The Air Force Starts Here

On the pod, released June 10, Dr. Christine Covas-Smith from the Headquarters, AETC Future Environments division, discusses in-depth where the command needs to head in terms of learning in the future and why we have to consider the trends now in order to shape learning in 2030. Topics include the proliferation of artificial intelligence, the use of virtual reality and augmented reality, as well as mixed reality, in learning, as well as the increase in open-source environments. Other topics include collaborative learning trends, talking directly to what classrooms will look like, team cognition, as well as performance optimized teams and the science of game-based learning.

On the pod, released June 10, Dr. Stephanie Covas-Smith from the Headquarters, AETC Future Environments division, discusses in-depth where the command needs to head in terms of learning in the future and why we have to consider the trends now in order to shape learning in 2030. Topics include the proliferation of artificial intelligence, the use of virtual reality and augmented reality, as well as mixed reality, in learning, as well as the increase in open-source environments. Other topics include collaborative learning trends, talking directly to what classrooms will look like, team cognition, as well as performance optimized teams and the science of game-based learning.

In this episode, we visit the Security Forces Academy at Lackland AFB and sit down with Capt. Jeremiah Baxter, officer in charge of the Security Forces Apprentice course, Capt. Zachary Watkins, officer in charge of Security Forces Officer Technical Training, Senior Master Sgt. Brandan King, 343d Training Squadron operations superintendent, and Master Sgt. Henry Crook.

We talk about the biggest recent change to Security Forces initial skills training: integrating officers and enlisted trainees together. We also discuss ways they are trying to break industrial-age training paradigms by focusing more on holistic leadership and problem-solving to better teach the trainees in the context of their future missions. We also talk about how technology (MILO firearms simulator, VR and AFWERX) are adding to Security Forces training in order to educate more lethal and ready defenders.

In this episode, James Rumfelt from the 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs office at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, talks with two senior NCOs from the 365th Training Squadron about breaking industrial-age paradigms in Air Force technical training. Master Sgt. Brion Kennedy, the avionics fundamentals flight chief, and Master Sgt. James Churchill, the heavy avionics flight chief, discuss various ways they are working to break those long-held paradigms. One example is breaking the paradigm that "time is the constant." Instead of focusing on an exact number of days for graduation, focusing on the competence-level at graduation. This resulted in a very prepared Air National Guard Airman graduating from the avionics fundamentals and electronic warfare courses in a fraction of the time it would normally take. They also talk about some ways they can make the training more learner-centric: wether it's putting unclassified training materials online for all the students to access, or giving all students an iPad so they can study their class materials at any time.

In the episode, Master Sgt. Ryan Crane from the 81st Training Wing Public Affairs office at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., sits down with Tech. Sgt. Victoria Monzon, a military training leader instructor with the 81st Training Support Squadron at Keesler, to tell her personal story of resilience, hardship, overcoming adversity and love of the Air Force. Born and raised in Guatemala, Monzon talks specifically about how she came to the Air Force and struggled with various situations in her life. From there, Monzan goes in-depth on her journey from thinking she was going to get out of the Air Force to finding herself as a military training leader ensuring our Airman are lethal and ready to tackle any mission.

In the episode, Master Sgt. Bryan Dudley, the emergency manager training flight chief for the 368th Training Squadron at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. and a detachment of the 82nd Training Wing based at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, talk all things related to innovation and the future shaping of the learning environment. Dudley goes in-depth on the curriculum development process the 368th TRS used to reimagine what their initial skills training course looks like, in fact leading to a revamp the emergency management career field didn’t envision when they started!

In this episode, a team of experts from the Squadron Officer School at Air University talk about how they are flipping the classroom, adopting immersive training (including VR, AR, mixed reality) into the learning experience space, helping to better professionally develop our Air Force captains. Ms. Toni Scribner, as well as Captains Anita Sims and Casey Neville drop by, talking about the successes and challenges of adopting some of this immersive technology, as well as the thought process that goes into the process of both the adoption & integration of the new approach. The team also talks about the need to think about these changes in terms of the culture, scalability in design, as well the flipping the classroom trend happening in education right now.

In this episode, Lt. Col. Paul Vicars, the director of Pilot Training Next, sits down to discuss the second iteration of AETC’s innovative and experimental approach to learning, based at the Armed Forces Reserve Center near the Austin-Bergstrom (Texas) International Airport. Vicars goes in-depth on the focus areas for PTN 2.0, including innovation in terms of technology and the art of failing forward; scalability in terms of how to create a learning model that can be replicated across the flying training enterprise, and the use of big-data to drive decision making in line with the AETC strategic plan. Additionally, the PTN director talks about talent selection for the program, including the additions of both sister service and international partners to the second class.

In the episode, a team from the Headquarters Air Education and Training Command A9Z division, which focuses on Engagements and Assessments, talk all things related to innovation and the future shaping of the learning environment. Danielle Koehler, Tech. Sgt. Michael Maturan, and Staff Sgt. Aaron Parker discuss the engagements and assessments division and what they do, what the pursuit of innovation has looked like from the perspective of a technical training wing instructor and how an Airmen can have their voice heard, as well as what the future of learning looks like as we ensure Airmen get training and education that is learner-centric, controlled by Airmen and presented in the context of a mission.

AETC’s command historian, Mr. Gary Boyd, as well as Bill Manchester, AETC staff historian and director of museums at JBSA-Lackland sit down to talk about the Airmen Heritage Training Complex, a project aimed at creating a new state-of-the art Air Force heritage teaching facility to highlight and learn from the sacrifices and achievements of our enlisted force to better acculturate Airmen attending basic and initial skills training.