Swanton, Ohio -- When compared to other F-16 Fighting Falcon units across the Force, the Ohio National Guard’s 180th Fighter Wing continues to set the standard with the dedication from Airmen who raise the bar high.
The 180FW received a Mission Effective rating after a Unit Effectiveness Inspection (UEI) in March of 2024 in Swanton, Ohio.
“From the Inspector General (IG), we were thrilled to see the hard work and effort of our wing members validated by the Air Combat Command (ACC) IG,” said Capt. Ryan Lamy, the Director of Inspections, assigned to the Ohio National Guard’s 180FW.
The UEI is a four-to-five-year cycle that ends in a capstone event which is an on-site visit from the ACC IG to the base and is the final evaluation of the cycle.
Leading up to the final capstone, the 180FW IG team conducted various inspections throughout the wing to identify strengths across programs and strategized with leadership on any identified areas of improvement.
During the UEI, the ACC IG evaluated each individual unit, referring to recent in-house inspections conducted by the wing IG team throughout the cycle.
The ACC IG team evaluated the wing and individual units based on the four Major Graded Areas (MGAs), Managing Resources, Leading People, Improving the Unit and Executing the mission. The grading system for the MGAs consisted of four ratings, Highly Effective, Effective, Marginally Effective and Ineffective.
The 180FW was graded Highly Effective in two of the four areas and was graded Effective in the remaining two
areas.
The 180FW demonstrated effective stewardship of allocated resources and mitigated manpower risks by shifting resources to reach mission requirements. With this, Airmen spoke highly regarding the stability at the base and the ACC IG determined that the use of Airman’s time was highly effective.
The wing has a comprehensive communication strategy, ensuring all Airmen and their families can receive and understand information. With the ease of communication, the ACC IG determined that the wing effectively led Airmen in different professional areas, and Airmen expressed high unit pride and high morale.
Mission requirements were understood at all levels across the wing and Airmen were focused on readiness. The ACC IG highlighted how the wing is committed to continuous improvement to include leading the U.S. Air Force as the first Air National Guard Unit to receive the certification to perform on-site repairs of the canopy sil longeron on the F-16.
The ACC IG also highlighted preparedness of Airmen who are able to seamlessly perform their jobs in major joint exercises like NORTHERN LIGHTNING. The wing was effectively able to execute the mission ensuring efficient
combat power and delivering Expeditionary Air Base capabilities.
Several programs stood out to the ACC IG team for superior performance including Command Post, Intelligence Flight, Fabrication Flight, Inspector General, Public Affairs, Logistic Plans, Emergency Management, Barrier Maintenance, Snow Removal, Outbound Cargo and Airman and Family Readiness Program. These programs each received a highly effective rating during their individual inspections.
“The rating validated mission requirements are met in all mission areas (Readiness, Daily Operations and Instillation Preparedness) and confirmed that personnel are proficient in their duties,” said Lamy. “Local community leaders and citizens can feel confident and proud that our base did well and set a positive example of the 180FW.”
The rating issued by the ACC IG affirms that 180FW personnel are proficient in their duties and validated the 180FW as Mission Ready.
“The rating is a direct reflection of the day-to-day work put into our unit by our Airmen who dedicate themselves to maintaining lethality, improving their skills and ensuring that the 180FW is Mission Ready,” Col. Chad Holesko, Commander of the Ohio National Guard’s 180FW.