Wing CI results

[RiverAux]

This is an page that has the schedule of upcoming Wing Compliance Inspections.  What makes it interesting is that it gives you the grade of the last CI (usually about 4 years ago).  To the best of my knowledge such grades are rarely publisized outside of the Wing, at least in a way that is available to the general membership. 

Only about half the wing are on it, but I wonder about how apparently everyone passes with a "Successful".  Now, I'm not saying that we should grade on a curve -- you're either doing what you're supposed to do or not.  But, just as we all know squadrons that will fail SUIs, surely there is a wing out there that deserves a "Marginally Succesful"...

http://members.gocivilairpatrol.com/cap_national_hq/inspector_general/inspections_schedule.cfm

Here are the grade definitions by the way:

◦Highly Successful - Performance or operation exceeds mission requirements.  Procedures and activities are carried out in a superior manner.  Resources and programs are very efficiently managed and relatively free of deficiencies.

◦Successful - Performance or operation meets mission requirements.  Procedures and activities are carried out in an effective and competent manner.  Resources and programs are efficiently managed.  Minor deficiencies may exist, but do not impede or limit mission accomplishment.

◦Marginally Successful - Performance or operation does not meet some mission requirements.  Procedures and activities are not carried out in an efficient manner.  Resources and programs are not efficiently managed.  Deficiencies exist that impede or limit mission accomplishment.

◦Unsatisfactory - Performance or operation does not meet mission requirements.  Procedures and activities are not carried out in an adequate manner.  Resources and programs are not adequately managed.  Significant deficiencies exist that preclude or seriously limit mission accomplishment or endanger personnel or resources.

[arajca]

Perhaps it's an updated grade. Fix the probelms and we'll give you a successful.

[Larry Mangum]

Every Finding that occurrs as part of the CI, has to be corrected and national has to accept the correction before a CI can be closed out.

[RiverAux]

I know the findings have to be fixed, but does that change the actual original grade though? 

So, in other words it isn't possible to get anything less than a Successful? 

[Eclipse]

I know the findings have to be fixed, but does that change the actual original grade though? 

So, in other words it isn't possible to get anything less than a Successful?

The initial grade is never changed - you get what you get and then have to remediate the findings.

Next time around a repeat finding works against you more in the grading, even if its a minor thing.  CI & SUI grades are not "upgraded"
as yo fix things.

And yes, its possible to get less than successful, and even be stood down for safety of financial issues.

[Fubar]

Any idea what sets apart Florida, Minnesota, and Wisconsin from the rest of the wings?

[Lord of the North]

I was on the CI Team that did the MN and WI CIs that you are referring to.  All of the wings did have some findings as well as commendables and benchmark candidates.  None had any of the inspections tabs graded Marginally Successful nor Unsatisfactory.  In fact most of the inspection tabs received grades of Highly Successful. 

Yes some wings do receive grades that are less than successful.

[Fubar]

I was on the CI Team that did the MN and WI CIs that you are referring to.

Out of all the wings listed, only three rated higher than successful. I'm curious about what those wings are doing differently than the rest of the country that they rated a higher grade.

[CS]

While there are some good aspects to the CI, to see how you are doing according to the regulations, the grades are as much political as they are the 'feeling' of the inspector.  I was present during a CI a couple of years ago that the team stated that the wing could not get anything higher than a successful because they just gave out higher ratings to two other wings.  After seeing the CI and comparing to the 'other two wings' there were less findings.

So you tell me whether it is unbiased.  Also the caliber of the inspection teams is a serious problem.

I personal pet peeve is they need to look professional to be taken seriously, stop showing up in flight suits!

[RiverAux]

I have heard that there is some move afoot to start distributing information on "commendables" and other good things found during CIs.   I think this would be helpful though from my experience there isn't likely going to be enough information about the process written into the CI report to really allow someone else to understand exactly what was done and to replicate it. 

Like with mission after action reports (those few that exist), CI reports should be posted in e-services and at least be made available to all Wing staff officers throughout the country (easy to limit it to this group based on duty assignment).

[RiverAux]

I personal pet peeve is they need to look professional to be taken seriously, stop showing up in flight suits!

You know, the last time we had a CI all the CAP staff members came in blues or corporate equivalent while all the AF guys were in flight suits and the CAP-USAF civilians and CAP NHQ members were in polos.  I agree that it does show a certain lack of respect for the inspectors to show up in such "casual" attire at an event that the Wing staff spent countless hours preparing for over the course of a year or so. 

[Lord of the North]

Like with mission after action reports (those few that exist), CI reports should be posted in e-services and at least be made available to all Wing staff officers throughout the country (easy to limit it to this group based on duty assignment).

An electronic copy of every final CI report is sent to every Wing and Region.  If the wing staff isn't getting to see then go bug the IG and/or commander to see them.  Every staff person should be reviewing these reports.

[Ned]

I personal pet peeve is they need to look professional to be taken seriously, stop showing up in flight suits!

Yeah, those darn USAF guys.  The nerve of them to show up wearing their duty uniforms to inspect me.  Clearly they need to be wearing mess dress with sabers before they are worthy to look at my books.

Who do those guys think they are, anyway? 

[bosshawk]

Ned: +1

As the Director of Counter Drug Operations for CAWG, I went through the CI for CAWG last summer.  I could care less if the Inspection Team wore dress blues, tennis shoes and a light coat of oil.

BTW: my program received an Outstanding.

[Eclipse]

+2 - anyone with a lick of sense knows you don't challenge the examiner on their appearance, you simply do you best to make a good appearance yourself.

Also, as stated, the flight suit is the duty uniform for many CAPRAPS.

[Rotorhead]

While there are some good aspects to the CI, to see how you are doing according to the regulations, the grades are as much political as they are the 'feeling' of the inspector.  I was present during a CI a couple of years ago that the team stated that the wing could not get anything higher than a successful because they just gave out higher ratings to two other wings.  After seeing the CI and comparing to the 'other two wings' there were less findings.

So you tell me whether it is unbiased.  Also the caliber of the inspection teams is a serious problem.

I personal pet peeve is they need to look professional to be taken seriously, stop showing up in flight suits!

Last graded SAREX I attended, several of the AD USAF evaluators wore flight suits at the mission base. But, hey, what would they know?

[sdcapmx]

I am learning to simply acccept the Succesful grade.  The last CI we had left me with some questions that I have since given up on.  There were items that  we received less than successful ratings on that were absolutely not wrong as per the newest regs but the CI team was going off the old regs.  Also we were  misinformed by members of the team on a few items that have since been addressed.

[RiverAux]

While there are some good aspects to the CI, to see how you are doing according to the regulations, the grades are as much political as they are the 'feeling' of the inspector.  I was present during a CI a couple of years ago that the team stated that the wing could not get anything higher than a successful because they just gave out higher ratings to two other wings.  After seeing the CI and comparing to the 'other two wings' there were less findings.

So you tell me whether it is unbiased.  Also the caliber of the inspection teams is a serious problem.

I personal pet peeve is they need to look professional to be taken seriously, stop showing up in flight suits!

Last graded SAREX I attended, several of the AD USAF evaluators wore flight suits at the mission base. But, hey, what would they know?

SAREXs are an entirely different situation as most, if not all, CAP members will be in some form of field uniform since it is an exercise.  A Compliance Inspection is a formal situation in my mind. 

[NEBoom]

Like with mission after action reports (those few that exist), CI reports should be posted in e-services and at least be made available to all Wing staff officers throughout the country (easy to limit it to this group based on duty assignment).

An electronic copy of every final CI report is sent to every Wing and Region.  If the wing staff isn't getting to see then go bug the IG and/or commander to see them.  Every staff person should be reviewing these reports.

When we had our CI in '08, we got copies of the results for a few wing's CI's that had been recently completed.  I think our SD brought them for us.  They were a good read, since it was my first (and hopefully last  ) CI as Chief of Staff.  Saw a few things in there that I hadn't thought of on my own.  Anyway, the information is available.

I am learning to simply acccept the Succesful grade.  The last CI we had left me with some questions that I have since given up on.  There were items that  we received less than successful ratings on that were absolutely not wrong as per the newest regs but the CI team was going off the old regs.  Also we were  misinformed by members of the team on a few items that have since been addressed.

I'm not a grizzled veteran of CI's but I guess this happens fairly often.  The checklist the CI team uses often has not been updated to reflect the latest changes to the regs.  Shouldn't be that way, but it is...

Any discrepancies between the checklist and the regs that lead to Findings should be dealt with while closing out the finding in question.  We had a couple of issues along those lines we had to deal with after our CI.  Can't remember the details now, I've blotted it out of my memory!!! 

It's not a perfect system, but overall the CI was a good learning experience.  I thought the feedback we got did a  good job of truly highlighting our strengths and weaknesses.

[Larry Mangum]

I have heard that there is some move afoot to start distributing information on "commendables" and other good things found during CIs.   I think this would be helpful though from my experience there isn't likely going to be enough information about the process written into the CI report to really allow someone else to understand exactly what was done and to replicate it. 

Like with mission after action reports (those few that exist), CI reports should be posted in e-services and at least be made available to all Wing staff officers throughout the country (easy to limit it to this group based on duty assignment).

When I was an ES Director at the wing level, I use to receive a copy of ES portion of all CI's throughout the country.  I would use the results to ensure that we did not have the same deficencies that other wings had. I would also look to see what benchmark candidates where doing as well.  They were a great tool for gauging your program management.