CCAF unlocks doors of opportunity

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Stephanie Hammer
  • 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey (AFPN) --  Many Airmen could be closer than they think to a degree from the Community College of the Air Force.

Among work, family, temporary duty and deployments, many Airmen may feel they do not have enough time to finish their degree.

“One of the biggest obstacles is discouragement,” said Tiffany Dalmida, the Community College of the Air Force adviser here. “Whether it is for scheduling reasons or lack of classes, they get discouraged and feel as though it’s unattainable.”

At this point, Mrs. Dalmida said it is her job to remind Airmen of the options they have. CCAF classes are available outside the classroom, and distance education and credits by examination are available through the education office.

In Europe, Airmen can achieve their education goals through a U.S. Air Forces in Europe initiative called Combat Education. The program’s goal is to remove barriers that hinder those Airmen from pursuing their educational goals.

Mission requirements and operations tempo can make the pursuit of higher education difficult. However, Combat Education seeks to counter those obstacles through innovative and flexible class scheduling, and through improved computer access at learning resource centers throughout the command.

“The previous command chief here sat me down one day and told me if I want to be competitive when I test for senior master sergeant, I would have to complete my CCAF,” said Master Sgt. Roberta Williams, a 39th Mission Support Squadron career assistance adviser.

“The first thing I did was go to the education center to try and (test with the College Level Examination Program to get credit for) the three classes I was missing,” Sergeant Williams said.

She passed one CLEP test and completed the remaining two classes through local university programs.

Mrs. Dalmida said another obstacle people face when trying to complete their CCAF is not knowing what classes they need to take or how to go about taking them.

“The first step is making an appointment to see a CCAF adviser,” she said. “(He or she), in turn, will explain to you what your requirements are, how many credits you have completed and how you can go about fulfilling outstanding requirements.

“They can also assist students with prior college credits by getting their transcripts sent to CCAF so they don’t duplicate any classes which would waste their time,” she said.

Sergeant Williams said getting a CCAF degree is important when it comes to competing for rank, and if she could do it, so could anyone else.

“Having a degree of some sort, whether CCAF or civilian, makes you stand out among the crowd,” Mrs. Dalmida said. “When the opportunity for promotion comes around, (a degree) distinguishes you from the other possible candidates. Having your CCAF also says, ‘I am interested in my future and I am actively pursing a higher education to better myself and my future.’” (Courtesy of USAFE News Service)