tig brief - Air Force Inspection Agency

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IG Bits & Pieces Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell As I was going through my Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell repeal Tier I, II, and III training, a few of us were discussing the impact of this change during a break. Someone wondered aloud “will this change in policy result in more Inspector General (IG) complaints, do you think?” and “are you ready for your first IG complaint involving sexual orientation?” No and yes, I think, respectively. I don’t think IG complaints I will actively listen to the complainant allowing them to describe the wrongdoing will increase as a result of this policy change, at least not initially. One reason is, sadly, I don’t believe that gay Airmen will automatically turn on a switch to trust “the system” right away enough to bring any complaints that involve this kind of discrimination to light. My sense is that it’s going to take time for gay Airmen who have been told up to now that they can be gay as long as they don’t act gay to submit complaints about repercussions from them acting gay. Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell has been part of the military since 1993, so for the past eighteen years, gay Airmen have known that to identify themselves as gay could quite possibly bring discharge. I just don’t think gay Airmen are going to start trusting the IG complaint system that quickly. I hope they’ll give the IGs the opportunity to demonstrate our core values and show that we are there to search for and identify the truth behind any complaint, no matter where that search for the truth may lead us. And not only IG staff members need to demonstrate this; commanders, supervisors, first sergeants, and EEO staff need to show they are capable of dealing successfully with sexual orientation discrimination complaints so that gay Airmen have confidence in bringing this type of complaint to light. Another reason I don’t believe a change in Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell will increase IG complaints is because of the children who are involved. While exact numbers are hard to come by, the 2000 U.S. Census Bureau data indicates that 18 Summer 2011 Lt. Col. Blair Webster ANG, 107 HQ/IG Keesler AFB less than 1 percent of children in the U.S. are being raised in gay households. There aren’t as many children involved in gay relationships as there are in straight relationships, and I’ve noticed children can be a source of conflict that spills over into official IG complaints. When military members get involved in relationships that produce children, and those military member parents are not married to each other, sometimes this causes situations that trigger people to make work- related IG complaints. I’ve handled complaints about dependent care plans, felony assault, and perceived hiring discrimination, where the root cause of the complaint was a dispute over the raising of a child when the parents are not married to each other. I don’t foresee that situation increasing with the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Whether or not there will be more complaints, I am ready for my first complaint brought on by a change to the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy. First it’s going to take active listening to the complainant to allow them to describe the wrongdoing. Then, I’m going to ask them some questions, for example: • What, specifically, is the AFI, law, or guideline they believe is being violated? • What would they like to see done about their situation? If I had that big “make everything better,” magic wand, what would they like me to do? • Have they talked to their chain of command about their concern, and if not, why not? Then, after discussing the issue with the complainant, I’ll attempt to verify the truth surrounding their complaint and let the facts of the case lead me to the appropriate response. This is the way I handle all complaints, and I’ll handle those generated by the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell the same way, should those complaints come my way.
ELECTRONIC RECORDS MANAGEMENT SMSgt. Shelly Bownes AETC/IGISS Randolph AFB Twenty-years ago, records management was a huge undertaking. What I recalled as “File Friday” consisted of file coding hundreds of papers located in my brown “in-box.” My memory also included visuals of hard steel file cabinets and my fingers abused by paper cuts. Those days were long gone when the Air Force introduced Electronics Record Management (ERM). According to AFMAN 33-363, Management of Records, para 6.1.1.2.7, “ERM compliance is mandatory” and to help you out, the Air Force Records Management Program office published the ERM Solution Guide in September 2007. This guide is an excellent tool that explains the basic principles of ERM and lays a road map for “preserving, protecting, and disposing of official records in electronic media.” Even though records management has been around for years, the concept of ERM has yet to be fully understood. We regularly identify several deficiencies and observe a culture of Airmen who either “do not comply” or “comply with comments” when it comes to ERM. Here are some key points to having a successful - an AETC Inspector’s Perspective program (this list is not allinclusive): a. ERM should be fully utilized, not just before the Inspector General (IG) arrives. A good records custodian (RC) should consistently be filing. When is your “File Friday?” b. Read the ERM Solution Guide. It provides screenshot examples of how your file plan structure should look. c. Remember, files are maintained and destroyed according to their disposition. Files must be moved to inactive status according to their cutoff (i.e., calendar or fiscal year). d. The Chief of Records (COR) is ultimately responsible for records under his/her purview. They should be actively involved as well as their assigned/designated RCs. e. It takes strong commander leadership involvement to ensure success. f. The Base Records Manager (BRM) is the holder of the key. An active BRM explains the ERM process to base leadership and trains appointed designees on their responsibilities. Summer 2011 Also, the ERM performs Staff Assistance Visits as if they were the IG. In addition, the BRM should collaborate with their local communications squadron to ensure permissions are assigned correctly to file folders to allow appropriate access. Finally, BRMs should “sell” the program and advocate its advantages. These keys were evident at the 314th Airlift Wing in January 2011. First, the inspected units and the host wing BRM exemplified strong working relationships. Second, training sessions included all key players, to include CORs. Third, CORs took personal interest and ownership in their files. Finally, ERM was fully utilized; it was the standard, not the exception. Records management is not a new process, and ERM is not a bad “fourletter” word. In the last few years, we have removed the steel cabinets and replaced them with an invisible electronic storage medium. Additionally, we have evolved to the terminology saying “e-file box” and “drag and drop.” From my many years in the career field and compared to how we did filing historically, I am convinced that ERM is here to stay. Besides, compliance is mandatory and the IG is looking! 19
Page 1 and 2: The Official Magazine of the Air Fo
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Page 5 and 6: The Commander and Nuclear Surety Co
Page 7 and 8: Air Force Inspection Agency (AFIA)
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Page 13 and 14: classified version of the tool is c
Page 15 and 16: EVOLVING ATSO INSPECTION SMSgt. Dan
Page 17: facts during each Nuclear Surety Ov
Page 21 and 22: 21 CTIA - The Wireless Association
Page 23 and 24: Flynn and Leaf Awards MAJCOM-Level
Page 25 and 26: Tibbets was a warrior and leader, r
Page 27 and 28: MENTAL HEALTH EVALUATION REFERRAL D

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