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JBSA News
NEWS | July 31, 2008

Senior NCO seminar prepares selects for leadership

By Reggie Thompson 37th Training Wing Public Affairs

Approximately 160 master sergeant selects were welcomed into the senior NCO corps during the annual Senior NCO Professional Enhancement Seminar held from July 25 to Thursday.

The course focused on developing a range of skills in new master sergeants to better prepare them for their future roles in various squadrons.

Senior Master Sgt. David Harris, a career assistance advisor in the 59th Medical Wing, outlined the importance of the course for enlisted leaders.

"Senior NCO promotion brings with it a great deal of increased responsibility," said Sergeant Harris. "To better prepare our master sergeants as leaders and managers, the Air Force has established the SNCO PES."

According to Sergeant Harris, the seminar was held in a more relaxed setting than formal professional military education courses.

The seminar is mainly designed to provide perspectives from experienced NCOs on Air Force responsibilities and professional programs.

The instruction began July 25 with the participants' attendance at a basic military training graduation. After that event, the week's training continued at the Robert D. Gaylor NCO Academy.

Career assistance advisors provided a series of courses on skills necessary for carrying out duties.

Enlisted force structure, ethics, writing enhancement, retention issues and team building were covered for the duration of the seminar.

The seminar focused on improving participants' writing skills by reviewing aspects such as drafting enlisted personnel reports and bullets.

According to Sergeant Harris, this portion of the training is an abbreviated version of the course currently taught at Lackland.

The 4 Lenses Personality Recognition test was also featured in the training.

According to Master Sgt. Jackie Lerma of the Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency, this personality profiling allowed students to learn to deal with different types of personalities as well as learn about their own.

"It teaches you about your own personality, about what kind of a person you are and how you deal with situations," she said.

The week's activities ended with two ceremonial banquets and induction ceremonies for those attending the seminar.

One was held on Thursday for all units assigned to Security Hill and features keynote speaker Chief Master Sgt. Albert McGowan, Commander of the Robert D. Gaylor NCO Academy.

The second banquet is scheduled for today and involves all units assigned to the main base. This induction ceremony will have Chief Master Sgt. Juan C. Lewis, 37th Training Wing Command Chief, as its keynote speaker.