Forty-seven Airmen here embarked on a team-building trip to the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center in Michigan from April 10 to 14, 2023.
The I.G. Brown Training and Education Center, a detachment of the Air National Guard Readiness Center which aims to train and educate today’s Airmen for tomorrow’s fight, took this first, one-of-a-kind trip to focus on team building and increasing unit cohesion.
“For our (Enlisted Professional Military Education) instructors in particular, their schedules can be quite rigid and especially challenging to get out with other members within the unit itself,” said Chief Master Sgt. Shaun Withers, Lankford EPME Center commandant. “Based on feedback and surveys we’ve conducted, our members expressed they wanted to be more involved, increase camaraderie, and have a better understanding of the various roles within the unit."
“Going to Alpena means we had minimal distractions that come with everyday life within the unit and home,” said Lt. Col. Jacob Corbett, the deputy commander of the TEC. “The team building was designed to get people working with other sections and build the fundamental relationships for cross-collaboration.”
The Alpena CRTC proved to be a conducive environment for team-building activities given the on-base lodging, dining facilities, and extensive training facilities. The team-building exercises divided Airmen into diverse teams of varying sections and Air Force specialty codes and involved field games, simulated combat exercises, and problem-solving. The week culminated in a combat dining-in to help build camaraderie throughout the unit.
"The thing that I enjoyed the most is that I got to talk with people more and get know them on a personal level,” said Staff Sgt. Garrett Collier, a campus operations manager at the TEC. “Before this, I’d only get to see people in passing.”
“This was just a start,” said Chief Master Sgt. Chris Gragg, TEC University chief. “Team building is not just a one-time event - but rather a continuous process that requires effort and dedication.”
"The TEC is committed to excellence in all aspects of our mission," said Corbett. "This team-building trip not only strengthens our team dynamics but also provides valuable opportunities for individual growth and development as far as planning, communication, and various leadership skill sets."