JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. –
U.S. Army and Air Force noncommissioned
officers gathered for the first joint senior noncommissioned officer
professional development course at Joint Base Langley-Eustis this August.
Integrating the Air Force and Army through
this course is not only meant to help the soon-to-be SNCOs lead with a joint
perspective, but it aims to prepare them to work cohesively in supporting the
joint warfighters downrange.
“The SNCOs are leading the charge,” said U.S.
Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Lafrance Ballard, Air Force Headquarters Diversity
and Inclusion superintendent. “They are the ones that will be planting the
seeds for what’s to come 15 years from now. The world is shifting with
different perspectives, views and beliefs, and for us it’s all in the armed
forces. We’re all different, but we all share the same goal: to protect the
U.S. and abroad.”
The course is a first step in making JBLE
mission ready as a joint force. According to U.S. Army 1st Sgt. Melissa White,
128th Aviation Brigade first sergeant, in order to be accustomed to the joint
setting during deployments, training has to start at home station.
“It’s my perception that it’s important to
learn in a joint environment because we operate in a joint environment,” said
White. “This course is more peer driven. We don’t just read it all out of a
book, we are hearing each other’s experiences and learning through them.”
The three-day course included mentoring,
counseling, diversity training, first sergeant panels, ethics, stress
management and personnel programs.
Each class ensured both Air Force and Army
verbiage was used; exposing both cultures to one another, said White.
“When I went to my first sergeant
training, it was here at Langley,” she added. “I didn’t know Air Force rank,
agencies, or terminology. It’s all different but I knew I would be working
closely with Air Force so it was good for me to get the exposure. It set me up
for success, as it will for them.”
According to U.S. Air Force Chief Master
Sgt. Janna Dorvil, Air Force Headquarters Diversity and Inclusion chief, with
the U.S. Armed Forces becoming more integrated, training in joint environments,
service members can expect to be a part of joint training more frequently.
“We’re seeing joint more and more,” said
Dorvil. “We have to get in that mindset because when you deploy, you’re going
to be working with Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines. It won’t just be your own
service. This is just the beginning of what’s to come. You’re going to see this
more saturated as we go forward.”