Commentary: It's game time

  • Published
  • By Brig. Gen. Eric S. Overturf
  • 442nd Fighter Wing Commander
WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. --  It's game time for the 442nd Fighter Wing with the consolidated unit inspection (CUI) starting this week! We've had a fantastic year so far and have accomplished all of our 2012 priorities along with our mission to Train and Deploy Combat-Ready Airmen. Now it's time to show the inspection team why this wing is so successful every time we're called up to defend our nation: We have incredible people doing outstanding work the way it's supposed to be done!

I know preparing for the CUI has taken a lot of time and effort - it's not something you can wait to do at the last minute! Keeping programs up to date requires constant attention to detail, and this year's deployments and funding issues made it even more challenging than usual. Still, you've pushed through each barrier and strived to ensure your programs are the best they can possibly be. Despite all that hard work, I know we will still have some discrepancies in our programs - and that's OK! The key is to be open and honest about your discrepancies, and to have a corrective plan to fix them.

Keep in mind that the inspector general team is made up of subject matter experts in their field - some from the headquarters, and some from other reserve units like ours. Show them all the things you do well so they can spread the word to other units, and use them as a source of ideas on different and potentially better ways to get the job done. This is the greatest wing I've ever been a part of, but we can still be better, so please take advantage of this opportunity to improve our processes and learn from the inspectors - they may have a better way to skin the cat!

Most importantly, remember to put your best foot forward throughout the inspection so we don't lose any points on the "easy" stuff, like uniform appearance, reflective belts, tobacco use outside of approved areas, etc. CUIs are all about following the rules, so do what you're supposed to do, and do it with a great attitude - just like you do it here every day. Help each other out by reminding your co-workers if they're not following the rules - most likely they aren't aware of it, and a friendly heads-up to let them know will help us show off the culture of compliance that makes you the most qualified and competent Citizen Airmen in the Air Force!

Finally, be proud of what you have accomplished! Since our last CUI, you've done three operational readiness inspections and more exercises and self inspections than you can probably remember. We doubled in size to become the largest wing in 10th Air Force with three new geographically separated fighter groups. We successfully stood up the Air Force's first A-10 active associate unit without missing a beat in mission effectiveness. Most importantly, we sent two major air expeditionary force packages to combat along with hundreds of civil engineers, security forces and other expeditionary combat support Airmen to defend our nation when you were called to serve.
I'm certain this CUI will be another success story to add to that list, because I have every confidence in you, the great Airmen who do all the hard work in this wing. Thanks for all you do to make the 442nd Fighter Wing great!