Unit Compliance Inspection

Edwards Airmen go through the processing line during a Targeted Readiness Inspection at the Mobility Processing Center Jan. 9 as part of the base's Unit Compliance Inspection. The TRI assessed the base's initial response portion of readiness with special focus on mobility processing, hazardous cargo processing, weapons handling, deployment records, mobility bags, and cargo handling. The TRI is based on previous findings, such as the past Operational Readiness Inspection, and Air Force and AFMC systemic trends. (Air Force photo by Michael Yncera)

Unit Compliance Inspection

Debris from a simulated F-16 Fighting Falcon crash scatters across Camp Corum Jan. 12 during the base's Unit Compliance Inspection. The base received an overall UCI score of "Excellent" and a Logistics Standardization Evaluation Team inspection grade of "Satisfactory." (Air Force photo by Mike Cassidy)

Unit Compliance Inspection

An Edwards fire truck extinguishes the "fire" caused by a simulated F-16 Fighting Falcon crash at Camp Corum Jan. 12. This is part of the base's Unit Compliance Inspection by the Air Force Materiel Command Inspector General. The IG also evaluated the base's four fundamental maintenance processes, including maintenance, technical data, tools and equipment, and qualification training, as part of Logistics Standardization and Evaluation Team inspection. (Air Force photo by Mike Cassidy)

Unit Compliance Inspection

An Edwards firefighter assesses a survivor of a simulated F-16 Fighting Falcon crash at Camp Corum here Jan. 12 as part of the base's Unit Compliance Inspection. As part of the UCI, the Air Force Materiel Command Inspector General team looked at the base's common core compliance areas, which represent key processes, procedures and requirements based on by-law requirements, executive orders, Department of Defense directives and Air Force and AFMC instructions. (Air Force photo by Mike Cassidy)

Unit Compliance Inspection

Edwards first responders provide medical treatment to a survivor of a simulated F-16 Fighting Falcon crash at Camp Corum here Jan. 12. This is part of a Unit Compliance Inspection conducted on base Jan. 9 through 16 where the Air Force Materiel Command Inspector General team inspected the base's common core compliance areas. These areas represent key processes, procedures and requirements based on by-law requirements, executive orders, Department of Defense directives and Air Force and AFMC instructions. (Air Force photo by Mike Cassidy)

Unit Compliance Inspection

An Edwards Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit Airman assesses a simulated F-16 Fighting Falcon crash site at Camp Corum Jan. 12 as part of the base's Unit Compliance Inspection. The base received an overall UCI score of "Excellent" and a Logistics Standardization Evaluation Team inspection grade of "Satisfactory." (Air Force photo by Mike Cassidy)

Unit Compliance Inspection

Col. Jerry Gandy, 95th Air Base Wing commander, talks to Wing personnel during the Unit Compliance Inspection outbrief at the base theater Jan. 20. The Air Force Flight Test Center received an "Excellent" grade for the UCI and a "Satisfactory" grade for the Logistics Standardization and Evaluation Team inspection. (Air Force photo by Bobbi Zapka)

Team Edwards UCI journey: 'Excellent'

Published Jan. 21, 2009
By Senior Airman Julius Delos Reyes
95th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- After more than a year of preparation and gargantuan checklists for the Unit Compliance and the Logistics Standardization and Evaluation Team inspections, Team Edwards can take pride in the fact that the Air Force Materiel Command Inspector General team has just stamped the overall Air Force Flight Test Center UCI as "Excellent" and LSET as "Satisfactory."

More than 130 inspectors from the AFMC IG team evaluated every nook and cranny of the base from Jan. 9 through 16, including the AFFTC, the 95th Air Base Wing and the 412th Test Wing, and the Air Force Research Laboratory.

"They came, they saw, we conquered," said Maj. Gen. David Eichhorn, AFFTC commander. "I am extremely proud of how each and every member of Team Edwards stepped up during the recent AFMC IG inspection. The overall 'Excellent' on the UCI and 'Satisfactory' on the LSET show the outstanding leadership qualities at all levels in the Air Force Flight Test Center. However, this was just the beginning of the road to future no-notice success. We need to continue the drive to clean up all of our self-identified write-ups as well as the discrepancies the IG found. Onward and upward, I join you in celebrating a job very well done."

The inspectors looked at the base's common core compliance areas, which represent key processes, procedures and requirements based on by-law requirements, executive orders, Department of Defense directives, and Air Force and AFMC instructions. The Logistics Standardization Evaluation Team inspection evaluated the base's four fundamental maintenance processes, including maintenance, technical data, tools and equipment and qualification training.

The AFFTC Staff received an overall UCI grade of "Satisfactory." This means AFFTC staff offices were compliant in all graded areas, including the chief technologist, Financial Directorate, Contracting Directorate, Plans and Programs Directorate, Small Business Office, Environmental, Legal and History Offices.

The 412th Test Wing received an overall LSET score of "Satisfactory" and an overall Unit Compliance Inspection grade of "Excellent."

The 412th Operations Group, the 412th Electronic Warfare Group, the 412th Test Management Group and the 412th Test Engineering Group were rated "Excellent" for Unit Compliance Inspection. The 412th Maintenance Group and the 412th TW staff offices received "Satisfactory" marks.

"The outcome of the UCI was validation and recognition of hard work and dedication by the entire team," said Col. William Thornton, 412th TW commander. "I am also very pleased with the outcome of the LSET. The 412th Maintenance Group accomplishment was particularly impressive considering some of the unique challenges of the experimental High Performance Organization and the rigor of the inspection. The UCI inspection showed numerous strengths especially in our mission area -- test planning, execution and reporting. The inspection is a beginning. We will fix what needs fixing and use our self-inspection program to make us even better as we take on future test challenges."

Meanwhile, the 95th Air Base Wing received an overall grade of "Satisfactory." Receiving the highest mark from the base was the 95th Medical Group with "Outstanding" followed by "Excellent" from the 95th Communications Group. The 95th Mission Support Group, the 95th Civil Engineering and Transportation Directorate and the 95th ABW staff offices and direct reporting squadrons, which consists of Chaplain Office, Command Post, Plans and Programs, Public Affairs, 95th Comptroller Squadron, Information Protection, and the Museum, received an overall "Satisfactory" grade.

As part of the UCI, the AFMC Inspector General team inspected the base's initial response portion of readiness with special focus on mobility processing, hazardous cargo processing, weapons handling, deployment records, mobility bags, and cargo handling. Edwards' Targeted Readiness Inspection was based on previous findings, such as the past Operational Readiness Inspection and Air Force and AFMC systemic trends. The base received an "Excellent" rating for its mobility and deployment processing.

"We appreciate the AFMC IG being here to validate our hard work," said Col. Jerry Gandy, 95th ABW commander. "We must all remember that we are on a journey, not at an endpoint. The UCI and LSET inspections were great checkpoints on the journey to give us a solid indication of how compliant we are in accomplishing the mission for America's premier flight test center. With this data in hand, we are even more prepared to ensure the journey of accomplishing the mission for our nation is a sound one."

Colonel Gandy said he is very proud of everyone's tremendous effort to ensure Team Edwards is ready to deploy and compliant in accomplishing the mission.

"These long months of preparation have been demanding," he said. "Let us all apply what we've learned. We are well on our way to keeping our team effective and compliant in the future. A key part of staying on track will be the continuation of our Self-Inspection Program that we started last year and the addition of a verification portion to the SIP. With this program and the lessons we learned from the UCI, the journey should be a good one."