Developing Mach-21 Airmen

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas - In episode 45 of "The Air Force Starts Here" podcast, we discuss a new force development tool for Air and Space Force professionals to grow professionally. The Developmental Special Experience (DSE) Catalog is a consolidated list of available learning activities outside the scope of formal training. It simplifies research efforts to find training opportunities available to Airmen and Guardians like internships, fellowships or developmental special duties. The Catalog is a single resource that can assist with personal development and integrate DSEs into Air and Space professionals’ career goals as a short term objective or long term career goal.

Dan Hawkins from the Air Education and Training Command public affairs team spoke virtually with Maj. Kevin Hawkins and 1st Lt. Adam Treece from the 56th Operational Support Squadron at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, who along with Dylan Kerr, a student at Arizona State University, about their creation of a 3-D augmented reality system that will revolutionize the way pilots conduct mission debriefs. As part of AETC’s Spark Tank finalist team that will represent the command at Spark Tank 2021 coming up in Feb. 26-28, 2021, during the virtual Air Force Association Aerospace Warfare Symposium in Orlando, Fla., Maj. Hawkins and Treece talk about how they adapted Microsoft HoloLens2 smart-glasses into a tool aircrews can use to conduct detailed mission debriefs from an interactive, three-dimensional perspective. Treece also talks about how the Spark Tank competition is a huge part of how the command values innovation and operationalizing Airmen’s best ideas to improve operations.

In episode 43 of "The Air Force Starts Here" podcast, we commemorate Four Chaplains Day, Feb. 3, 2021, and highlight the dedication of the U.S. Air Force Chaplain Corps to the resiliency of all Airmen.

In this episode of the Air Force Starts Here podcast we discuss the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine with Maj. Gen. (Dr.) John DeGoes, commander of the 59th Medical Wing.

In episode 41 of "The Air Force Starts Here" podcast we look back in history at the Air Force’s role in space here with AETC History and Museums Program Director, Mr. Gary Boyd, and AETC historian Mr. Rudy Purificato. Randolph Air Force Base has a history steeped in space innovation, which all occurred in Building 661. Building 661 was home to the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine and inaugurated the world’s first Department of Space Medicine in 1949. While there, many space firsts occurred like the first simulated fight to the moon, training of the first primates to go into sub-orbit and orbit -as well as the development of pressurized and heat resistant space suits.

The Airman’s Foundational Competencies are categorized into four major groups: Developing Self, Developing Others, Developing Ideas and Developing Organizations. Twenty-two competencies were approved last summer, two more were approved last month, and there are more competencies on the horizon. In this podcast we speak with Mr. Jamal Qaiyym, Branch Chief of the Foundational Competencies, and Dr. Laura Barron, Industrial Organizational Psychologist.

Lt. Gen. Brad Webb, commander of Air Education Training Command, hosted a commander’s call on Nov. 16. Webb, along with Chief Master Sgt. Erik Thompson, command chief of AETC, discuss the recently updated AETC Strategic Action Plan. This podcast features excerpts from the discussion.

On the podcast, Dan Hawkins from the Air Education and Training Command public affairs offices sits down remotely with Dr. Kristin Hissong, an assistant professor of regional and cultural studies at Air University's Air Force Culture and Language Center, to discuss her upcoming presentation at the AU Language, Regional Expertise and Culture Symposium happening Oct. 14-16, 2020. Hissong's presentation of "Women, Peace, Security" focuses on the impact women have had on the changing nature of warfare and the importance of women's equal participation, and full involvement in all efforts relating to the maintenance and promotion of peace and security.

On this episode, Jennifer Gonzalez from the Air Education and Training Command public affairs team sat down remotely with Lori Phipps, who is the Director of the School Liaison Program for the Air Force, to talk about the school liaison program, what does it do for our AETC families and how it supports wing commanders. School liaison offices are on every installation worldwide and provides outreach, advocacy and partnership initiatives that generate real-time solutions for military students and families.

On this episode, Dan Hawkins from the Air Education and Training Command public affairs team sat down remotely with the team from the 323rd Training Squadron at JBSA-Lackland, known as the Mustangs, to talk about the evolution of the way Basic Military Training (BMT) executes physical training. Lt. Col. Ray Vann, Tech Sgts. Sarah Mitchell and Kenneth Snow talk about how, in partnership with the 559th Medical Group’s Sports Medicine Team, they created, tested and are currently implementing BMT's first high intensity, interval training (HIIT) program. This innovative program provides more diversity than the baseline BMT exercise program and presents an opportunity to increase physical fitness assessment scores while simultaneously mitigating the risk of injury to trainees.

On this episode of Air Education and Training Command's professional development podcast, Dan Hawkins from the AETC public affairs team sits down remotely with Tech. Sgt. Scott Eubanks from the Special Warfare Training Wing's 353rd Training Squadron at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, to talk about the incorporation and use of virtual-reality simulator in Tactical Air Control Party initial skills training. Eubanks talks in-depth about what a TAC-P does, what training is done in initial skills training, as well as all the details of the Joint Terminal Control Training Rehearsal System and its impact on training.

On the pod, Chief Master Sgt. Stefan Blazier, 37th Training Wing command chief, talks to a team of Military Training Instructors at Air Force Basic Military Training about the MTI Developmental Special Duty. Chief Blazier talks with the MTIs about how quickly they learned being an MTI was more important to the Airmen they lead and to themselves than they could have ever imagined, as well as how the DSD assignment as an MTI has directly resulted in their leadership growth, and much more.

On the pod, Chief Master Sgt. Stefan Blazier, 37th Training Wing command chief, talks to a team of Military Training Leaders at the wing about the MTL Developmental Special Duty. Chief Blazier talks with the MTLs about how quickly they learned being an MTL was more important to the Airmen they lead and to themselves than they could have ever imagined, as well as how the DSD assignment as an MTL has directly resulted in their leadership growth, and much more.

On the pod, Dan Hawkins from the Air Education and Training Command public affairs office sat down remotely with Ms. Lorelei Gomez, AETC’s Accreditation and Certification branch chief and Mr. Jason Grove, who is the credentialing project manager about their partnership with industry and academia to test a digital credentialing, or “badging” process, for individuals within the Air Force learning professionals, bioenvironmental and first sergeant communities. In line with the National Defense Strategy and AETC’s initiatives to Develop the Airmen We Need, the beta-test talks to advancing force development and will allow Airmen to start earning credentials that are personal, verifiable, transferable and shareable.

On the pod, Dan Hawkins from the Air Education and Training Command public affairs office sits down with Chief Master Sgt. Jason O'Donley and Tech. Sgt. David Valencia from the Air Force Recruiting Service's innovation cell about the new "Aim High" total force recruiting phone application. The app is a one stop shop will help potential recruits find Air Force-related information and for recruiters to virtually connect with future Airmen in a way they are used to - through their phones.

On the pod, Dan Hawkins from Air Education and Training Command public affairs virtually sat down with Maj. Adam "Boomer Smith from Holloman AFB, N.M., director of Remotely-Piloted Aircraft Training Next, to talk about the future of RPA pilot and sensor operator training. Smith goes in-depth on revisions being made to the undergraduate RPA pilot and sensor operator training course, including the use of virtual and augmented reality, as well as how technology is being base-lined across all aspects of training from initial skills and out to formal training units, as well as the operational side.

On the pod, Dan Hawkins from Air Education and Training Command public affairs virtually sat down with Maj. Kamy Jenkins, the 97th Medical Group Mental Health Clinic flight commander, and Master Sgt. Jessica Williams, the 97th MDG Mental Health Clinic flight chief, located in Mobility’s Hometown at Altus AFB to talk about the importance of mental health. Jenkins and Williams go in depth on everything from why maintaining healthy balance at home and work is critical right now, to how to overcome challenges and even build your mental heath with tons of amazing tools and resources at your disposal.

On this edition of the podcast, Dan Hawkins from AETC Public Affairs talks with Master Sgt. Dana Bezile, 360th Recruiting Group operations flight chief and Master Sgt. Ernest Coleman, 369th Recruiting Squadron enlisted accessions flight chief, about life in the virtual recruiting world and how Air Force Recruiting Service is using technology to bring in new accessions to the service. The veteran recruiters also talk about the efforts being made in the agile shipping arena, which is the AFRS’s ability to balance the mission to build and maintain the strength of the Air Force with the need for individual and public safety.

The AETC command team of Lt. Gen. Brad Webb and Chief Master Sgt. Julie Gudgel discuss the command's COVID-19 response from a strategic perspective, including why the recruit, train and educate mission must continue, as well as answer questions from viewers during their virtual town hall on the AETC Facebook page Apr. 3, 2020.

On this edition of Air Education and Training Command's professional development podcast, Lt. Col. Joe Lopez, AETC special warfare division chief, and Lt. Col. Heath Kerns, 330th Recruiting Squadron commander, talk about the Special Warfare Operator Enlistment Vectoring program, which will now be the single path of entry for new Airmen to pursue careers in combat control, pararescue, tactical air control party, or special reconnaissance. Lopez and Kerns go in-depth on the objectives of the program, as well as the changes to the accessioning and training pipeline geared to a "scout-develop-recruit" mentality, and ultimately how Airmen get vectored into a specific special warfare Air Force Speciality Code.