Health Services inspectors visit the 911th Airlift Wing

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Jonathan Hehnly
  • 911 AW/PA
PITTSBURGH IAP ARS --  Members of the U.S. Air Force Inspection Agency conducted Health Services Inspections at the 911th Airlift Wing, March 30 through April 2, 2011.

Two teams of inspectors visited the 911th Aeromedical Staging Squadron and the 911th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron during their time at the Pittsburgh International Airport Air Reserve Station.

"We come out to do assessments and provide a snapshot on how the 911th Airlift Wing is doing to the Inspector General of the Air Force," said Maj. Teresa Paris, Nurse's Core inspector, AFIA. "We are looking to see if units' programs are complying with Air Force Instructions."

Each squadron had their own inspection team. The 911th AES inspection team consisted of three people and the 911th ASTS inspection team consisted of four people.

The inspections were conducted the same way for both squadrons, despite their differing missions. Inspectors focused their assessments of the squadrons on three major categories: expeditionary operations, in-garrison operations, and leadership.

"Assessments are based on document review and personal interviews," said Lt. Col. Daniel Brown, Medical Service Core inspector, AFIA.

According to Maj. Warren Smith, 911th ASTS administrator, ASTS had triple the amount of inspectable items as AES because of all the medical records kept on base personnel.
"The inspectors are here to review our ability to provide medical support to the wing and our own ability to deploy medical personnel," said Lt. Col. Richard Cornell, 911th ASTS commander.

The ASTS inspection involved six focus elements within the three major categories including: medical readiness planning and deployment processing, force fitness, training, aerospace medicine management, medical management, and leadership/organizational management. AES's inspection involved four focus elements within the three major categories. These focus elements were medical readiness planning and training, clinical services, organizational/human resource management, and leadership.

"It takes a lot of time and preparation," said Maj. Smith. "The preparation process began a year ago, when the inspection was assigned and we received a list of what we were going to need for it. The squadron has done a lot of work. That's where the credit is due."

"In order to prepare for the inspection, we delved into the requirements as prescribed by the regulations, the HSI guidelines, direct communication with the HSI team and self-inspection programs," said Lt. Col. Jennette "J.Z." Zmaeff, 911th AES squadron commander.

The two squadrons spent the year gathering documents for the inspection. According to Colonel Cornell, the inspectors received nine boxes of required documents from ASTS alone for review.

The inspectors spent the first half of their visit reviewing the boxes of documents and used the second half to conduct interviews of the noncommissioned officers in-charge and the assistant noncommissioned officers in-charge. Each interview lasted between 30 minutes and two hours.

"The interviews are just as important as the document reviewed," said Maj. Smith. "The interviews provide clarification and reasoning to the questions that come up during the inspector's document review."

"It's an ongoing challenge to keep up with all of the requirements due to the high operations tempo, but we are confident we do a good job," said Colonel Zmaeff. "We're always ready to live up to commitments."

Both AES and ASTS were involved with the HSI and the Compliance Inspection at the same time. The squadrons received their scores for the HSI during out-briefs Sunday, April 3. Each squadron received a satisfactory grade.

"A satisfactory is something to be proud of," said Col. Jeffrey T. Pennington, 911th AW commander. "This is not an easy inspection to get ready for, especially with your high ops tempo. Thank you for all your hard work, I know it's a very arduous journey. "