Skill pairing helps develop future leaders Published Dec. 13, 2005 RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFPN) -- Force development teams now have a new tool -- skill pairing -- to help them better shape future leaders. Skill pairing is a method of combining developmental expertise across functions to meet Air Force sustainment requirements. Airmen gain this expertise through education and training opportunities and assignments in complementary skills outside their primary career field. "Skill pairing is the foundation of force development," said Lt. Col. Harold Huguley, chief of the force development branch at the Air Force Personnel Center. "We've identified initial skill pairings for each career field, with a goal to begin the deliberate development of officers early on to acquire those skills we'll need 10 to 15 years down the road." Development teams also believe skill pairings are vital to force development and their vectoring process. "The Air Force has established skill pairings to advance our officer corps' experience and assignment opportunities," said Brig. Gen. Kip Self, a Mobility Air Forces Development Team member. "Between the DT and unit leadership, our job is to tailor skill pairings to individual Airmen for assignment teams to execute. In the end we develop the best person for the right job." Patrick Hogan, the Acquisition Development Team chair, said, "Force development isn't just growing up in your function -- it's developing across functions.” While using skill pairings is still in its infancy, it has been a part of the force development concept from the beginning. "Senior level requirements were laid out in detail a few years ago in terms of primary and secondary skills for those jobs. We've carefully translated that into vectors we give majors and lieutenant colonels," said Lt. Col. Scott Davis, chief of the personnel center's force management and analysis division. "Now, I think we have something that makes sense, something that's easy to explain, and they [development teams] have been pretty happy with it," Colonel Davis said. With 28 development teams comprised of general officers, colonels, senior civilians, warfighters and functional experts and personnel experts meeting at least three times a year, there is proof the Air Force is serious about cultivating both military and civilian Airmen. "We wouldn't accept random development of our weapons systems. We do that deliberately with a long-term approach," said Col. Lee Hall, the personnel center director of assignments. "We have to do the same thing for our people." "As we downsize, we need to ensure our most important resource, our people, are being utilized in the best way possible," said Henry Snider, the center’s director of civilian force management. "We want to make sure those folks are not just equipped but also trained and in the right position." "Instead of developing everyone the same, there will be options for people to do different things, based on their desires/aptitude, commander/DT input and needs of the Air Force," Colonel Hall said. The only way for the development teams to acknowledge the desires of the individuals they must vector is through the member's Transitional Officer Development Plan or Civilian Career Development Plan. "Now individuals and their commanders have greater impact on career development," General Self said. "They drive the assignment system through their inputs directly to senior level management -- it's a great transformation!" Elinor Gonzales, the personnel center’s chief of the resources and management development division said, "This is your chance to tell your leadership what you want to do with your career and help them do a better job of developing everyone towards their goals and needs of the Air Force." Developing Airmen to meet their desires and the needs of the Air Force is important to the development teams. "It's something we do not take lightly, we try to be very open minded, and we try to look at what is best for these individuals and allow them to achieve their highest potential in the Air Force," said Maj. Gen. James Hawkins, Mobility Air Force Development Team chair. "And the bottom line we look at is what's best for the Air Force. How can the Air Force best utilize this individual to serve our country?" General Hawkins also reminds senior raters their reviewer comments on the Transitional Officer Development Plan should accurately reflect reality, and what that officer should or should not do. Officers who do not communicate their desires to their development team through their development plan are developed according to the needs of the Air Force only. Civilians will be notified when it is time for them to fill out a career development plan, which the development teams will use to advise them on what they should do to be competitive for future career opportunities. For instructions on filling out a T-ODP and more information on force development visit, the personnel center Web site at www.afpc.randolph.af.mil.