Inspection Definitions

Civil Air Patrol
Inspector General

Assessment Definitions

    Definitions:

1. Assessment.  Review of a unit’s management, mission accomplishment and regulatory compliance programs.  This review may be a graded evaluation (inspection) or an ungraded SAV.
    
2. Benchmark.  The best of the best processes observed and researched to date by the assessment team to be considered for emulation by other units.
    
3. Commendable Item.  A highly effective concept, technique, or management practice not observed in other units or significantly better than those found in other units.
    
4. Finding.  A significant deficiency that requires specific answers to CAP/IG and CAP-USAF/IG for inspections or submitted to the assessing agency that completed the SAV, on actions taken to correct the deficiency.  In an assessment report, a finding is identified by either a single asterisk (*) or, if a potential for Fraud, Waste, and Abuse (FWA) exists, a double asterisk (**).
    
5. Higher Headquarters Item.  Any observation or finding that requires action from a higher level to resolve.  These items will be identified in the appropriate tab of the assessment report.
    
6. Inspection.  Graded assessment intended to determine the effectiveness of unit management, mission accomplishment and regulatory compliance programs.
    
7. Inspection Guide.  A guide developed jointly by CAP/IG and CAP-USAF/IG for use by assessment teams in the evaluation of region or wing headquarters.  This guide may also be used by regions and wings to conduct self-assessment programs for their respective headquarters.  Separate inspection guides will be developed to assess special mission units.
    
8. Area of Concern.  A minor deficiency documented to place emphasis on the need for resolution before it develops into a more serious problem, to provide crossfeed to other units, or to act as an indicator of overall unit health.
    
9. Open Item.  An answerable finding from a prior assessment in which the unit or higher headquarters’ corrective actions are incomplete and CAP/IG and CAP-USAF/IG have not closed.  Open items are not repeat findings.
    
10. Repeat Finding.  A finding reported in the unit’s previous inspection, survey audit, or SAV report, which was subsequently closed, which exists again during the current assessment.  Repeat findings are answerable findings.
     
11. Self-Assessment (SA).  An inspection conducted by a unit, at any level, to evaluate its own directorates and/or programs using an appropriate level assessment guide.
     
12. Special Interest Item (SII).  An area or function requiring particular assessment emphasis.
     
13. Staff Assistance Visit (SAV).  Ungraded assessment by higher headquarters and/or CAP-USAF Liaison Region (LR) personnel intended to provide assistance in improving mission effectiveness.
     
14. Subordinate Unit Inspections (SUI).  Inspections established by either CAP regions or wings to evaluate the management and mission capability of units below the wing level.
     
15. Subordinate Unit Inspection Guide.  A guide developed jointly by CAP/IG and CAP-USAF/IG for use in assessing units below the wing level.
     
16. Assessment Ratings:
    
    
    • Highly Successful - Performance or operation exceeds mission requirements.  Procedures and activities are carried out in a superior manner.  Resources and programs are very efficiently managed and relatively free of deficiencies.
       
    • Successful - Performance or operation meets mission requirements.  Procedures and activities are carried out in an effective and competent manner.  Resources and programs are efficiently managed.  Minor deficiencies may exist, but do not impede or limit mission accomplishment.
       
    • Marginally Successful - Performance or operation does not meet some mission requirements.  Procedures and activities are not carried out in an efficient manner.  Resources and programs are not efficiently managed.  Deficiencies exist that impede or limit mission accomplishment.
       
    • Unsatisfactory - Performance or operation does not meet mission requirements.  Procedures and activities are not carried out in an adequate manner.  Resources and programs are not adequately managed.  Significant deficiencies exist that preclude or seriously limit mission accomplishment or endanger personnel or resources.
       

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