Preparing for 2013 CUI Published Oct. 12, 2012 By Rebecca Burylo Air University Public Affairs MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. -- Maxwell has a chance to strut its stuff as it prepares for a consolidated unit inspection Sept. 9-16, 2013, which will test how well everyone on Maxwell follows Air Force instructions. "Inspectors will be looking at everything. That's where the pressure comes from, but that's where the pleasure comes from too. We get to have a little swagger in our step as they come out here and see us," said Lt. Col. Ted Welch, Holm Center inspector general. "Maxwell is a great base and it gives us a chance to show them how great we are." With the new name, different from the compliance inspection in 2011, come changes to the Air Force Instruction 90 series, which deals with the duties of the inspector generals and how the inspection will be conducted. The new process will be more streamlined in its use of time and resources, and will focus on more self-administered inspections. "That means it's a new inspection program. A lot of things aren't changing, but the frequency of the inspections and the tempo of the inspections has drastically changed," said Maj. Steven J. Schutt, the 42nd Air Base Wing inspector general. Schutt, Welch and other IGs on base are already working together to help commanders with their self-inspections, and evaluating and preparing their units for the CUI, fixing any areas that are deficient. In previous years, dozens of inspectors would come and conduct their own area-specific inspections throughout the year along with the official compliance inspection week, according to Schutt. "At any one time you could have inspectors on the base, and then the next week another group would be looking at another area and the next month something else. So it was very spread out," explained Schutt. Now, the system has been consolidated to cover only one week. Within that week, every department will have individual inspections at the same time, allowing for inspections to naturally cross over into other areas. The CUI will emphasize the commanders' self inspections and their ability to assess the effectiveness of their individual units, Welch said. "It's always been a commander's program where they're responsible for doing assessments on how they're complying with all the AFI and regulations. Next year, the inspection team will come here and be more about 'Tell us how you're doing' versus 'Let us inspect you and we'll tell you how you're doing,'" said Welch. The team of inspectors will continue to give full reviews at the end of the CUI week, evaluating the level of compliance displayed in the units. "However, if everyone is following the guidelines and working in compliance with AFIs on a daily basis, there should be no surprises when the inspection comes," Schutt said. "An inspection should not surprise anybody," he said. "You should be ready for an inspection anytime. If you know your job and do your job, you don't have any reason to fear the inspection because you're following all your regulatory documents and doing everything in accordance with the core values of the Air Force."