ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam -- Lt. Gen. Stayce D. Harris, the inspector general of the Air Force, visited Andersen Air force Base, Guam, May 3, during a tour of bases in the Indo-Pacific region.
Airmen briefed General Harris on the many unique missions operating from Andersen AFB, from supporting bomber and Global Hawk operations, to the contingency response group.
Much of the visit focused on face-to-face meetings with 36th Wing Inspector General (IG) team and the Office of Special investigations Detachment 602, who shared their insights to the challenges facing Andersen and the successes that teams had in overcoming them.
Among recent mission milestones, the 36th Civil Engineer Squadron Emergency Management flight, successfully brought the wing to 100 percent capability on CBRN (Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear) training. With the help of the 36th Wing IG office, emergency managers trained inspection teams to execute a wing operational readiness exercise to test both the crisis action team and emergency operations center under CBRN conditions.
“At IG, our job is to ensure that our Airmen are always ready,” said Capt. Deborah Smith, 36th Wing IG exercise planner. “Finding ways to continually increase our combat readiness, whether that’s through CBRN training or cyber combat training. We always want to be improving.”
The visit was not only an opportunity for Airmen to show what they have been working on, however, and allowed General Harris to share her perspective on how the Andersen teams support the Air Force mission and reassure them their feedback is being heard.
“The biggest thing I can take away from the Inspector General’s visit is that our higher leadership is aware of the issues we have,” said Maj. Antone Smith, the 36th Wing IG. “More than that though, she helped us see the overall trends in the Air Force and how we here at Andersen fit into them.”
General Harris is the inspector general of the Air Force, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force. In this capacity, she reports to the secretary and chief of staff of the Air Force on matters concerning Air Force effectiveness, efficiency and the military discipline of active duty, Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard forces. She also provides inspection policy and oversees the inspection and evaluation system for all Air Force nuclear and conventional forces; oversees Air Force counterintelligence operations and chairs the Air Force Intelligence Oversight Panel; investigates fraud, waste and abuse; oversees criminal investigations and provides oversight of complaints resolution programs. General Harris is responsible for two field operating agencies: the Air Force Inspection Agency and the Air Force Office of Special Investigations.