TOP STORY >>Seminar hones supervisory skills

By Tech. Sgt. ARLO TAYLOR
314th Airlift Wing Strategic Information Flight

Little Rock mid-tier NCOs are getting an important refresher course to bridge the gap between professional military education opportunities. The NCO Professional Enhancement Seminar is designed for staff sergeants three years out of ALS and technical sergeants who have not attended the NCO Academy. “We are a stepping stone between formal PME classes, said Master Sgt. William “Bud” Holtfort, Little Rock AFB Career Assistance Advisor. “We are trying to hone supervisor skills. You can lose those skills with lack of practice.”

The fast-paced three-day refresher course gives young NCOs supervisory tools and training that may not otherwise get until attending the NCO Academy. “The NCOPE course is a great tool for all junior NCO’s, especially those who have not attended a formal PME course in a while. It was short and to the point, but managed to address a wealth of important information,” said Tech. Sgt. Alicia Shabdue, 314th Medical Group Pharmacy assistant NCOIC. “It was helpful to me to get a ‘refresher’ in much of the training that is done in the enlisted professional military education courses.

The seminar covers topics including performance feedback, counseling and mentoring, effective bullet writing, and senior leader panels with first sergeants, chief master sergeants and the 314th Airlift Wing commander and command chief master sergeant. Sergeant Holtfort said the response to the effective bullet writing section has created a demand for a monthly class of its own. “They get hands-on experience in writing bullets. We take away the ‘mysticism’ of how to write a good EPR or awards package,” said Sergeant Holtfort. “How effectively a bullet is written may be the difference in winning or losing an award.”

The seminar also strives to give NCOs the supervisory tools and techniques needed to succeed in today’s Air Force.
“We are trying to grow them into good senior NCOs, but it’s hard when they don’t have that supervisory experience,” Sergeant Holtfort said. “It’s all about supervisory skills. We make students more effective and give them the tools to succeed. We owe it to them.”

The end product of the class is making sure Air Force well armed and trained NCOs for today and the future. “The bottom line is that we have more effective supervisors. If we do what’s right for our staff and tech sergeants, they will take care of our Airmen,” Sergeant Holtfort said. “It makes our Air Force better.”

Seminars are held monthly. For more information, call Sergeant Holtfort at 987-5928.