tig brief - Air Force Inspection Agency

The Commander
and Nuclear Surety
Commanders set the
tone for nuclear
surety at their units.
Commanders at all levels set
the example by demanding a
level of proficiency by Airmen
within their unit that will
assure safe, secure, and
reliable nuclear weapons and
weapon systems. As such,
mediocrity and complacency
are your enemies.
Most Airmen are proud
of the work they do and feel
rewarded when their sense of
ownership in their nuclearrelated
programs or duties
are recognized by senior unit
leadership. Therefore, be
visible among your Airmen–
trust but verify that their
responsibilities are executed
in a manner that exhibits high
levels of proficiency.
As always, actions speak
louder than words. For
example, wing inspection
preparation exercises provide
an excellent venue whereby
wing commanders can watch
their Airmen in action. Prior
to a recapture exercise, hand
over the reins of command
to your vice commander, and
then, from a non-intervention
standpoint, watch your troops
in the field perform their
duties. Observing first-hand
can give you direct insight on
U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Michael J. Velox
George E. Parrott III
AFIA Technical Advisor
Kirtland AFB
what improvements may be
necessary, and it also makes
the point to your folks that you
care about how they do their
job.
Instill in your subordinate
commanders a sense of
purpose to identify and
correct discrepancies–to
hone unit individual levels of
proficiency to a razor’s edge.
Accept no excuses. Factual
principles of adhering to
policy, technical data, and
procedures assure success;
emotional appeals and blameshifting
don’t. If in doubt about
policy or procedure, officially
query higher headquarter
authorities. Don’t wait for an
inspection team to do it for
Summer 2011
you, because by then, your
unit has a degree of culpability
in accepting the enemies
of surety–mediocrity and
complacency.
It’s essential that you, your
subordinate commanders, and
your Airmen understand the
potential “coffin-corners” that
could result in unsafe, nonsecure
or unreliable nuclear
weapons, weapon systems,
or environments. Don’t let
your maintainers, defenders,
operators, and support
personnel get wrapped in a
mentality that the end justifies
the means if those methods
are counter to established
and tested Air Force policies,
procedures, and discipline.
Understand
the governing
directives for
nuclear surety.
These are the
tools in your tool
box for success.
In the final
analysis, you, the
commander, must
lead your unit
to establish and
maintain nuclear
surety.
Former Air Force Global Strike Command Commander Lt. Gen. Frank Klotz, and former
Command Chief Master Sgt. Jack Johnson speak with Airmen from the 791st Missile
Security Forces Squadron Dec. 13, 2010, during a missile alert facility tour at Minot Air
Force Base, N.D. General Klotz visited with Minot AFB Airmen to show his appreciation
for their hard work and dedication to the nuclear enterprise.
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