TEC provides leadership training to S.C. ANG

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Stephen Hudson
  • 169th Fighter Wing, South Carolina Air National Guard
McENTIRE JOINT NATIONAL GUARD BASE, S.C. --  Professional development instructors from The I.G. Brown Air National Guard Training and Education Center provided a two-day leadership training course for noncommissioned officers of the South Carolina Air National Guard (SCANG) at Fort Jackson, Oct. 2-3.

Master Sgt. Mike Copeland and Tammie Smeltzer tailored and delivered the training to meet the specific needs of the Swamp Fox NCOs.

Sixty three Airmen, representing every squadron on the base, attended the training which included discussions on leadership, effective communication tactics, critical thinking skills and participation in hands-on exercises.

Chief Master Sgt. Mark Morrell, state command chief for the SCANG, said the training was a direct response to a call for some form of advanced leadership training between attendance at Airman Leadership School and the NCO Academy.

Morrell said, "The NCO corps wanted to bridge the gap between ALS and NCO Academy." He said it's important to have people trained to go downrange and take on leadership roles in the AOR, adding that 25 percent of NCOs go on to become senior NCOs.

"It's about selecting the right Airmen, with the right training and experience, to do the missions of the 21st Century Air Force," Morrell said.

Tammie Smeltzer said "The course is about looking at yourself and how you communicate and how to take it to the next level".

"These are the future leaders for the Total Force," Smeltzer said.

Staff Sgt. Brian Wamsley, a crew chief with the 169th Maintenance Squadron, said he enjoyed the course.

"I liked the group exercises," Wamsley said. "We learned about leadership and what it takes to be an effective leader."