Major Graded Area: Improving the Unit

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Katrina Reveles
  • 47th Flying Training Wing Wing Inspections
LAUGHLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  This article is part of a multi-series to educate the reader on Major Graded Areas (MGA) associated with the new Air Force Inspection System. Major Graded Areas are important because they provide the structure that all inspectors, both wing and major command, will use to conduct inspections. The four MGAs are Managing Resources, Leading People, Improving the Unit and Executing the Mission.

This month's article is on "Improving the Unit," and there are four main sub-categories: Strategic Alignment, Process Operations, Commander's Inspection Program and Data Driven Decisions. Each subcategory contains several topic areas and these help grade the overall topic, with the intent of improving the unit.

Using all four of these subcategories will help the unit find areas to improve upon. For example: are the mission statement and objectives relevant and accurate? Have Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century processes been completed? Did the unit win a Cost-Conscious Culture award? A well-orchestrated CCIP should gather enough data to make commanders aware of how the unit is performing in order to help identify strengths and areas for improvement.

Leaders should also be knowledgeable of self-inspection programs and be able to interpret the data.

Everyone should ensure honest feedback is reported on checklists, because that is how we will make improvements to our programs and processes.

All of these topics are organized into various products, which paint a picture of what the unit is doing and helps commanders make decisions for improvement.

For more information on the new AF inspection system, please reference Air Force Instruction 90-201 "The Air Force Inspection System" dated Aug. 2, 2013.