Jan. 15 (UPI) -- A 16-member U.S. Air Force task force completed initial assessments this week for greater efforts at command-wide accountability.
The Air Force Materiel Command offered its recommendations after a memorandum in December highlighted improvements made to address concerns identified in Defense Equal Opportunity Climate Survey reports, a tool for leaders to assess command climate.
The task force, a group of civilian and uniformed members from across the command, examined process, education and training, and communication elements related to accountability, the Air Force said Thursday.
The two-week process identified potential problems in areas including expectations, the discipline process, senior leader awareness and involvement, unit resources and front line supervisor training.
"The Air Force core values are foundational to all we do, and to build a culture and climate where our Airmen can thrive, we need to make sure that we are upholding these each day," Gen. Arnold W. Bunch, Jr., AFMC Commander said in a press release.
"When people feel like there is a lack of accountability or consistency in discipline in our organization, our performance suffers, and we can't let that happen. Our Airmen and our mission are too important," Bunch said.
The task force recommended the formation of a Civilian Status of Discipline Forum and a newly-devised development course for supervisors at all AFMC installations.
"The recently launched AFMC Supervisor Development Course is one way we've already started to help our first-line leaders become better prepared as they step into their first big leadership role," said Col. Lyle Drew, AFMC commander.
"Additionally, we will use the feedback from this course to ensure it meets their needs as new supervisors. We will also engage our organizational leaders and solicit their feedback on how well they are resourced to ensure they have the ability to deliver fair and timely accountability," Drew said.
The task force also suggested a partnership with the Air Force Education and Training Command to ensure that best practices are available throughout the Air Force.
It also called for ongoing evaluation of discipline processes, annual climate surveys, continuation of AFMC "We Need" assessments begun in 2019, employee and supervisor feedback, and task force reviews.
"We want to create a culture that inspires high-performing teams with clear goals and expectations. We must be able to rely on each other if we are to meet our mission demands," Bunch said. "Our plan will get us to the culture we need, and with buy-in at all levels, so we can truly become the AFMC we need."
