Air University’s Barnes Center begins beta-testing for ALS DLC

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The Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education has begun a beta-test of its completely updated Airman Leadership School Distance Learning Course, ALS DLC 1.0. It is scheduled for release to Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve Airmen in November 2020.

The Noncommissioned Officer Distance Learning Course (NCO DLC 2.0), released in July, received high praise from Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve technical sergeants for being more relevant to the way noncommissioned officers work and learn. The positive feedback about the curriculum, interactive media, and course delivery was taken into account while creating the new ALS DLC in order to create a meaningful and engaging course.

The ALS DLC curriculum focuses on four outcome-based, multimedia modules; leadership, culture, problem-solving and mission.  The modules contain 22 lessons, each based on national strategic documents, which prepare our front-line Guard and Reserve enlisted leaders with the most pertinent information, critical to their development as leaders. Each lesson consists of reading assignments, videos, audio clips and knowledge checks.

The course is designed to be device agnostic, ensuring ease of operation and compatibility across various devices. Videos are housed on YouTube and are accessible anyplace, anytime, anywhere. The student readings and audio files are also downloadable, which allows students to continue to study, even when Internet service is unavailable.  Additionally, students can take their assessments at home on their own devices, saving them a trip to the education office.

“Our citizen-Airmen have multiple demands for their time and cannot always leave their civilian job to attend professional military education courses. This Airman Leadership Course allows all Airmen to have the same education as those attending in-residence,” said Chief Master Sgt. Sherry Marnell, Barnes Center ANG advisor. “The feedback I’ve received from the students thus far has been very positive.”

ALS DLC is open to all Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve senior airmen and staff sergeants. Students may self-enroll at any time, and they will have four months to complete the course. Similar to the NCO DLC 2.0, students are not restricted to a specific class start date, so they can fit the course into their busy schedules when it is most convenient.

For more information on the ALS DL course, visit https://auportal.sso.cce.af.mil/SIS/app/