Inspector General

Inspector General

David T. Garland, DEWg/IG

Duties of the Inspector General

 MISSION STATEMENT

    The purpose of the Civil Air Patrol Inspector General System is, in part, to create an independent and objective system that:

   1. Resolves problems affecting the Civil Air Patrol mission promptly and objectively.

   2. Creates an atmosphere of trust in which issues can be objectively and fully resolved without retaliation or the fear of reprisal.  
   3. Ensures the existence of responsive complaint and inspection programs characterized by objectivity, integrity, and impartiality.

   4. Ensures the concerns of Civil Air Patrol members and the best interests of the Civil Air Patrol are addressed through objective fact-finding.

  5. Educates Civil Air Patrol members and commanders regarding the privileges of and protection for those contacting an inspector general.

   6. Ensures inspectors general, inspector general staff members, and investigating officers are trained to conduct thorough, unbiased investigations and inspections based on fair and objective fact-finding.

SUBORDINATE UNIT INSPECTIONS

Preface: The key to successful and painless inspections is to get and stay prepared at all times. Keep your files up to date, destroy old records as required, observe all report and plan submission deadlines and make sure all duty positions are filled and the officers are entered in their respective specialty track(s). 

There are changes coming that will require continuous compliance, which will make this easier once everyone gets used to the new philosophy and requirements thereof.  
Your IG, IGAs, and inspectors are all here to help with training as needed. 

Subordinate Unit Inspections (SUI) are governed by CAPR 20-3 and will be conducted every 24 months. The SUI will focus attention on items contained primarily in the published SUI checklist (please see the note below), but may include, as necessary and determined pertinent to CAP mission accomplishment by the headquarters staff: CAP Corporate policy and guidance; Air Force, Air Education and Training Command, Air University, CAP and CAP-USAF directives and instructions. The requirements found in directives published after the issuance of an SUI checklist take precedent over the content of the SUI Checklist.

Commanders and appointed officers should review all information on the SUI Guide for their area(s) being inspected, this and all associated pages, the 60-day notice of inspection when received and posted, the applicable regulations and the pamphlet for your specialty track to completely prepare for the Subordinate Unit Inspection (SUI). The team chief or IG is only required to communicate with the unit commander. It is the responsibility of the unit commander to notify his/her officers of all schedules and requirements and forward the worksheets to be used for each area to the respective officer in charge (OIC) of that inspection area. OICs, by default, do not have the proper permissions to upload the required forms, reports and other documentation to the eServices IG Documentation area. Temporary permission to access and upload these fines will be granted to OICs at the request of the unit commander, to the IG. The IG will them forward the specific request to the Wing Web Security Administrator (WSA). These permissions are unit-specific, not area-specific. Granting access to an officer of unit DE-XXX will grant permissions to all areas but only for that unit. They will be temporary and automatically expire at the end of the 6th month after the inspection on-site is scheduled to allow the officer to participate in the close-out of any discrepancies. If a unit commander wishes those permissions revoked at any time, he/she will contact the Wing WSA bia Email and copy the IG on the request. 

Each SUI is conducted with a set schedule of events:
No later than (NLT) 60 days prior to the proposed inspection date, a letter will be sent via Email to the Unit Commander and uploaded to the unit's Documentation section on the IG web page on eServices. The worksheets to be used for that inspection will also be attached to the 60-day notice or subsequent email messages. The zip file of all worksheets is over 24 MB so most email systems will not allow an attachment that large. 
NLT 30 days prior unit commanders and directors will confirm the scheduled on-site SUI interviews are accurate and provide contact information to the IG for all officers to be interviewed.
There are several reports that will be needed by the inspectors during their preparation for the inspection. These reports will be specified in the 60 Day notice of inspection. These reports should be downloaded from eServices and uploaded to the Uncategorized section of the unit's documentation on the IG web page on eServices for the inspectors to review. (not all inspectors are wing-level officers and such may not have access to your unit's reports).
NLT 10 days before the on-site inspection, the commander will either upload or ensure his/her appointed officers have all completed and uploaded the individual SUI worksheets and any required reports or documentation (Deliverables) to the proper area of the unit's Documentation area. Failing to complete this task by the end of business ten calendar days before the impending on-site inspection will result in an automatic discrepancy on the Commander's area. The inspection begins upon Email delivery of the 60-day notice to the unit commander. 

During the Inspection:
All unit "directors" (appointed officers in the case of Squadrons) should be "available or present" as required for the unit's SUI. All pertinent documentation and/or files must be available for inspection during the on-site visit as does all property assigned to the unit that is not issued to members of the unit in the case of Communications and Supply. The unit should also have copies of any real estate agreements uploaded (your meeting site(s) and any other places you utilize. The Wing Admin Officer should be able to provide copies of these documents upon request. The sites will not be inspected, the documents probably will. 
Note, areas that do not require eyes-on Hands-on (EOHO) inspection of documents that cannot be uploaded or equipment inspection (including presence, condition, and storage areas) can be completed any time between the documents being uploaded to eServices and the date of the on-site visit provided the officer and inspector can agree to a mutually convenient time and place for the inspection.  In some cases, it can even be done over the phone. This option is NOT available for some areas. Check with your inspector to see if your area qualifies and if he/she is willing to do your inspection ahead of time.   
All SUI discrepancies are to be closed within 6 months of the date of the report being uploaded. Units not correcting all discrepancies within 6 months will be placed in a suspended status and prohibited from participating in any CAP activities (including weekly meetings) not related to the closure of the discrepancies until all discrepancies are closed. If a subordinate unit is suspended, the wing commander, subordinate unit commander, wing inspector general and/or a person authorized by the subordinate unit commander to make entries into the DTS shall be the only members allowed into eServices. Waivers to exceed the 6-month maximum without restrictions being placed on the unit must be approved by the CAP/CC and the CAP-USAF/CC.

Subordinate Unit Inspection Schedule
Inspections established by either CAP regions or wings to evaluate the management and mission capability of units below the wing level. The SUI will be conducted IAW CAPR 20-3 and use the worksheets in effect as of the date of the 60-day notice, which will be sent via Email to the inspected unit commander. The team chief or IG will contact the unit commander and attempt to schedule the on-site portion of the inspection as soon as practicable after the 60-day notice and every effort will be made to schedule within 24 months when the last inspection was scheduled. In no event will the on-site be scheduled for more than 27 months without approval. 

Delaware Wing Subordinate Unit Inspection (SUI) Schedule

30-Apr 2024 

27-Apr 2022

22-Sept 2022 

 AEROSPACE EDUCATION
The AE Activity Report are now done entirely online in eServices BUT you need to upload a copy of each to the AE Documentation area for your SUI. The deadlines have changed, please see CAPR 50-1 para 10 and 11 as well as Attachment 2. The AE plan of Action is no longer required below Wing-level. 

Many units are still confused by what constitutes internal and external Aerospace Education. Think of it by who is being educated. If the answer is CAP members, it is internal, even though you are on a field trip to the Air Force Museum. If the answer is someone outside the CAP, that is PROBABLY external AE. To paraphrase the regulation, External AE is the delivery or attempt to deliver Aerospace Education to community-based organizations outside of the CAP. Examples are scout troops, 4H clubs, public and private schools at any grade level and any other non-aviation related organization outside of CAP. One note on this latest, an EAA Chapter is inherently aviation-based/related. If you are going to count this as an External AE encounter, make sure the subject matter is outside the organization's normal realm of knowledge, hence delivering education. A talk on crosswind take-off and landings would probably not be allowed as an external AE presentation but a talk on 406 ELTs or drones is certainly outside of their normal knowledge base and therefore could be used as an external AE presentation. It is all in the documentation:

For internal AE, we want to see a copy of the meeting sign-in sheet with a note that AE was presented and what the subject matter was. 

For external AE, document approximately how many CAP and non-cap people attended, and what was demonstrated, displayed or discussed. Remember, the ATTEMPT is acceptable. If you have no other external AE opportunity, identify the leader of a community-based organization and send an email offering your services to do presentations on Aerospace. Documentation of the attempt will allow a yes answer to question 3. 

COMMUNICATIONS
 Communications is no longer inspected below the Wing level.  

TRANSPORTATION 
During the recent inspections it has come to my attention there is some confusion concerning the vehicle records folders. 

Each folder should include (as a minimum and does not reflect mandatory safety notification letter and other items required by regulation to stay with the vehicle):

a. Copy of registration maintained in accordance with local state law.

b. Completed CAPF 73, CAP Vehicle Inspection Guide and Usage Data. Maintain in the vehicle record folder in accordance with CAPR 10-2, Files Maintenance and Records Disposition.

c. Records of repair and maintenance expenses.

d. Copy of insurance card.
 
This is a minimum and what will be checked on the SUI.  Although the regulations state that maintenance and repair records may be maintained at the Wing level or in ORMS, the Director of Logistics has stated that they should be in the folder.  If not located in the folder, there is the possibility that they may not be at Wing and not in ORMS.  This would result in a discrepancy for the unit and the inability to track maintenance performed.

FINANCE
COMMANDER CANNOT BE THE FINANCE OFFICER. CAPF 172 must be completed by 1 October annually and at each change of command (make sure the original is signed by all finance committee members)

Finance Committee must meet quarterly, minutes must be recorded and uploaded to the documentation area for inspections 

Must appoint a finance office within 30 days of commander appointment and it has to include the correct officers

Must maintain a copy of the Finance Committee minutes IAW CAPR 10-2 

PUBLIC AFFAIRS
Public affairs is no longer REQUIRED to be inspected at the squadron level. 

ADMIN/PERSONNEL/PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
One of the most challenging areas of the inspection for Personnel is the requirement to keep a CAPF 45 for each member. Remember, some data may be on e-services and some on paper.  Not ALL of the data is there by default. Information can be kept in electronic form. See the CAPF 45 page for details.

DOCUMENTATION AND UPLOADS                                                                            
Commanders and appointed officers who are preparing SUI worksheets and those who will for the next inspection, should read and follow the SUI documentation suggestions and those on your SUI Worksheet(s).

Inspection documentation should be uploaded to the IG section of eServices as soon as possible to allow the inspectors time to examine it to determine if it is complete. In a LOT of cases, if your document uploads are complete, your inspection will just be a few minutes to go over the documents and look for any commendables that can be added unless the worksheet specifically requires a physical inventory or something else that can't be done through documentation. Commanders desiring selected officers in their command to be able to upload documents should contact the Wing Web Security Administrator to arrange upload permissions ahead of the deadline. 

IG DOCUMENTS

Essential Program Readings   
 CAPR 20-1, Inspector General Program
 CAPR 20-2, Complaints Resolution
 CAPR 20-3, Inspections  (Effective 5-August 2019)Subordinate Unit Inspection 
Please do not download copies of the worksheets from the website except for practice or preparation purposes. The worksheets change irregularly and often. You MUST use the worksheet that is uploaded to the Documents area of eServices for your unit by the team Chief or the Wing IG, which is the same as the ones sent via Email with, or shortly after the 60-day notice goes to the commander. 
The worksheets in effect at the time the IG sends the 60-day notice message will be the worksheets used for that individual SUI. They will be uploaded to the documentation area of eServices for your unit and those are the only ones to be used for your inspection. 

Last updated 21 May 2023