Lesson 2/Learning Event 2
should be at least one or preferably two command levels higher than the unit
to be reinspected. If a reinspection is made by a command other than the
one which conducted the initial inspection, the procedures and standards to
be used must be clearly stated and understood.
Each time a transfer of equipment occurs between two organizations, an
inspection of the equipment involved should be completed by a common
headquarters. In addition to acting as an arbitrator, the inspecting team
can evaluate the maintenance program of the owning unit. At the same time,
the inspecting team can demonstrate to the unit receiving the equipment the
inspection and maintenance standards acceptable to the command.
PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE (PM) INDICATORS
The term "PM indicator" is used to describe salient features of personnel,
materiel, supplies, procedures, and facilities, the known condition of which
will indicate the quality of preventive maintenance. The formal definition
of the term is "areas of possible failure or malfunction in equipment which
can be detected by localized application of the sense of sight, sound,
touch, and smell and which indicate the condition and quality of
maintenance."
Commanders should determine prior to an inspection which items of equipment
or maintenance functions they are going to inspect.
They should select a
few indicators for each item and become thoroughly familiar with them. This
will develop a feeling of confidence and impress personnel of the inspected
unit with the commander's interest in maintenance. Different indicators for
the same equipment should be selected for succeeding inspections so that
personnel will not fall into the habit of maintaining only what they know
will be inspected.
The program of PM guides for commanders has been established by the
Department of the Army to provide consolidated PM information for use by any
commander. The PM guides can assist in estimating PM requirements, planning
and managing a PM program, instructing subordinates, scheduling and
conducting inspections, and evaluating the effectiveness of PM programs.
During an inspection, commanders should always remember that the most
important indicator of all is the item's performance of the functions for
which it was designed, and the relative chances that it will continue to do
so based on the care that it is receiving.
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