Top leaders unite for senior enlisted summit

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Jason Lake
  • Air University Public Affairs
MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. (AFPN) --  More than 350 of the Air Force's top enlisted leaders converged on Maxwell Air Force Base's Gunter Annex to participate in the 2008 Senior Enlisted Leader Summit May 18 to 23.

Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Rodney J. McKinley, along with hundreds of Air Force command chief master sergeants, career field managers, professional military education commandants and other key senior enlisted leaders representing the total force arrived to meet with senior Air Force leaders, including Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley, and discuss the current state of the Air Force as well as the strategic goals shared by senior policymakers.

"We're here to discuss Air Force priorities -- winning the war on terrorism, recapitalization and modernization and taking care of our Airmen -- and everything else that falls in between these subjects," Chief McKinley said. "My goal is for everyone to leave here with a strategic vision of where the Air Force is right now and where it's going in the future."

Chief Master Sgt. Ira Cutting, the enlisted space systems operations career field manager at the Pentagon, said he looked forward to discussing issues with his enlisted counterparts and senior Air Force leaders.

"Our duty (as chief master sergeants) is to take care of our Airmen," Chief Cutting said. "It's our job to take care of every detail so they are able to continue focusing on the mission."

The summit officially kicked off May 18 with a 2.2-mile formation run and sports day activities to build camaraderie among the participants and emphasize the importance of maintaining physical fitness.

Lt. Gen. Stephen R. Lorenz, the Air University commander and who assumes command of Air Education and Training Command July 2, discussed the role of Air University as the Air Force's "intellectual leadership center" and the important evolution of both enlisted and officer education programs.

"The NCOs of today are the officers of yesterday," General Lorenz said comparing the number of bachelors degrees held by NCOs today -- 5.6 percent -- to the number of degrees held by officers in the early days of the Air Force. "Our job here at AU is to facilitate enlisted education."

General Lorenz showcased Air University's associate to baccalaureate cooperative program that offers Airmen the opportunity to apply their Community College of the Air Force associate degrees toward a bachelor's degree with as little as 12 mouse clicks online.

"There are still Airmen out there who don't know about the ABC program," General Lorenz said. "I ask that you help get the word out about this great opportunity."

As more enlisted Airmen continue to pursue a degree, General Lorenz said today's enlisted corps may have a unique opportunity as the cyber domain expands.

"I believe cyberspace is a growth industry for NCOs with the right degrees," he said. "I think the enlisted force will play a heavy role in this domain."

Some of the other topics planned throughout the week include Air Force Cyberspace Command updates, air and space expeditionary force restructuring updates, the new Defense Integrated Military Human Resources System online personnel and pay system, and a two-hour panel discussion with former chief master sergeants of the Air Force.

The first Senior Enlisted Leader Summit was held at Maxwell AFB in 2007. Prior to the summit, command chief master sergeants met annually during a worldwide command chief conference. Chief McKinley said the new summit format added other senior enlisted leaders holding key positions to help broaden the scope and impact of an annual gathering. 

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