SPRINGFIELD, Ohio -- The 178th Wing Inspectors General office hosted a joint tri-state inspectors general and wing plans conference at the Springfield Air National Guard Base, March 23.
Units from Ohio, Indiana and Michigan were represented, as well as the Air National Guard Readiness Center via teleconference, for a total of 25 participants.
“This was not the first tri-state IG conference, but it is the first combined IG and Wing Plans conference,” said Lt. Col. Kent Kazmaier, 178th Wing Inspector General.
“This forum creates a diverse network of IG and Wing Plans professionals and plays a vital role in how we strive to improve the Commander's Inspection Program through the sharing of ideas, programs and processes.” Said Kazmaier.
This was the first tri-state IG conference to include Wing Plans.
“The idea for the combined conference originated when Capt. Karen Jackson, Chief of Wing Plans, expressed her desire to hold an XP conference with the units listed,” said Kazmaier. “Knowing that we have not held an IG conference in several months, we decided to make it a joint conference.”
The IG and XP offices work in concert with each other. XP is in charge of planning the wing exercises and operates as the exercise controller.
“Because of the close working relationship, Wing Plans has been placed in charge of planning the
Wing exercises and functions as the exercise controller,” said Kazmaier.
The one-day conference agenda included briefings in the morning and separate breakout sessions for IG and Wing Plans in the afternoon.
“This forum allows us to not only meet face to face, but to learn from each other on how we can better our processes and procedures,” said Kazmaier. “This allows fresh perspectives to truly identify trouble areas or to highlight strengths.”