KAPAUN AIR STATION, Germany -- KAPAUN AIR STATION, Germany – U.S. Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa has successfully launched its inaugural Enlisted Airmanship Continuum Foundation Courses at Kapaun Air Station in Germany, on May 16, 2024, paving the way for implementation across the major command bases.
The Enlisted Force Development Model - Enlisted Airmanship Continuum establishes a link between institutional, functional, and base-specific education and training, underpinned by foundational competencies outlined in each career field's development plan. These Foundation Courses are set to replace professional enhancement seminars at the base level and will serve as prerequisites for Enlisted Professional Military Education by the year 2025.
“These are the first students to complete the program in USAFE-AFAFRICA,” said U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Tyhae Willocks, Kisling Noncommissioned Officer Academy commandant. “The team executed three courses that certified Development Advisors {Das} across the MAJCOM.”
Content for all foundational courses is standardized and updated by the Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education to ensure current relevance and a competitive edge. Base development advisors, with support from local NCOs, SNCOs, and subject matter experts, will deliver the Foundations Courses, each lasting five days - four days of standardized content and one day dedicated to major command and wing-specific focus.
U.S. Air Force Colonel Damian Schlussel, Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education commander, recently travelled Europe where he visited with multiple PME academics, which included the Kisling Noncommissioned Officers Academy. While in theater, he had the ability to sit in on the Foundations Courses and interact with students and advisors.
“We have been working on this curriculum and planning the Foundation roll out for ten months,” Schlussel said. “Course development doesn’t happen overnight, and most of the time it’s a multi-year process. So being here for the first class in Germany is rewarding. It’s a testament to all the hard work the Barnes Center staff and subject matter experts across the entire enlisted curriculum put in to making this a reality.”
The Junior Enlisted Foundations Course 300 acts as a bridge between technical school and Airman Leadership School, equipping students with essential skills and knowledge to meet standards and customs while guiding them towards becoming adept in their career field and achieving 5-skill level proficiency. This course lays the groundwork for the development of supervisory and leadership abilities, cultivating skills in leading individuals and teams, and comprehending the principles and boundaries of supervision.
The NCO Foundations Course 500 replaces the NCO Professional Enhancement Seminar at the base level and will be a prerequisite for NCO Academy attendance. This course empowers students with the skills necessary to lead through example and enhance their capability to shape organizational culture continually. It will guide students to reflect on their behaviors in alignment with the Airmen Leadership Qualities, while also developing techniques that contribute to building robust networks. Students will understand the linkage between attention to detail, effective communication, and fostering a culture of trust, realizing the significance of asking relevant questions and leveraging responses effectively.
The Senior NCO Foundations Course 700 supplants the SNCO Professional Enhancement Seminar at the base level and will be mandatory for SNCO Academy eligibility. This course furnishes students with the fundamental skills and knowledge essential to successfully develop, mentor, and lead teams, providing technical expertise needed for the transition from first-line supervisors to team leaders. SNCOFC700 guides students in strategic leadership at the 9-skill level, equipping them with a range of influence tactics to alter perspectives and behaviors effectively. It instructs students on cultivating and sustaining social relationships to leverage informal power and influence within an organization, facilitating proactive management that propels organizational progress.