Find out more at afa.orgAir Force senior leaders may have recently cut back on the number of required annual inspections, but they are now requiring units to undergo separate, surprise readiness inspections that will hold commanders accountable for their outfit’s combat readiness, acting Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Scott L. Pleus said Jan. 29. U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 317th Airlift Wing observe activity from the side hatch of a C-130J Super Hercules during a Combat Readiness Inspection at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, July 1, 2025. U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Adrien TranCommanders should be accountable for the combat readiness of their unit, Pleus said. ACC conducted combat readiness exercises that involved an inspector general team directly evaluating whether combat wings was prepared for their assigned mission, according to release from July. It’s still unclear how often these combat readiness inspections will be conducted, but the practice is part of the service’s focus to maintaining high standards across the force, Pleus said.