Senior NCO workshop sheds light on bigger picture

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Rachelle Coleman
  • 354th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska (AFNS) --  Approximately 90 senior non-commissioned officers gathered Dec. 6 for a workshop aimed at providing a strategic view of the Eielson mission and improving senior NCO communication. The workshop speakers included the 11th Air Forces command chief, the 354th Fighter Wing vice commander and the 354th FW command chief.

One of the goals of the Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force is to deliberately develop Airmen through training and mentorship, said Chief Master Sgt. Jerry Moore, the 354th FW command chief.

"I think the only way we can do that effectively is to come together as a team at Eielson," he said. "You have the Senior NCO Academy, the NCO Academy, (Airman Leadership School), all talking about how we lead as an Air Force, but we never come together as a team of SNCOs to learn from each other, and that's what today's idea is all about."

The workshop covered each group on base as well as briefings from the sexual assault response coordinator, the career advisor and a Fairbanks district attorney who spoke about drunken driving. The day ended with a physical-training session.

"This is the first time we've gathered all senior NCOs together and had a chiefs-led process in this workshop, so this is groundbreaking," said Chief Master Sgt. Alexander Del Valle, the 354th Operations Group superintendent and the project officer for the workshop. "We're trying to gather as many of the senior NCOs on Eielson as we can to talk about strategic vision.  What does the wing do as a whole?

"We selected the biggest picture things that gave broad mission vision," he added. "That's where we looked at and got this. Being the first time we've ever done it, surely we're going to miss some topics." 

According to Col. Lynn Scheel, the 354th FW vice commander, SNCOs will "make or break" the wing and it's their responsibility to mentor young Airmen and NCOs, grooming them to one day take their places.

"(We) senior NCOs are very good at understanding what we do, and as (we) get to the SNCO ranks, we understand more than just our AFSC," said Chief Master Sgt. Michael Warner, 11th Air Force command chief, during his mission brief. "But as a SNCO core, what we understand is what we have done and what we have experienced but we don't understand all four of the pillars that make us successful as an Air Force."

While this was the first workshop, Chief Del Valle said he hopes it will be the first of many.