2. Army Inspection Policy and Guidance
A Review for Leaders
DAIG recently completed an Army-wide inspection of the OIP and Army Inspections. The CSA has made it an item of special emphasis.
CSA quote: dated 6 Dec 2002: - “Assessment results indicate commanders are actively employing the Command Inspection Program (CIP) to improve units, but inspectors are not trained to conduct inspections IAW Army policy.”
“a general Army-wide lack of understanding of the OIP as the umbrella program under which the CIP and other inspections fall.”
“The purpose of the OIP is to coordinate inspections and audits into a single cohesive program focused on command objectives.”
“The OIP must include the commander’s priorities and goals, explain the mechanism for scheduling and monitoring inspections, provide standards for inspections, and ensure corrective action.”
“GO Commanders, at all levels, will read the report on the inspection of the Army’s OIP and implement recommendations as appropriate.”
“Commanders must assess the effectiveness of their command inspection program and employ assigned IGs as the proponent for both local inspection policy and individual inspector training as prescribed in AR 1-201, Army Inspection Policy.”
“Inspections add to the multiple sources of information available to assess the state of readiness of the command. Commanders should develop their OIP to complement and reinforce other sources of evaluation information when determining or assessing from unit mission and focus limited resources on training and sustaining.”
I could stop there, because just from what the Chief said you should already be motivated to go and get the information yourself. But let’s continue...
2/12/2003

3. AGENDA OIP General Information on Inspections
What it is
How to develop an OIP
General Information on Inspections
Definition
Categories
Types
14 Principles for Good Inspections
The brief is divided into three sections, as you see here.
2/12/2003

4. O I P The Organizational Inspection Program (OIP)
The integration of inspections
O I P
COMMAND
STAFF IG
As this slide shows the OIP includes and integrates all inspections under a single coherent program.
The OIP and Command Inspection Program (CIP) have great utility for commanders. Inspections are one of the key assessment tools for assessing unit readiness. And if they are done right, they have a built in plan for fixing problems.
The OIP is your tool to bring inspections under your control.
The Command Inspection Program, while more widely known, was found by DAIG to be poorly executed.
References: AR 1-201, Army Inspection Policy 5/17/93; AR 20-1, Inspector General Activities and Procedures 3/29/02
INSPECTION
INSPECTION
INSPECTION
Audits
Staff -
Assistance Visits
AR 1 -
201
, paragraphs 3 -
2 to 3 - 5
2/12/2003
The Inspections Guide ,
Section 2-2 and Chapter 5 - -

5. The Organizational Inspection Program (OIP)
The Commander’s plan for inspections!
A Commander’s program and a command responsibility
Reviewed and updated annually
Provides the commander an organized management tool to identify, prevent or eliminate problem areas
Integrated into the Training Management (and QTB) Process described in FM 7-0, Training the Force
Complements and reinforces other evaluations
Minimizes the duplication of evaluations
IG advises the Commander, trains local inspectors, and evaluates the effectiveness of the OIP
OIP is the Commander’s program, with an annual review required.
Going back to the OIP definition: Commander’s program which coordinates all inspections, visits and audits. So you’ve got all of these things already going on. Now the goal is to get them working for you, not against you, as some of you may have experienced.
3rd bullet per (AR 1-201, para. 3-2b) This tool has three 3 Purposes: reduce disruption to training; reinforce established standards; teach and train those found deficient.
Logically it should tie into, support and be a part of your overall training program. FM 7-0, Chapter 6, Assessment , states: “Assessment is the commander’s responsibility.” Also, “ Assessment is a continuous process that includes evaluating training, conducting an organizational assessment, and preparing a training assessment.” Organizational assessment, for the most part, is about inspections.
But to employ the OIP to its fullest, means that it is an integral part of your training assessment program and the results feed into the development of your training program. Pieces of, if not the whole OIP, should be talked about in your annual and quarterly training briefs and guidance. How the two are coordinated is not prescribed, (yet). A suggested solution is to make it a part (an Annex) of your Annual Training Guidance, which fits the annual review requirement.
OIP inspections should fit cleanly with other evaluations. For example, they ID training deficiencies and provide a plan to correct the deficiencies which might include an external evaluation or vice versa. An external eval may ID a problem and you plan an inspection to check correction of the identified problems.
If the OIP is a part of your training program, all inspections will be planned and scheduled, thus eliminating duplication…
The IG can advise you on your OIP and help train inspectors. He will also evaluate the overall effectiveness - more on that later.
Now the OIP is obviously going to be different at the different command levels. Let’s start at the bottom.
2/12/2003

6. OIP: Battalion The basic building blocks of the OIP
Includes Command Inspections (Initial and Subsequent) and Staff Inspections
Focuses on areas that immediately impact on readiness and reinforce goals and standards
Teaching and training is a goal of company-level command inspections
The battalion may be the lowest level that has an OIP, but it is also the most important. It is the program around which and upon which the higher level OIPs are built.
We will talk about Command Inspections, both initial and subsequent, in detail later.
Who can tell me at what level command inspections are required by regulation? (Answer: Battalions must conduct Command Inspections of company level units.)
Of course staff inspections and assistance visits are the other big part of your battalion OIP.
The focus on readiness at battalion means OIP fits nicely with your training program. And all inspections start with a standard. The goals tie into our training guidance and assessment plans.
Never forget the purpose – soldiers trained to standard. If you are not training and teaching, your inspection is fundamentally flawed. Training starts at the lowest level.
The Brigade OIP builds upon the Bn OIP.
2/12/2003

7. OIP: Brigade
The brigade OIP normally includes Command Inspections, Staff Inspections, and Staff Assistance Visits
The brigade OIP focuses on units and functional areas
At a minimum, the brigade OIP will include inspections of subordinate OIPs and the brigade headquarters company
The brigade OIP must complement the battalion commanders’ programs and avoid redundancy
Focus is on a unit, or more commonly a functional area, often Brigade inspections include multiple Bns.
We see a lot more staff assistance visits.
Bde includes a Command Inspection by regulation at the HHC (remember we said earlier, required by regulation). Brigades are not prohibited from conducting other Command Inspections.
Remember, the starting point of the Bde OIP is its subordinate Bns’ OIPs. Also, avoid duplication, and provide support where needed.
How do you think this relates to the Division OIP?
2/12/2003

8. OIP: Division/School & Center (TRADOC)
Consists primarily of Staff and IG Inspections
Command Inspections at the division level are often limited to separate companies
Focus is on the Division’s ability to execute plans and policy
At a minimum, the Division OIP should:
verify the effectiveness of subordinate OIPs (an IG role)
protect subordinate commands from unnecessary inspections
disseminate lessons learned
complement Battalion and Brigade OIPs
The needs, focus and assets are different here.
Here we get the first IG inspections.
We still have separate Detachment or Company Command inspections (required by regulation)
Focus is on Plans and Policy
Here is the first place we talk about protecting commanders by synchronizing and integrating both internal and external assessments. Now we start to address inspections/ audits/ visits from outside organizations. The division may be more comfortable/capable of telling someone no than subordinate commanders.
Here is also the first time we talk about disseminating lessons learned. This is a function that should be done at lower levels too, but here it becomes more of a focus, because without that as a specific goal, the accumulation and dissemination of lessons learned will probably not happen. It could happen at lower levels thru unofficial channels.
Again it complements all subordinate OIPs.
The next level, the MACOM is the top level that requires an OIP by regulation.
2/12/2003

9. OIP: MACOM Consists primarily of Staff and IG Inspections
Command Inspections at the MACOM level may be limited to separate companies
Focus is on the MACOM ability to execute plans and policy
At a minimum, the MACOM OIP should:
verify the effectiveness of subordinate OIPs (an IG role)
protect subordinate commands from unnecessary inspections
disseminate lessons learned
complement subordinate OIPs
The MACOM OIP looks very much like the division OIP
Again we have mostly staff inspections, IG inspections, and the Company/Detachments not covered in subordinate OIPs
Same focus
Again the protection role
The lessons learned at this level will probably be different
Again the constant, complementary role for the OIP
Ok, now lets talk about what goes into an OIP.
2/12/2003

10. Developing an OIP The OIP written policy should:
Designate an overall OIP coordinator (usually G3 / S3, or CoS / XO)
Articulate the commander’s overall inspection guidance
Assign responsibilities for staff members and subordinate commanders
Address relevant categories of inspections (Command, Staff, and IG) as they pertain to the command by frequency, focus, and so on
Capture all inspections that affect the command, prioritize them, and eliminate some if redundant or not necessary
Establish the standards and scope for each type of inspection (general, special, and follow-up)
Explain how to use local IG to help train inspectors
The document you develop should contain the following items:
One OIC, responsible for coordinating the overall program, normally the G3, S3, SPO, or DPTM. At Bn/Bde level the XO might be the OIP coordinator.
The IG should not be the OIP coordinator because 1) Bns and Bdes do not have IGs 2) The regulation charges IGs with assessing the effectiveness of OIPs.
AR provides a good baseline for your inspection guidance (and I can provide an electronic sample for you if you like).
Here you can talk about how ICIs and SCIs will be done as well as staff inspections, and staff assistance visits.
Capturing all inspections/audits will take some effort. You must do this if you are to eliminate redundancies.
Standards usually will be referenced for particular type of inspection or functional area. Local standards may exceed DA standards.
Your IG is school trained and can assist in training your inspectors.
Most of this should not change too much from year to year once you’ve got it right.
Now lets shift gears, and talk about the things we are trying to manage. We can do a wonderful job managing inspections but if the underlying inspections are poorly done we are just wasting our time.
2/12/2003

11. Army Inspection – Definition
“An evaluation which measures performance
against a standard and should identify the cause
of any deviation. All inspections start with
compliance against a standard. Commanders tailor
inspections to their needs.”
AR 1-201, Glossary
A standard is the way things should be
Army Inspections: We have been doing these things for years. And believe it or not, we may have been getting worse at doing them, probably due to trying to do more with less. The attitude of checking the block, getting it done and moving on to other important things makes inspections ineffective.
First of all, what are we talking about when we say Army Inspection?
Let’s look at Army inspections: the different categories; types: and what the key points are that we need to know about each.
2/12/2003

12. The Inspections Guide, Section 2-2
Types of Inspections
General Inspection. Broad in scope, oriented on units, and designed to look at all aspects of the organization.
Special Inspection. Focused on specific functions, programs, procedures, problems, or issues; these inspections also look at groups of related problems or procedures. The special inspection facilitates the systemic approach to an inspection and is the preferred type of IG Inspection.
Follow-up Inspection. Review the effectiveness of corrective actions taken as a result of a previous inspection.
The type of inspection depends on the purpose of the inspection. Are we looking at a unit, or a particular functional area? Or are we checking to see if something was fixed?
The Inspections Guide, Section 2-2
2/12/2003

13. Categories of Inspections•
Command Inspection •
Staff Inspection •
Inspector General Inspection
All Army inspections fall into one of these three categories. Categories are determined by who does or heads the inspection.
In each category you can have any of the types of inspections that we just discussed.
General Inspections: Command and Staff, IGs as a rule don’t conduct general inspections.
Special Inspections: Staff and IG inspections are normally special inspections, focusing on a functional area or problem area.
Follow-up: You can have a follow-up inspection in each of these categories.
AR 1 -
201
, Paragraphs 3 -
2 to 3 - 5
2/12/2003

14. Command Inspections Commander actively participates
A scheduled, formal event
Initial Command Inspection
AR requires for all company or detachment level commands
Other Command Inspections are optional or at discretion of the commander
Subsequent Command Inspection
First of all, in order to have a “command” inspection you’ve got to have… a commander, and he/she must be an active participant in the inspection. When a Commander only attends the in-brief/out-brief it does not qualify as a Command Inspection.
Always scheduled and formal
Required by regulation at the lowest level
Other Command Inspections are optional.
So there are two types of command inspection, more on the first one…
2/12/2003

15. Initial Command Inspection
Required for Company Commanders (or like commands such as detachments)
within 90 days of assumption of command for the AC
within 180 days of assumption of command for the RC
Included on the training schedule and should be briefed at QTB
Comprehensive inspection that identifies unit strengths and weaknesses
Helps commanders establish goals, standards, and priorities…may be used to develop DA Form , OER Support Form
The inspecting commander must be present and participating in the inspection!
In the first three months after change of command you should get an Initial Command Inspection.
It should be scheduled and briefed at the QTB.
It should cover every aspect of your unit from personnel to maintenance to safety to training.
The inspected commander should be told just what his unit’s strengths and weaknesses are.
The inspecting commander should counsel the subordinate commander and establish goals, standards and priorities, recording the results on the OER Support Form, thus providing a clear, concrete set of expectations for success.
How many commanders had Initial Command Inspections? Did they do the things described on this slide?
2/12/2003

16. Initial Command Inspection
Cannot be used to evaluate the company commander
Not used to compare units
Results go to the inspected unit commander only (IG can get generic results)
Can not be done by the staff alone
The Initial Command Inspection is a Free Look
The results from the 1st look can’t be used adversely against the new commander
The intent is to help the new commander establish where his unit is, what the problem areas are, what the priorities are to fix. The intent is not to slam-dunk the new commander for something they had no control over.
2/12/2003

17. Subsequent Command Inspection
Measures progress and reinforces goals and objectives established in the Initial Command Inspection
The commander determines the scope, format, timing, and frequency of the Subsequent Command Inspection
The commander may use the results of the Subsequent Command Inspection to evaluate the company commander
The inspecting commander must be present and participating
Subsequent Command Inspections check how much progress has been made since the initial command inspection, based on the goals and priorities set.
The Subsequent Command Inspection should always allow the inspected commander time to fix the problems.
The results this time may be used to evaluate the commander.
Again the inspecting commander must be present and participate.
2/12/2003

18. Staff Inspection Led by a staff member of a functional area
Focuses on a single functional area or a few related areas
Conducted by a staff member technically qualified in the functional area
Should complement Command and IG Inspections
Compliance oriented
Staff inspections usually have the experts in a particular functional area checking that area or a particular subset within that area.
Must be technically qualified. Must know the standard, and be able to tell the inspected unit what to do to fix the problem.
May need to go outside of your organization to obtain the necessary Subject Matter Experts, for example Provost Marshall, Technical/Contractor Maintenance not available in the unit, Safety, etc.
Once again, these inspections complement the other inspections; they must fit with the other planned inspections to provide the commander the overall a assessment/evaluation he wants.
Like all inspections they are compliance oriented
The final category of inspection is a little different…
2/12/2003

19. Inspector General Inspection
Inspector General inspections:
Pursue systemic issues
Identify substandard performance, determine the magnitude of the deficiency, and seek the reason for the deficiency (the root cause)
Teach systems processes and procedures
Identify responsibility for corrective actions
Spread innovative ideas
IGs are usually available at General Officer Commander echelons.
IG inspections can deal with almost anything (that the CG directs).
But IGs are always after systemic problems.
IGs teach and train just like all inspectors.
IGs make recommendations for corrective action, identifying responsibility for all required corrections.
IGs look for the “Good News” story, successes that can be copied or emulated by other units or personnel.
As mentioned in sub bullet two, IGs look for the underlying or Root Cause.
AR 20-1, Paragraph 6-3, and AR 1-201, Paragraph 3-5
2/12/2003

20. The Root Cause Analysis Model The Inspections Guide, Section 3-3
NON-COMPLIANCE
DON’T KNOW
CAN’T COMPLY
WON’T COMPLY
NEVER KNEW
FORGOT
TASK IMPLIED
FEW RESOURCES
DON’T KNOW HOW
IMPOSSIBLE
NO REWARD
NO PENALTY
DISAGREE
How many have tried to determine why a regulation was not followed?
This is a tool used by the IGs to determine why a regulation or standard is not followed.
You might find it useful in understanding why, and what must be done to fix the underlying cause of the problem and not just remedy the symptoms.
The Inspections Guide, Section 3-3
2/12/2003

21. Principles of Army Inspections (DRAFT AR 1-201, para. 2.2)
Purposeful
Coordinated
Focused on Feedback
Instructive
Followed-up
Quality inspections have certain characteristics. This slide lists the 5 Principles prescribed in Draft Army Doctrine. These 5 Principles combine the 14 principles contained in the current AR 1-201
Purposeful - (combines old Tailored/Mission and Performance Oriented) Commander approved mission, related to mission accomplishment, tailored to commander’s needs I.e. providing practical and accurate feedback to support command decisions; performance oriented, based on a standard
Coordinated – (combines with ) proper coordination preclude redundancy, complements other inspections and minimizes inspection burden; follows training management doctrine outlined in FM 7.0, Training the Force; all inspections are reviewed (minimum annual review requirement) for the following 3 things: 1) Can it be canceled or combined, 2)Does it duplicate or compliment other inspections?, 3) Do inspection reports from other agencies/echelons exist that can assist in the conduct of the inspection?
Focused on Feedback – results may be release in-progress or at the end; may be written or verbal, but written are preferred; Inspection results include: 1) identification of root causes, 2) identification of strengths and weaknesses, 3) Implementation of corrective actions, 4) Sharing of inspection results
Instructive – no inspection is complete if the inspected unit has not learned the goals and standards, and how to achieve the standards
Followed-up – inspector completes the inspection by developing and executing a follow-up inspection or plan that ensures implementation of corrective actions, inspected unit must develop and follow-up with a corrective action plan that fixes all problems identified. To reduce the admin burden, formal responses are optional unless required.
2/12/2003