Improve your life with professional development and education opportunities Published Sept. 7, 2006 By Tech. Sgt. Shannon Wall First term Airmens cousre instructor Grand Forks AFB, ND -- Our Air Force is not the same service it was 20, 10 or five years ago. As part of student introduction to all Warrior Professional Development Center courses, the question of "Why did you join the service" is asked and one of the common responses is "for the education." We see more and more Airmen arriving at Grand Forks with at least one or two stripes, depending on their education level prior to joining the Air Force, which something unheard of when I entered in the Air Force. When educational advancement opportunities are explained to our Airmen, they are excited about completing the career development courses in order to pursue or often times continue off-duty civilian education. The challenges we face today, and are certain to face in the future, demand continuous mental, physical, spiritual, technical and even educational improvement. We expect more of our people as processes and organizations become streamlined and we must look for ways to improve the capabilities of our Airmen while the Air Force looks for ways to balance our career fields and reduce the number of existing Air Force Specialties to better meet the needs of the Air Force's current mission. In our much leaner, smaller and more expeditionary Air Force, it is critical that our Airmen possess the skills and knowledge to accomplish the mission and that our NCOs and Senior NCOs provide proficient leadership. The best way to develop that type of knowledge and technical experience is through advanced education in professional enhancement seminars that eventually may lead Airmen to seek civilian education opportunities. The enlisted education career path structure is a combination of career development courses, professional military education and technical competency courses that provide an educational growth opportunity for Airmen like no other service. Outlined are the Professional Enhancement Seminars and Professional Military Education courses available to all enlisted during their career: Professional Enhancement Courses -Designed to reinforce and building on what Airman get from their professional military education. First Term Airman Center - Transitions Airman from Basic Military Training and technical training to operational and mission mindset. Right Decision Seminar - Provide accurate facts about Air Force Programs, career options and benefit information to First Term Airman to enable them to make informed reenlistment and career decisions. NCO and SNCO Professional Development Seminar - Enhance attendee's ability to lead and manage so that they can positively impact their organizations with a broader perspective on their leadership role. Professional Military Education Airman Leadership School - Enhances the development of Senior Airman by preparing them for their first level of supervision in a military environment while strengthening their ability to lead, follow, and manage as they gain a broader understanding of the military profession. Noncommissioned Officer Academy - Prepares NCOs for positions of increased responsibility, broadening their leadership and supervisory skills and further enhancing their perspective of the profession of arms. Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy - Advanced professional military education program for select senior NCOs to better prepare them for their leadership responsibilities by expanding their leadership and managerial capabilities and their perspective of the military profession. Chief Leadership Course - Designed to emphasize leadership in an expeditionary environment and the importance of establishing a network of communication among senior leaders across different services. By attending any of the above mentioned courses, our off-duty education opportunities are highlighted and reinforced for continued advancement both personally and professionally. For some the courses are merely the stepping stone used to get them from the Professional Military classroom in to the civilian education classroom. In the 21st century we should only come up with reasons why we can further our education vs. why we can't. With the capability of internet courses, on-line testing and deployed location testing and education centers we are set up for success better than ever. Have you challenged your "educational strength" lately?