MATERIAL INSPECTIONS PERSONNEL INSPECTIONS The commanding officer shall hold periodic inspections of the material condition of the command, not on weekends or holidays, to determine deficiencies and cleanliness. When the size of the command precludes completion of the inspection in a reasonable time, the commanding officer shall designate zones to be inspected by heads of departments or other responsible  officers,  and  shall  personally inspect at least one zone, alternating zones in order that the commanding officer inspects the entire command at minimum intervals. -United States Navy Regulations 1990 Material inspections are conducted to determine the physical condition of machinery and spaces and to ensure they are clean and in a satisfactory state of preservation. The most extensive material inspections conducted by the Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV), discussed earlier in this chapter. Depending on the size of your command, material inspections may be held either as a separate inspection or as part of one of the following inspections: • Maintenance and Material Management (3M) • Safety inspection • Zone inspection • Messing and berthing inspection Conduct the most frequent and routine material inspection on a daily basis. A daily walk to inspect your spaces will impress upon your subordinates that you care about the condition of their working and living spaces. Identify minor material discrepancies and have them corrected before they become major projects. That practice will help your people apply themselves in a professional  manner. A daily routine and regularly scheduled field days will do much to maintain your spaces in a state that requires little preparation for material inspections. The commanding officer shall ensure that, consistent  with  their  employment,  the personnel of the command present at all times a neat, clean and military appearance. To assist in attaining this standard of appearance, the commanding officer shall, in the absence of operational exigency, hold periodic personnel inspections. Saturday inspections may be held at sea and, in port and ashore, with personnel in duty  status  as  participants.  Otherwise, inspections shall not be held on weekends or holidays. –United States Navy Regulations 1990 Historicaly, uniforms have been a product of a sailor’s environment. They were first provided for protection against the elements and to create distinction among specialists. Today Navy uniforms serve as distinctive  visual  evidence  of  the  authority  and responsibility vested in their wearers by the United States. The Navy expects its personnel to present a proud, professional appearance that reflects positively on the individual, the command, the Navy, and the United States. Exemplary military appearance should be the “norm” for uniformed personnel. Commands must enforce the uniform standards and appearance required by U.S. Navy Uniform Regulations, 1987, NAVPERS 15665G. Just as the purpose of uniforms has changed over the years, so has the purpose of personnel inspections. The original purpose of personnel inspections was to enable the captain to determine if crew members were in good health and physically able to do their jobs. Today, personnel inspections in one form or another recur on a daily basis, the most prevalent being at moving quarters. INFORMAL PERSONNEL INSPECTIONS In conjunction with other inspections, informal inspections help to ensure your division always presents the best possible appearance. Periodically invite your department head to conduct an informal inspection of your division. During informal inspections, personnel normally wear the working uniform, but meet higher than normal standards of “spit and polish.” 7-7