ORI preparation: adding value to local publications Published Nov. 15, 2007 By Lt. Col. Tor Dietrichs 14th Flying Training Wing COLUMBUS AFB, Miss. -- Five weeks ago Col. Jeff Dunn, 14th Flying Training Wing vice commander, authored the first in a series of Silver Wings articles aimed at helping the wing prepare for the May 2008 Operational Readiness Inspection. This second article provides a progress check on preparation efforts and discusses specifics of an initiative focused on adding value to locally-developed publications. As discussed during the Oct. 10 Wing ORI Kickoff Briefings, group and squadron commanders are directly responsible for leading ORI preparation efforts within their organizations, and they have each appointed an action officer, known as a tab lead, to execute their plan. The compliance framework consists of five key components: compliance binder, scrub local publications binder, management game plan for no repeat write-ups, base-level program management functions and squadron/group program management functions. All of these are currently underway except the latter which will start in just over a week. The overall goal is to finish construction of this compliance framework by the December holiday break. After the holidays, organizations execute through the winter and spring in accordance with the components of the compliance framework in order to instill a high degree of compliance in the day-to-day operations of the organization. During the week of the ORI, executing their pre-existing plan for demonstrating this high degree of compliance should result in zero findings for each organization. In order for each squadron/group to complete construction of their respective compliance framework by the Christmas break, specific task/date criteria define each of several milestones established for each compliance framework component. The milestones help each organization systematically complete each required component in the time remaining. Four weeks into the 11-week effort, over half of all squadrons were on schedule, and the majority of the remaining squadrons were only slightly behind schedule. One of the efforts just underway is construction of a scrub local publications binder. Forty-five days prior to the ORI, the Air Education and Training Command Inspector General require the wing to provide copies of all local publications. According to a previous IG inspector, these local pubs are "low hanging fruit" as inspectors read them in advance of the ORI and "come armed looking for easy targets". Findings of noncompliance to local pubs carry the same weight as findings of noncompliance to Department of Defense Instructions, Air Force Instructions and AETC Instructions. While we work to achieve compliance over the next six months, we need to ensure our local pubs support current operations. The basic premise behind the "Scrub Local Pubs" concept is an effort to do exactly what the name implies - scrub all locally produced Operating Instructions and locally produced supplements in order to add value. This effort is accomplished by commander or tab lead assignment of an OPR for each organization's local pub who then asks the following four questions: · Question 1: Is the locally produced instruction older than the parent instruction (the non-locally produced instruction), provided there is a parent? · Question 2: Are there any arbitrary self-imposed restrictions (self-imposed handcuffs that do not add value to current operations)? · Question 3: Can you delete or modify requirements which don't add value? · Question 4: Are there standardization aspects which don't add value to daily operations? If the answer is yes to any of these questions an update of the local pub must then be initiated with OPR, tab lead and commander oversight and follow up. The most important aspect is to get rid of non-value-added layers of requirements. If the requirement isn't being done now on a daily basis then either current operations are below standards or the requirement is an outdated way of doing business and does not provide value. Is there language that is overly restrictive on how something is done? A general goal is not to state how something should be done, but instead what should be done. Mandating the specific the manner in which something is done can limit flexibility and creativity and should be avoided if possible. Each local publication must contain only the minimum essential material. It should not repeat material from a parent regulation or duplicate material from a separate regulation. All language must be unambiguous. Language used to set suspenses should maximize flexibility while establishing the absolute minimum required performance level. The greater burden is on the author of each local publication. Requirements drive performance by consuming resources that typically cannot be devoted elsewhere until the required task is completed. Striking the correct balance between being too restrictive and too lax in the current expeditionary, resource-constrained environment is a significant leadership challenge and one that must involve the motivated, inspired contributions of the commander. For more information, call 434-7883.
