in similar inspections across the command. Please take the time to review those reports and ensure you're programs don't have the same write-ups. If you're a little higher up the food chain, consider getting out from behind your desk and physically walking through the work centers under your purview - take a look through some continuity binders... ask the Airmen what they've been doing to prep for the UCI... break out a continuity binder and explain how to answer those confusing questions... let them ask you some questions. In other words be visible in your units and support your Airmen. Those are just a few ideas. Remember, there are some great resources out on the Wing Plans & Programs and PACAG IG SharePoint sites - use them! If you're unsure about something or have questions ask your supervisor who the squadron UCI lead is... this person will either have all the answers to your questions or at least know where to find them. Finally, we are approximately 60 days out from the 18th Wing UCI. One simple thing that every Airman can do is have a positive attitude. Instead of falling victim to the negative attitudes that surround you, make an effort to buck the trend. Look for the good in every situation to better assist your unit as they prepare for the UCI. "Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference." ~Winston Churchill Ask yourself everyday... What can I do to help the 18th Wing get an OUTSTANDING on the UCI?