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Pope CGOs attend new professional development seminar

  • Published
  • By Marvin Krause
  • 43rd Airlift Group public affairs
POPE ARMY AIRFIELD, N.C. --  Fifteen company-grade officers participated in a newly created three-day professional development seminar March 17-19 held in the Airman's Center.

The seminar, facilitated by 10 senior NCOs and four officer volunteers, included topics such as Air Force standards and discipline, military justice, ethics and core values, enlisted force structure and development, military writing, counseling, mentoring and the enlisted evaluation system. There were also commander, first sergeant and senior NCO panels that shared their leadership knowledge and experience, and provided answers to the CGOs' questions. Additionally, U.S. Army Col. Jim Murphy, Fort Bragg Garrison chaplain, shared his leadership perspective as the seminar's guest speaker.

"I think we were successful in enhancing these officers' development," said Master Sgt. Dexter Robinson, 43rd Force Support Squadron career assistance advisor. "Based on their feedback, they learned some things from the senior NCOs and officers. As a consensus, they learned how to better manage the enlisted force," he said.

Robinson explained why he established a professional development seminar for Pope CGOs that will be conducted semiannually.

"I felt there was a need for this course because I had heard CGOs in the past talk about how they missed the mark as far as the training within certain areas. I've worked with some that still needed a little bit more on how to handle the enlisted force so, I took this as an opportunity to try and give back and help them prepare to become better officers--that was the main reason why I created this course," Robinson said. "I also took this opportunity to get other senior NCOs and officers involved by taking their fifteen plus years plus of knowledge that they have accumulated and sharing it with these officers to help them be successful so they can better manage the enlisted force and later on when they become flight or squadron commanders," he said.

One of the seminar attendees, Capt. Richard Chapman, 43rd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, shared his thoughts about the course.

"I really enjoyed the course. We always ask for career development and officer mentorship and this course provides a platform for that, which is beneficial and helpful to the CGOs," he said. "We always say we need mentorship from individuals but actually having organized officer and enlisted panels to talk to us during the three-day span was excellent. The old saying, the key to air power is flexibility and with all this change and diversity that is happening in the Air Force today, the panels answers were the same--know your people and know your job."

Chapman continued, "I think the most important takeaway from this course was to make sure you know the different avenues for help that's offered and out there for us. Sometimes, we always try to solve problems by ourselves, but there are so many avenues for help out there. People tend to forget about that because we are overwhelmed and once we see a problem, we just try to take it head on as opposed to actually taking a step back and pursuing that extra help or getting that advice," he said.

One of the many interesting topics covered during the seminar was the changes to the enlisted evaluation system presented by Master Sgt. Claudia Alvarez, 43rd Force Support Squadron superintendent.

"I explained all of the changes to the enlisted evaluation system, the Airmen Comprehensive Assessment Form, and the evaluation form's static close out dates for each grade," she said. "I also focused on senior NCO evaluations because most senior NCOs work for a CGO and how they can help develop their senior NCOs. For example, making sure when they start talking to their technical sergeants who are getting ready to test for promotion, that they have their Community College of the Air Force degree and Course 14 completed, the things that can help them. Additionally, how they can set up their senior NCOs for success when they compete for stratification, essentially, how the process works from the enlisted view and how we need CGOs to advocate for us as senior NCOs. I also explained the differences between senior, deputy, and immediate rater endorsement levels, and time in grade eligibility for senior rater endorsement, so they can understand where the strongest bullets should go on the form. I also covered the officer performance report process and emphasized that they check their own personal records when getting ready for promotion," she said.

The seminar concluded with each attendee receiving a certificate of training and some words of encouragement from Robinson, who also thanked them for attending.

"Ultimately, the enlisted force benefits from enhancing these officer's leadership, and managerial skills and that's the goal behind it," Robinson said. "One of the students told me that if she had this course earlier in her career, it would have been helpful for her. I think this course was a tremendous success and will be successful in the future--I really do."