QA flight keeps Airmen's work standards top notch

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Mary McHale
  • 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  When Maintenance Evaluation Standardization Program inspectors from Air Education and Training Command visited Tyndall June 5-9, it wasn't the first time maintenance procedures and programs were observed with a critical eye.

In fact, that happens here all the time, courtesy of a flight of local evaluators known collectively as the Quality Assurance flight. This unit works directly for the 325th Maintenance Group commander to detect and report positive and negative trends within the maintenance community.

"We are the eyes and ears of the maintenance group commander," said chief evaluator Master Sgt. Don Strickland, who is a crew chief by trade. "We have specialty codes from every maintenance specialty code who work in three shifts - days, swings and mids - to accomplish our mission."

Sergeant Strickland said it's a mission that includes several different kinds of inspections from quality verifications, where an inspection is done after a maintenance procedure is completed, to personnel evaluations, where inspectors watch a procedure step-by-step.

"We are looking for compliance with technical data, Air Force Occupational Hazard Standards, operating instructions and local directives," Sergeant Strickland said.

Violations occur when the technical data is not followed correctly or it could be a direct safety violation. Results of inspections and observations are passed to the aircraft maintenance units' supervision in a daily report. Additionally, the maintenance group commander is formally briefed monthly, and the wing commander is briefed quarterly.

Sergeant Strickland said there is a predetermined amount and type of inspections for each functional area monthly per the maintenance group commander, but others occur as required or desired. He also pointed out while compliance is key, that doesn't mean inspectors can't help or point out a better way of doing things during a procedure.

Sergeant Strickland explained this role comesfrom the fact the inspectors, who are hand picked and go through an interview process, are the top in their respective fields, and based on their daily duties in QA, have a broader knowledge base.

"I enjoy the opportunity to be able to help people on the flightline," said Tech. Sgt. Eric West, an evaluator with a crew chief background. "I especially like helping some of the younger Airmen on procedures they might not be as familiar with as we are. I may know something they don't, so I'm out there to give them a hand to learn the job correctly and safely, I'm not out there to burn anyone."

In fact, Senior Master Sgt. Paul King, QA superintendent said one of the challenges the inspectors face is eliminating the "black hat" stereotype the inspectors can get labeled with.

"Human relations is very important in this job," he said. "We have to keep standards high and our goal is also be consistent, fair and objective. Maintainers are going to get the same type of evaluation no matter who the inspector is. We want to instill a sense of group professionalism; our guys have that attitude and those on the flightline understand that."

Sergeant Strickland agrees, and said inspectors have to have a special personality.

"You can't be timid if you see a violation," Sergeant Strickland said. "You have to make the call."

"In this job, evaluators get to see the broad stroke of the maintenance world and spend a lot of time getting into the books learning all the time and becoming more of an expert - One hundred percent eyes on," Sergeant King said.

And when Sergeant West was asked what he enjoyed most about the job, he said, "It's totally different from working on a jet," I get to see the whole picture of maintenance activities and learn a lot more about any and all guidelines that apply to flightline operations."