A Report of Survey is the required documenting process for any Air Force property that has been lost, damaged or destroyed at an expense of $500 or more. This includes supply and material management, automatic data processing equipment, land mobile radios, housing, individual protection equipment, some one-time purchases and all government vehicles, including leased and rented vehicles. This is a mandated program reportable and directly responsible to the wing commander.
During fiscal year 2012, the 86th Airlift Wing reported a loss of $1.2 million (an increase of $676,000 from the previous year). This increase and total loss is unacceptable for a military and civilian community that has been entrusted to safeguard our resources. Although the fault cannot be placed on one entity, responsibility can be imposed down to the personal level, and our commanders will enforce maximum accountability. A recent ROS AFSO21 event pinpointed equipment accountability, reporting and training as the primary program shortfalls.
Equipment accountability is not only the responsibility of each unit’s equipment custodian, it is also the responsibility of each member of the unit. Military members and civilian employees are responsible for all resources in their possession and around them. This pertains to computers being moved without documentation, mobility gear being left in vehicles, damage to housing units and damage to vehicles. In essence, we need to protect our government resources as if they were our own. Under the wing’s new ROS initiative, all negligent personnel will be held accountable for losses and damages under their control as outlined in Air Force Manual 23-220.
Reporting is our second shortfall within the ROS program. Contrary to belief, the ROS process is fairly simple and is totally electronic. Our problem is that we are not reporting. During the AFSO21 event, four units submitted reports that listed an item that has been missing for more than 365 days. This means the annual inventories had been conducted incorrectly or not at all. There were also 35 units that had not reported a single loss. Is this possible? Yes, but quite unlikely. As a wing, we must inventory at least annually and report our losses immediately. As an improvement, a system of inventory checks and balances will be implemented to identify units that have losses and have not reported them.
Our final shortfall is training. Our current squadron commander, equipment custodian and unit ROS manager training programs are being revised. Every individual in these key positions will be retrained regardless of their previous training dates. This training will be conducted by the 86th Logistics Readiness Group ROS office, 86th Medical Group, 86th Communications Squadron and the 86th Logistics Readiness Squadron. Each squadron will be required to provide alternate and primary equipment custodians and ROS managers. These individuals will be directly responsible to their respective commanders and will be the focal point for lost, damaged or destroyed resources within their control. With that being said, these selected individuals must take their training seriously and actively execute the duties appointed to them.
During this time of sequestration, or any other time for that matter, we simply cannot afford $1.2 million in losses annually. In the future, these losses will also come at a price to some of our total force members. Although loss prevention is our most important issue, some members and/or civilians may experience a financial burden should they be found liable in a ROS investigation. Our new program is scheduled to be fully operational in FY 2014. The 86th AW has always excelled whenever met with adversity, and I’m sure we can overcome this challenge as well. It is vitally important to protect our resources, so we can protect our families and our country.
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A Report of Survey is the required documenting process for any Air Force property that has been lost, damaged or destroyed at an expense of $500 or more. This includes supply and material management, automatic data processing equipment, land mobile radios, housing, individual protection equipment, some one-time purchases and all government vehicles, including leased and rented vehicles. This is a mandated program reportable and directly responsible to the wing commander.
During fiscal year 2012, the 86th Airlift Wing reported a loss of $1.2 million (an increase of $676,000 from the previous year). This increase and total loss is unacceptable for a military and civilian community that has been entrusted to safeguard our resources. Although the fault cannot be placed on one entity, responsibility can be imposed down to the personal level, and our commanders will enforce maximum accountability. A recent ROS AFSO21 event pinpointed equipment accountability, reporting and training as the primary program shortfalls.
Equipment accountability is not only the responsibility of each unit’s equipment custodian, it is also the responsibility of each member of the unit. Military members and civilian employees are responsible for all resources in their possession and around them. This pertains to computers being moved without documentation, mobility gear being left in vehicles, damage to housing units and damage to vehicles. In essence, we need to protect our government resources as if they were our own. Under the wing’s new ROS initiative, all negligent personnel will be held accountable for losses and damages under their control as outlined in Air Force Manual 23-220.
Reporting is our second shortfall within the ROS program. Contrary to belief, the ROS process is fairly simple and is totally electronic. Our problem is that we are not reporting. During the AFSO21 event, four units submitted reports that listed an item that has been missing for more than 365 days. This means the annual inventories had been conducted incorrectly or not at all. There were also 35 units that had not reported a single loss. Is this possible? Yes, but quite unlikely. As a wing, we must inventory at least annually and report our losses immediately. As an improvement, a system of inventory checks and balances will be implemented to identify units that have losses and have not reported them.
Our final shortfall is training. Our current squadron commander, equipment custodian and unit ROS manager training programs are being revised. Every individual in these key positions will be retrained regardless of their previous training dates. This training will be conducted by the 86th Logistics Readiness Group ROS office, 86th Medical Group, 86th Communications Squadron and the 86th Logistics Readiness Squadron. Each squadron will be required to provide alternate and primary equipment custodians and ROS managers. These individuals will be directly responsible to their respective commanders and will be the focal point for lost, damaged or destroyed resources within their control. With that being said, these selected individuals must take their training seriously and actively execute the duties appointed to them.
During this time of sequestration, or any other time for that matter, we simply cannot afford $1.2 million in losses annually. In the future, these losses will also come at a price to some of our total force members. Although loss prevention is our most important issue, some members and/or civilians may experience a financial burden should they be found liable in a ROS investigation. Our new program is scheduled to be fully operational in FY 2014. The 86th AW has always excelled whenever met with adversity, and I’m sure we can overcome this challenge as well. It is vitally important to protect our resources, so we can protect our families and our country.