NIANTIC, Conn. – The Massachusetts Air National Guard recently graduated 41 Airmen across four different units and three states during the Air National Guard’s first 700-level Senior Noncommissioned Officer, or SNCO, Foundations course at Camp Nett from March 16-20.
Tailored for the ranks of master sergeant and senior master sergeant, the five-day SNCO Foundations course connects institutional, functional and base-delivered education, training and experiences, and will ultimately serve as a prerequisite for the Senior Non-Commissioned Officer Academy, or SNCOA.
“This course is critical because it sharpens the leadership skills our SNCOs need in order to guide today's force,” said Chief Master Sgt. Meghan Gehl, Massachusetts Air National Guard Professional Military Education commandant. “It not only reinforces what we do, but why we do it, ensuring we're developing disciplined, adaptable leaders who are ready to take care of our Airmen and accomplish the mission.”
As the first 700-level Foundations course across the Air National Guard, it sets the standard for how senior enlisted leaders are developed for the future.
During the course, Airmen from across the 104th Fighter Wing, 102nd Intelligence Wing, 143rd Airlift Wing and 224th Security Forces Squadron were split into the “Apex Raptors” flight and the “Iron Seagulls” flight, where class instructors spoke on leadership, strengthening operational readiness, budgeting and defense funding, manpower and force generation strategies.
On March 20, the fifth and final day of the course, Airmen and instructors woke up with the rising sun to participate in a two-mile fun run prior to a chief panel discussion and the Air National Guard’s first SNCO Foundations course graduation.
Not only did the run boost morale among Airmen at the Foundations course, but it also served as a benchmark for the new Air Force physical fitness standards.
“The two-mile run really let us see where we’re at as senior NCO’s with the new Air Force fitness standards coming up, and to also set an example and the way forward for our younger NCOs on how to get to our new fitness requirements,” said U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Mike Reynolds, an aerospace medical technician at the 104th Fighter Wing Medical Group. “It really is a great way to cap off the week that we’ve had.”
After the run, Airmen asked questions of a panel that included U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Michelle O’Keefe, Massachusetts Air National Guard state command chief master sergeant; U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Jeffrey St. Jean, 104th Fighter Wing Maintenance Group senior enlisted leader; U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Shane McGuire, 102nd Intelligence Wing Command chief master sergeant; and U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Nicholas Kollett, 143rd Airlift Wing command chief.
The chief panel provided the graduating Airmen with valuable insight into impactful mentorship and what it means to be a leader at the SNCO level.
“For the first iteration of the 700-level Foundations Course, I would say it was a big success,” Chief Master Sgt. St. Jean said. “The quality of questions asked by the students to the chiefs panel showed a real thirst for knowledge, and a strong desire to become the best senior leaders they can be, and that gives everyone hope for the future of the force.”
U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Ari Leonard, a financial management technician with the 104th Fighter Wing, received the honor of being selected as class leader for the Apex Raptors flight, and spoke on the significance of the course.
“The Foundations course is designed to set the stage for SNCOs before they attend SNCOA. The course creates a unique opportunity for SNCOs to come together and learn from each other, and a major benefit of the course was the focus on peer mentorship,” Leonard said. “To be recognized by my peers was an honor. To be able to contribute to the leadership development that took place this week was a privilege and an experience that will stay with me.”
Immediately following graduation, Airmen celebrated by singing “The Air Force Song” in unison, and also thanked their instructors for providing a wealth of knowledge and expertise throughout the five-day course.
“The instructors’ approach to guiding the students to achieve the learning objectives was spot-on. All along the way, they led the teams down the pathway to discovery, challenging the students to think critically and letting them solve the problems without solving things for them,” St. Jean said. “The instructors worked incredibly hard to ensure that the quality of the experience would be very high.”