Writing this essay about why conducting proper PCI’S and PCC’S are in important before every mission whether or not it’s an actual mission or training mission. Why do we have inspections? From long experience, the Army has found that some soldiers, if allowed to, will become careless and lax in the performance of minor barrack duties in their unit. They become accustomed to conditions in their immediate surroundings and overlook minor deficiencies. Should a soldier fall below the Army standard of performance, you can be assured that someone will notice those deficiencies immediately.
Your superiors will order inspections to see that soldiers have all the equipment and clothing issued to them and that it is serviceable. Inspections serve this practical purpose; they are not harassment. You will probably agree that inspections often correct small problems before they become big problems. Sharp appearance, efficient performance and excellent maintenance are important considerations that affect you directly. They are the earmarks of a good organization and one you should be a proud member of.
First line leaders should inspect their soldiers daily and should regularly check soldiers’ rooms in the barracks. First line leaders should also make arrangements with soldiers who live in quarters (on or off post) to ensure the soldier maintains a healthy and safe environment for himself and his family. On-the-Spot Corrections. One of the most effective administrative corrective measures is on-the-spot correction. Use this tool for making the quickest and often most effective corrections to deficiencies in training or standards.
Generally there is one of two reasons a soldier requires an on-the spot correction. Either the soldier you are correcting does not know what the standard is or does not care what the standard is. If the soldier was aware of the standard but chose not to adhere to it, this may indicate a larger problem that his chain of command should address. In such a situation you might follow up an on-the-spot correction with a call to the soldier’s first sergeant On-the-Spot Inspections. Making an informal, unscheduled check of equipment, soldiers or quarters is called an on-the-spot inspection.
Stopping to check the tag on a fire extinguisher as you walk through a maintenance bay is an example of an on-the-spot inspection. Another example is checking the condition of the trash dumpster area in back of the orderly room. For any inspection, the steps are the same. PCC/PCI. Pre-combat checks (PCCs) / Pre-combat inspections (PCIs) and Pre-execution checks are key to ensuring leaders, trainers and soldiers are adequately prepared to execute operations and training to Army standard. PCC/ PCIs are the bridge between pre-execution checks and execution of training.
They are also detailed final checks that all units conduct before and during execution of training and combat operations. Conduct PCC/PCIs at the beginning of each event or exercise as part of troop leading procedures to check personnel, equipment, vehicles and mission knowledge. The chain of command is responsible for developing, validating and verifying all PCC/PCIs. Pre-execution checks ensure that all planning and prerequisite training (soldier, leader and collective) are complete prior to the execution of training. They systematically prepare soldiers, trainers and resources to ensure training execution starts properly.
Pre-execution checks provide the attention to detail needed to use resources efficiently. You are the key to inspections, checking soldier and unit readiness in personal hygiene and appearance, weapons, field equipment, displays and sanitary conditions. Inspections must be done regularly to help reinforce standards and instill discipline. Regular, impartial inspections of important areas develop confidence, teamwork and soldiers’ pride in themselves and their equipment. By requiring your unit to adhere to standards, you ensure that every Individual and every piece of equipment will be combat ready.
Pre-combat checks and inspections are an individual and leader responsibility. It is Impossible to overstate their importance. Individual Soldiers are responsible for ensuring Through their PCCs that all equipment necessary for the mission is on hand. You, the platoon Leader, are responsible for checking during PCIs that the equipment is serviceable and for Making corrections. In addition, you conduct pre-execution checks to ensure that all Equipment specific to a given mission is prepared and in working order before combat.
You and your NCOs cannot delegate the responsibility for inspections. The rigor with Which you conduct them and the standards you set will affect how well your unit performs In combat. Checks and inspections are your No. 1 tool to combat those twin enemies of unit Readiness—apathy and complacency. Its human nature for people to get used to their Surroundings and begin to overlook minor problems. By ordering regular inspections, you Will be able to correct small problems before they become big problems. Checks and Inspections also help you to bond with your Soldiers.
They will feel a sense of satisfaction And pride in themselves and their unit as they meet standards for their personal appearance, Living quarters, and equipment. You conduct PCCs and PCIs at the beginning of each training exercise or mission as Part of your troop leading procedures. There are two types of inspections that u can conduct To ensure that you r soldiers are adhering to the standards. During an in-ranks inspection, you will inspect each Soldier individually in A unit formation. You will evaluate both the Soldiers’ personal appearance and the condition Of their equipment.
You may also conduct in-quarters inspections in the Soldiers’ barracks to ensure that Your Soldiers uphold the standards for personal appearance, individual weapons, and field Equipment—as well as those for facility maintenance and sanitation. Inspection programs at various unit levels in the chain of command help determine The status and mission readiness of the unit and its subunits. These include command Inspections, staff inspections, and inspector general inspections. A command inspection Takes place at the local command level, including the platoon and company.
Staff inspections Occur at battalion level and focus on staff organization and operations. Inspector general Inspections take place at the division level and include all organization, operations, and Maintenance in an individual unit. One of the most effective methods of correcting a failure to meet standards is an on the- Spot correction. Whenever you see a deficiency in training or to a standard, you can Immediately address the deficiency with the Soldier and allow the Soldier to correct the Problem.
This type of correction is usually very effective when a Soldier is unaware of the Violation or didn’t know about or understand the regulation, policy, or standing operating Procedure (SOP). To be successful, you should determine the problem and correct the Soldier—but Scrutinize the behavior, violation, or performance, not the Soldier. Don’t dump too many Corrections on a Soldier at one time, and once he or she has corrected his or her performance, Don’t keep bringing up the previous problem.
Be certain that you have gone below the Surface and found the root of the problem, so you are not just correcting symptoms. In correcting Soldiers, it is essential that you lead by personal example. Some other issues that a lot of soldiers run in to is they really don’t understand the meaning Of PCI/PCC’S cause in Army doctrines it does not clearly define or identify them. FM 6-0, Command and Control, simply states unit preparation includes pre-combat checks and Inspections to ensure units, soldiers, and systems are fully capable and ready to Execute.
FM 7-10, The Infantry Company, states inspections must be used to supervise And refine troop-leading procedures, and gives a list of items to inspect to include Weapons, equipment, soldiers’ knowledge, and communications. Some of the issues that I See that happen and why PCI/PCC’S are Leaders seldom conduct pre-combat checks (PCCs) or Pre-combat inspections (PCIs) properly. PCCs are often treated more like an inventory instead of a check to Ensure that all the equipment is ready for the mission. Certain things that need to be Checked for it to be proper PCI/PCC is to make sure that your soldiers have mission Knowledge of what’s going on.
Making sure that they have the right equipment to accomplish The mission at hand. Another is that when there is deficiencies don’t wait to correct it at At the last moment you need to make that correction on the spot, away companies can help Make PCI/PCC’S more efficient is establish a certain checklist based off their units mission Profile . It should include routine daily checks and checks that are mission specific. they do not need to be extremely detailed; a list of items to check and the leader’s Knowledge of the equipment and the appropriate manuals should suffice.
If leader s didn’t Conduct proper PCI/PCC’s before missions or training events and something went wrong For example I was in charge of six soldiers I was to take them to a range and makes sure They shot these big weapon systems but as a leader I failed to conduct proper PCI/PCC’s and Couple of my soldiers weren’t wearing the proper PPE now had anyone of them had been injured it would have been my fault as a leader because I didn’t conduct proper PCI/PCC’s. So some of the important things about PCI/PCC is if a company that has a well-established System of checks and inspections will consistently perform to standard.
The engineer leader Must establish checks and inspections that support the unit’s mission-essential task list (METL). Once established, the engineer leader must ensure that the checks and inspections Are performed before and after combat operations. Checks and inspections fall into the Following categories: pre combat checks, pre combat inspections, post combat checks, and Post combat inspections. Precombat checks aid the leader in preparing his unit for combat. These include checks for Individuals, vehicles, weapons, and equipment. While these checklists are generic, they can Be easily tailored to fit a unit’s specific needs.
Leaders at all levels use these checklists in their planning and in preparing instructions to their subordinate leaders. Precombat inspections validate that the precombat checks have been performed. The leader Must plan his time and that of his unit’s to ensure that inspections are performed. Time must Also be available for corrective actions should an individual or item fail the inspection. The Leader cannot delegate this responsibility; he must be the inspector. This demands that he be Competent in the maintenance and care of all of his unit’s equipment. The standards he sets Will determine the unit’s ability to perform in combat.
