Commandant, IG staff discuss 2nd BCT inspection results

  • Published
  • By Don Branum
  • Academy Spirit staff writer
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. --  The Air Force Academy inspector general met with Commandant of Cadets Brig. Gen. Stephen Williams Sept. 2 to discuss the results of an inspection of Basic Cadet Training July 21-Aug. 2.

Col. David Kuenzli's team of inspectors observed setup activities for the second phase of BCT, activities on the obstacle, confidence, assault and leadership reaction courses, combat arms training and maintenance and the Rising Dawn exercise at the end of 2nd BCT, and gave the program an overall grade of effective.

The IG team praised the Self-Aid and Buddy Care training and the Chemical, Biological, Nuclear, Radiological and Explosive weapons defense training and recommended basic cadets receive credit from the Air Force for taking those courses.

Rising Dawn was a particularly strong point, Kuenzli said.

"It was very well-planned, well-communicated and well-executed," he said. "I really felt like it brought a sense of closure to the basics and esprit de corps among them and the upper class."

Cadet leaders were flexible and quick to fix discrepancies that inspectors noted, Kuenzli said.

"When something was found to be incorrect, they adapted and fixed it," he said.

The IG ratings under the new Air Force inspection system are outstanding, highly effective, effective, marginally effective and ineffective. Inspections grade how a unit manages resources, leads people, improves itself and executes the mission.

While detailed findings of inspections are not publicly released, commanders use the information inspectors provide to improve their units' performance, Williams said.

"The focus of the inspection program is to find out the things we're doing wrong so we can make them right, and also to find out what we're doing right so we can create repeatable processes and build on those strengths," he said.

The IG began an inspection of part of the Athletic Department in mid-August and is scheduled to provide a report to the Academy superintendent in late September.