Wing helping fan management fire storm

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Rich Curry
  • 507th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Oklahoma --  If you were to walk through the individual offices at the 507th Air Refueling Wing and you might be tempted to think everything is calm and "business as usual." 

You definitely wouldn't think the wing is fanning the flames of a command-wide management fire storm. 

But that's exactly what's taking place as the wing has taken an evolutionary role in a new system designed to help reservists nationwide efficiently manage critical resources. Wing members are now 100 percent on board with the command's new Management Internal Control Toolset (MICT) program offered through ReserveNet. 

Basically MICT replaces the older paper Self Inspection Program process and permits individual offices or functional areas to conduct semi-annual inspections and record results into a central database. Through this system, wing leadership may review individual self inspection results to better support mission objectives. Also, because MICT is web-based, command functional areas have rapid capability to update or revise their respective checklists online and deliver a message of those changes immediately to anyone assigned a requirement on a particular list. 

"Even though we were not one of the pilot wings deploying MICT, the 507th is 100 percent on board and now within the top third of the command supporting this new initiative," said Lt. Col. Bonnie Tremblett, 507th ARW Performance Manager.  Colonel Tremblett said the 507th recently achieved a first in the command by bringing 4th AF into the MICT process. 

"We are the first NAF-Wing effort to provide NAF "guest" permissions to an assigned wing's self inspection program; this allows initial electronic access/review of functional self-inspection program status and post-SAV visit review/follow-up as part of NAF oversight visits," she said.   Eventually all command functional areas should have a look down capability to assess individual offices or functional areas within a specific wing or organization without having to leave their desks. 

"This AFSO21 project was intended to revolutionize the way we inspect," Tremblett said. "If a specific wing's programs are functioning properly, then this reduces the need for routine visits. MICT gives command and NAF functional areas the opportunity to see when problems exist and generate just-in-time Tiger Teams to help fix discrepancies or problems. That is a much more efficient and cost-effective way of doing business," she said. 

Tremblett said that inputs from wing members are helping ReserveNet evolve beyond its original design. "Our wing members are constantly providing the ReserveNet team with feedback.. 'can we change this, can you do that?' The programmers for the MICT process have let us know they are very appreciative of our comments and support," she said. 

Where ReserveNet is now the central springboard for all AFRC computer-based training, MICT will eventually become a key "compliance risk mitigation tool" Tremblett said adding that the Air Force is looking at the possibility of adopting ReserveNet as a platform of choice. ReserveNet already permits higher leadership level review of individual and combined readiness information to include CBT training and medical readiness. 

"There is discussion of active duty, and guard joining in and ReserveNet being renamed ARCNet. Eventually we could see a single internet bridge that allows us to take all CBT courses, store our individual transcripts, maintain individual readiness information, individual electronic on-the-job training records and our self inspection overview," she said. "It's definitely on the move."