Satellite NCOA Class 11-1 goes the distance

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Mavi Smith
  • The I.G. Brown Air National Guard Training and Education Center
McGHEE TYSON AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Tenn. --  Satellite NCO Academy Class 11-1 began this week, when 147 students from 15 Air National Guard units reported to their home stations for training, Aug. 9 and 10.

For the next 12 weeks, they will attend four-hour training sessions, two nights a week and then travel here to The I.G. Brown Air National Guard Training and Education Center for a two-week capstone in-residence experience.

At 6 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, they tuned in to the Warrior Network and watched as satellite enlisted professional military education instructors Master Sgt. Don G. Pierson and Tech. Sgt. Brad M. Evans welcomed them to the program.

Working with satellite facilitators at each unit, Pierson and Evans will televise the program from the Training and Education Center's television studios using a one-way video and two-way audio system.

Throughout the course, students will be required to participate in lessons on the profession of arms, leadership, and communication to build the skills they need for their current rank and to prepare for future responsibilities.

"It's not an easy program," said Evans. "The emphasis is on the student. We stress that from day one to them...come to class prepared, understand your role."

Both instructors said they are excited to be a part of the course.

"I think the program is awesome, said Pierson. "Bottom line is we're trying to get this curriculum to individuals who need it. The whole point is our students...and we just love what we do."

The Satellite Enlisted Professional Military Education Program offers courses twice a year. It was designed for guardsmen who cannot attend the six-week program but still want the education, experience and credit of attending the course in-residence.

The Air National Guard units participating in Class 11-1 are: 104th Fighter Wing, Westfield, Mass.; 107th Airlift Wing, Niagara Falls, N.Y.; 108th Air Refueling Wing, Joint Base McGuire, N.J.; 121st Air Refueling Wing, Columbus, Ohio; 130th Airlift Wing, Charleston, W. Va.; 132nd Fighter Wing, Des Moines, Iowa; 143rd Airlift Wing, North Kingstown, R.I.; 145th Airlift Wing, Charlotte, N.C.; 149th Fighter Wing, Lackland AFB, Texas; 155th Air Refueling Wing, Neb.; 158th Fighter Wing, South Burlington, Vt.; 169th Fighter Wing, Eastover, S.C.; 175th Wing, Baltimore, Md.; 177th Fighter Wing, Atlantic City, N.J.; and 189th Airlift Wing, Little Rock, Ark.