Officers enhance professional development through Project Connect

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Shannon Collins
  • 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany (AFPN) --  Expertise, knowledge and mentorship is just a click or phone call away for officers here through one U.S. Air Forces in Europe program.

Project Connect is designed to provide a forum for field-grade and general officers to counsel and enhance the individual professional development of junior officers on a one-on-one basis.

"The goals are to provide company grade officers with personal and professional development," said Lt. Col. (Dr.) Julie Collins, a 52nd Dental Squadron pediatric dentist and the base’s program manager. "(It can be used) to give career guidance, share the history and experiences of our senior leaders ... and to prepare CGOs for increased responsibility."

The program is aimed at making the most of translating senior leader experience down to those moving into leadership positions. This type of guidance is intended to enhance job satisfaction, promote goal-making and goal-achievement and in the end, may improve retention of these officers, Dr. Collins said.

The key is "the entire relationship may be conducted by e-mail. There is no need for both mentor and mentee to be stationed at the same base," she said.

First Lt. Thomas McCaleb, the 52nd Component Maintenance Squadron accessories flight commander, has been "connected" with his mentor, Col. Stephen Petters, for two months. Colonel Petters is commander of the 48th Munitions Maintenance Squadron at Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England.

"It's good to have a forum where junior officers can find mentors beyond the installation and outside their career fields," the lieutenant said. "My mentor has a wealth of experience and cares deeply about developing young officers in his squadron and elsewhere. We've discussed the most difficult challenge for a young officer -- 'How do I relate to my senior (noncommissioned officer) as a teammate, supervisor and pupil all at once?'"

Though the program gives lieutenants and captains a chance to talk to field-grade officers in their career fields at bases worldwide, their supervisors are still considered the frontline mentors, said Capt. Walfrido Contreras, USAFE Project Connect program manager.

"This program capitalizes on existing resources and programs to augment each supervisor's efforts with developing Airmen to their full potential," he said.

First Lt. Jenny Poisson, section commander for the 52nd Civil Engineer Squadron, chose her former supervisor, Maj. Robert Ricker, as her Project Connect mentor. Major Ricker formerly served as director of operations for the 52nd Operations Support Squadron and is currently attending school at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.

Lieutenant Poisson encourages people to try the program.

"The program is a great way to remind leaders of their important roles as mentors," she said. "I have been fortunate to have commanders and supervisors who provide me with their wisdom and guidance whether the program was in place or not. People just need to realize that mentoring is a two-way relationship."

Dr. Collins, a mentor herself, said the amount of benefit that can be gained from this program is unlimited.

"A person can match with one mentor for assistance in one area and then complete that relationship and move on to another for a completely different objective," she said. "The program isn't designed to take vast amounts of time. It's specifically intended to encourage early career evaluation and goal setting, and to improve job satisfaction, career guidance and even promotability.

"You don't know when you need a mentor until an event rises," she continued. "It's better to have control of your career by planning for the future than to deal with consequences if you don't."

Though Project Connect focuses on officer mentorship, Captain Contreras said in time it will evolve and incorporate the total force -- enlisted Airmen as well as the civilian force. (Courtesy of USAFE News Service)