New leadership courses available at JBPHH

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Terri Paden
  • 15th Wing Public Affairs

New professional development classes are now being offered by the Career Assistance Advisor to aid Airmen with self-improvement and career enhancement.

The John C. Maxwell "Developing the Leader Within You" and "the 360 Degree Leader" courses rolled out at JBPHH in January.

According to Master Sgt. Rebecca Pash, the 15th Wing career assistance advisor assigned to the 647th Force Support Squadron, the classes will help to improve Airmen personally as well as professionally.

"The courses I offered before these were all Air Force specific leadership courses, but these new courses are more personal," she said. "These are about helping Airmen figure themselves out and how they can become a better leader and person."

Though all the services provided by the CAA are geared toward professional enhancement, Pash said most of the recent professional development opportunities had been primarily informational in order to educate the force on the new way ahead.

"With such a heavy emphasis on change we haven't been able to focus as much on developing leaders," she said. "A lot of time we tend to identify each other by our AFSC's, but really we want everyone to be known as an Airman first, and being an Airman you have to be a leader. Leaders aren't born. You don't just wake up with leadership skills ... you have to build them."

Pash said the classes will also help bridge the gap between required professional military education, and will also provide more opportunities for professional development at all levels.

"I feel it's a class that will open your eyes to a whole new way of thinking," Staff Sgt. Everette Cooper, course facilitator, said. "It helps people look at being a leader from every angle. It's an amazing class. It's helped me grow as a person, a leader and as an NCO."

The classes are currently being divided by tiers, with a separate class for company grade officers and civilians, but Pash said future classes will be integrated and eventually open to members of the other services.

"We just really want to develop Airmen at all levels and make sure that everyone is given an opportunity to work on weak areas and self-improvement while figuring out what their personal strengths and weaknesses are," she said.

Both classes can accommodate 30 participants and are video led with trained facilitators guiding the class through principal application discussions.

"Both classes have gotten great feedback," she said. "Airmen are hungry for professional development and leadership based training right now ... they want to learn and know what's going on and be better and all of this ties into the direction the Air Force is moving in now. You're not going to be able to keep up if you aren't moving toward self-improvement and continuing to develop. If you're not doing things to better yourself you won't make it in today's Air Force."

Tech. Sgt. Courtney Stanton, future course facilitator, said after attending the "Developing the Leader within YOU" course as part of his facilitator training, he believes the course will help attendees to become more effective leaders and better position them to help their Airmen as well.

"I believe this course is an integral piece to a continuous developmental process for current and future leaders," he said.

The two new leadership courses are just part of what Pash provides the base as the sole Career Assistance Advisor.

Pash said it's her job to provide direction and motivation to the Airmen who come to see her.

"I offer non-biased career advice and guidance," she said. "I help Airman find opportunities within the Air Force and help them decide where they are going and where they want to be going in their careers."

Pash said she relies upon her vast experience and knowledge of the Air Force to help Airman make informed decisions.

"If I don't know the answer, then I help get Airmen to the helping agency they need," she said. "And that's the same advice I would give other people. If you don't know the answer don't give bad advice refer the person to me or the appropriate helping agency."

Pash, who was a Security Forces Defender for nearly 16 years before being selected for this special duty as CAA, said she feels she has had two of the best jobs in the Air Force because of her ability to help others.

In addition to the new John C. Maxwell courses, Pash also provides a host of other professional enhancement courses to include:

First Term Airmen's Course (FTAC):  The FTAC provides a structured program to transition Airmen from a training mindset to a mission-oriented environment. FTAC provides orientation type information and reinforces lessons learned in BMT and technical training to aid in successful transition.  This course is held two or three times a month.This is mandatory for all First Term Airmen arriving here as their first duty station. They are required per AFI 36-2624 to attend and complete this course within 30 days of arriving on station.

NCO Professional Enhancement (NCOPE):  The target audience is Staff Sergeants and Technical Sergeants who have not attended a professional military enhancement course within the last two or three years. This course is held the first month of every quarter (Jan/Apr/Jul/Oct).

SNCO Professional Enhancement (SNCOPE):  This course is for newly selected Master Sergeants.  This advanced leadership course is offered two times per year (Feb/Aug). All eligible Master Sergeants or Master Sergeant selects will receive an email upon selection.

CGO Professional Enhancement (CGOPE):  To help further round out your toolbox, we have created a CGO Professional Enhancement (CGOPE) Course designed specifically for you--the CGO. The HIGHLY ENCOURAGED course is a 3 day course, which is designed to provide invaluable information/insight and to help you conquer the challenges you will face in your Military Career. This course is offered the third month of every quarter (Mar/Jun/Sep/Dec).

Informed Decision (ID):  This seminar is mandatory for all First-Term and Second-Term Airmen 12-15 months prior to date of separation (DOS). This course is offered monthly.

Monthly Lunch and Learns:  These courses are led by JBPHH's SNCOs and SMEs to teach various writing applications, references, the 7 Steps to Effective Communication, Effective EPR writing, awards, decoration writing, current AF issues, hot topics, and much more.

Special Duty/Retraining 101:  Airmen interested in retraining opportunities, special duties, assignments, separation, and information regarding CJRs or if you are in a constrained AFSC, are encouraged to attend this brief offered once a month. This course will provide Airmen with the knowledge to apply for career opportunities and assist them to be successful in the process. Supervisors and senior leaders are encouraged to attend this course. This course is open to all.

ISR Guard and Reserve Recruiter Monthly Palace Chase/Front Briefing:  The In-Service Recruiters will discuss the qualifications for Palace Chase program as well as the Palace Front program for those already within a year of their Date of Separation will be addressed.  They will address the Voluntary and Involuntary Separating Airmen and their opportunities to continue their military careers with the Air Force Reserve and Guard.

John Maxwell's 360 Degree Leader:  In his nearly thirty years of teaching leadership, John Maxwell has encountered this question again and again:  How do I apply leadership principles if I'm not the boss? It's a valid question that Maxwell answers in The 360 Degree Leader. Maxwell asserts that you don't have to be the main leader to make significant impact in your organization. Good leaders are not only capable of leading their followers but are also adept at leading their superiors and their peers. Debunking myths and shedding light on the challenges, John Maxwell offers specific principles for Leading Down, Leading Up, and Leading Across.  360-Degree Leaders can lead effectively, regardless of their position in an organization. By applying Maxwell's principles, you will expand your influence and ultimately be a more valuable team member. This course is offered monthly.

John Maxwell's Developing the Leader Within You:  Have you recently been thrust into a leadership position and are not sure how to lead others?  Do you aspire to lead teams but are currently only leading yourself?  If leadership is what you need, Developing the Leader Within You DVD Training is crucial in your development. John Maxwell teaches you in this course the basic principles of being a leader, the all-important Five Levels of Leadership, and provides practices and principles that you can apply instantly to improve your leadership skills.  You will learn how to: build trust through personal integrity, prioritize, create positive change and understand the process involved, how to develop people, crucial problem solving techniques, articulate visions and goals for your organization, become character-driven vs. being emotion-driven, and much, much more. This course is offered monthly.

One-On-One Appointments: The Career Assistance Advisor also does appointments, to schedule an appointment please email 647fss.ftac@us.af.mil to request an Appointment with the CAA. Please put in the subject line:  "Appointment Request"  or you can call (808) 448-0195 and leave a detailed message.

For class schedules, dates, times and/or registration, please visit the PDC SharePoint: https://cs3.eis.af.mil/sites/OO-DP-PC-15/default.aspx

Also,  "Like" and "Follow" the JBPHH Career Assistance Advisor & FTAC on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/JBPHH-Career-AssistanceAdvisor/491665697606730