The Air Force Starts Here

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.