UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS
Junior Reserve Officer’s Training Corps
1019 ELLIOT ROAD
QUANTICO, VIRGINIA 22134-5001
Accredited by
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
The Commission on International and Trans-Regional Accreditation
15 Sep 2012
From: Director, Region 6, Marine Corps JROTC Program
To: Region 6 Instructors
Subj: LETTER OF INSTRUCTION FOR INSPECTIONS—SCHOOL YEAR 2012-13 (Attachment 1)
1. Situation
a. MCO 1533.6E (MCJROTC SOP) requires that each MCJROTC unit be inspected on a bi-annual basis. TECOMO 5041 describes the Inspector General’s requirement for inspections and reporting of such.
b. The AIRS Checklist which is part of MCO 1533.6E describes the area that are to be inspected and what is expected to obtain a mission capable rating. Attachment 2 is the latest version of that checklist and will be the standard used during this year’s IG inspections. Attachment 3 is the AIRS Checklist in score sheet format which will be used during the inspection.
c. The IG inspections will be conducted in accordance with Attachment 4 throughout the school year. All units not receiving an IG Inspection this year will submit a Self-inspection Report in accordance with Attachment 3 NLT 1 May 2013.
2. Mission. Evaluate, train, and assist inspected units in the areas of proper procedures, identify trends and recommend corrective measures, and recognize excellence while measuring performance against a standard (AIRS Checklist) as scheduled in Attachment 4.
3. Situation
a. Regional Director’s intent is to use the TECOM CG’s Inspection Program (CGIP) as a means to gauge and enhance the MCJROTC program’s readiness at the unit level. The CGIP consists of a formal or graded CG Inspection or an informal or not graded Self-inspection. My focus is the operational readiness of the unit inspected, whether formal or informal, with the primary objective of identifying root causes of issues or problems, particularly those beyond the capability of the inspected unit to solve.
b. Formal inspections will follow the guidance provided in Attachment 5. This information will be provided in an electronic Pre-Report submission using the AIRS checklist as the guide.
(1) Attachment 5 provides an excellent example of “how to” create and prepare this first report. It is a step-by-step explanation with examples of how to set up a unit electronic record keeping system for now and the future.
(2)The instructors at Daniel Boone HS have developed this electronic file system for the Region. I must complement their efforts for, I believe, they have helped me obtain the first step in making the IG less about checking your record keeping and more about how do you train and support your cadets—physically, mentally, and spiritually.
(3)I know this first effort will be just that—an effort. However, I do think that our inspection system will improve tenfold because I will be able to spend in your classroom observing a class and more time inspecting and talking to cadets.
(4) The format for the inspection routine, assuming I have received your Pre- inspection Report two weeks prior to your inspection, is for me to talk to each of your classes, inspect the cadets in each class—assisted by detail inspectors—and watch each class conduct drill.
(5) A schedule for the inspection day will be provided electronically one week prior to the scheduled inspection. Again, plan on 15-20 minute period for me to talk to the cadets, 30-40 minutes for the Personnel Inspection, and 15 minutes for the drill. I will need to inspect one color guard during the day and one unit will need to do armed drill (it can be during one of the class drill units or a composite unit scheduled during the day.
(6) An out briefing with the Principal or his/her rep, if he/she is unavailable, will be required at the end of the day. Out brief will take approximately 30 minutes depending on the performance of the unit and compliance issues with the school. An in briefing is optional in the morning and should only take approximately 15 minutes.
(7) The out briefing will provide the principal a copy of the AIRS Checklist and preliminary score of the unit based on the Pre-inspection Report and the Inspection Day activities. I will leave you a copy as well.
(8) The school district, principal, and you will receive a formal report within 30 days of the inspection. You also will receive an IG Survey, that will be returned to the TECOM IG directly, which is also due within 30 days of the inspection.
c. Units conducting Self-Inspections will send not send a Pre-inspection Report, but will instead send that report with the results of the Personnel Inspection, Color Guard drill, and individual unit armed and unarmed drill.
(1) One armed drill unit must be evaluated (not your competition drill team) and all other class (platoon) units must conduct unarmed drill using the attached drill cards.
(2) My preference is for each unit to send me those results electronically—no “snail mail” mailed reports.
(3) I do not need the individual personnel inspection results, but I will need from your lead inspector an overall score per the AIRS Checklist that is attached.
(4) The lead inspector needs to include trends his inspection team observed during the inspection, names of cadets rated outstanding in appearance and knowledge (cadet must be outstanding in both areas to rate an outstanding evaluation), and any cadets rated as unsatisfactory (again, a cadet must be rated unsatisfactory in both areas to receive an unsatisfactory evaluation).
(5) Self-inspection Report is due NLT 1 May 2013.
d. Coordinating Instructions
(1) Use Attachment 5 for formal Pre-inspection Report and Self-inspection Report with the AIRS Checklist (Attachment 1).
(2) Attachment 4 provided the schedule for both formal IG Inspections and staff- assist visits. The IG Inspection schedule is as follows: (overviews by month—see attachment for specific date and time of inspection).
(a) October—Reidsville, South Stokes, High Point Central
November—Sissonville, St Albans, Daniel Boone
--Asheville, South Iredell, Ardrey Kell
February—R-S Central, East Gaston, Nation Ford
March—Cheraw, Central, Fort Mill
March--Lejeune, Mullins, Carvers Bay
April—Battery Creek, Whale Branch, Ridgeland
(3) Pre-Inspection Report due to RD NLT two weeks prior to scheduled inspection date.
(4) Understanding that each unit is on different classroom schedules, request inspection day schedule as an attachment to the Pre-inspection Report.
(5) Self-Inspection Report due to RD NLT 1 May 2013. Request schedule of self- inspection NLT 30 days prior to event. RD may want to visit during the inspection if travel schedule permits.
(6) Any questions you may have with Pre-inspection Report (Attachment 5) or Self-inspection Report, request your contact RD point of contact—MGySgt Gardner or 423-477-1612 (w).
(7) Attachment 6 provide questions for the knowledge portion of either formal or self-inspections. Answering one of three required questions that are asked constitutes a passing evaluation and answering all questions asked constitutes an outstanding for knowledge. Attachment 7 provides the Cadet Individual Personnel Inspection Form.
(8) Attachment 8 provides the drill cards for the armed, unarmed, and color drill.
(9) Attachment 9 provides IG Coordinating Instuctions which will help each unit in the prep for the inspection.
(8) Attachment 10 provides the Inspection Survey form that each instructor which is required to complete and send to the TECOM IG within 30 days of the formal inspection date. Self-inspection Reports from informal inspections are not required to complete this form.
4. Administration and Logistics
a. All correspondence will be via electronic means. My intent is to maintain a paperless file system for this inspection effort. The only paper copy you will get from me with the AIRS Checklist I leave with you and the principal at the end of the inspection day.
b. Request any scheduling conflicts be identified as soon as possible otherwise I will assume “silence is consent” and I will see you on the scheduled inspection day.
c. Each unit will need to arrange for “outside” inspectors for either the formal IG inspection or the Self-inspection.
d. I recognize I am asking for a lot of input prior to the inspection but I have discussed this methodology with most of you throughout my visits and inspections the past two years. I believe I have buy-in WRT to trying to get the admin functions of the IG out of the way, or at least most of it, prior to my arrival on inspection day. Request you work with MGySgt Gardner and I if you have any questions, but basically the Pre-inspection and Self-inspection Reports are the AIRS Checklist with all the questions answered electronically with either a verbal explanation or a copy of some form, document, listing, or an example of records (e.g., cadet training records, marksmanship or PFT records, CMR folder, etc.). This first effort will hurt some of you, but hang tough with me on this effort. In the long run our inspection process will get easier and more efficient.
e. Don’t forget to allocate time (maybe during a planning period) for me to inspect your physical plant (e.g., supply room and records, facilities such armory, other storage areas, shooting range, etc.).
f. This will be my first year to conduct the inspection using this format. I will be learning as I go. I expect you to be candid with me about any glitches, but understand, I am “hard over” on this electronic pre-inspection and self-inspection reporting—it will happen. We may change, alter, and improve as we work through the process, but we will conduct our inspections in this manner in the future. So, if you have issues with the computer—get over them and get on board. Find your most savvy electronic geek-cadet and get him/her involved up front and early. I do expect where legal that your LE II, III, and IVs are handling most of this record keeping.
g. Finally, you all need to know that I am working toward the Region’s units all submitting the NHS application at the end of each year, whether you think you would qualify for the award or not.
(1) First, you all know that the Region can only nominate 20% of its units for the NHS award, one of which receives the MCROA, but I have instituted with School Year 2011-12 an award named “School of Distinction.”
(2)To earn this award a unit must score above 80% on the NHS evaluation profile but not be in the top 20% of units submitting for the NHS award.
(3) I am a standards type guy, which means that a standard is set and no matter how many units meet that standard all will receive the award that goes with meeting the standard. For example, all 21 units that submitted a NHS application this past school year scored above 80% (had to some recalculations with schools that challenged score— they were right), so the units that did not make it into the top 20% will still receive recognition for having an outstanding program. The point differences are so close, that I have to have a way of recognizing this kind of excellence.
(4) This award consists of a cover letter from me to the school system superintendent with an attached certificate signed by the Director, MCJROTC programs.
5. Command and Signal
a. POC for CGIP in Region 6 is the RD who can be contacted at or 817-894-5872.
b. POC for Pre-inspection and Self-inspection Reports is MGySgt Gardner at or 423-477-1612.
Attachment 1—Basic LOI
Attachment 2--AIRS Checklist
Attachment 3—AIRS Checklist Score Sheet for Inspection
Attachment 4—Inspection Schedule
Attachment 5—Pre-inspection and Self-inspection Report Format
Attachment 6—IG Knowledge Questions
Attachment 7—IG Personnel Inspection Evaluation Form
Attachment 8—IG Drill Cards
Attachment 9—IG Coordinating Instructions
Attachment 10—IG Instructor Survey Form
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