Air Force Senior NCO Academy Openings

[MSTCM Jerald Motyka]

To all that are due to go to the Chief's Academy (and any others that are interested!):

The Air Force is cutting back on the numbers of Air Force personnel going through the SNCOA, and as such, they have a greater number of openings than usual. This class saw the Army go from 8 to 35(!!) Sergeants Major at the school.

With the cuts, there are new openings at the school for Navy and Coasties that are interested in attending. Please see the published literature and submit a package if you want an eye-opening experience, and to see true combined operations in action!

[HSC Chris Fly]

Good luck getting them to respond to you if you want to go! I have a fellow Chief here that was trying to get a seat for about 4 or 5 months and NEVER got a reply from email or phone messages until the current class he was trying to get in was about to start AND all they said was " I see you're interested in the class..." Well, duh!

I really hope that is not the norm....he has since decided on the CG Academy.

Just my .02,
Chris

[BMCS Ian McVicker]

Jerald,

What is the web-site for the school, so we can check it out.

[BMCM Deane Smith]

Here are a couple of sites for you:

http://www.au.af.mil/au/cepme/sncoa/

http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-w/g-wt/g-wtl/news/fall01/enlisted.htm

I'm sure that Jerald can provide some better resources since he's down there.

I've been to the AFSNCOA (Class 00-A) and it's well worth the 8 weeks away.

[BMCS Ian McVicker]

Thanks Deane.

[BMCS Nick Pupo]

Chris, who is "they". Seems like there is more to that story than you know or care to share with us.

I echo Deane's statement, 8 weeks well spent (AF-SNCOA Class 04-B, Flight 19 -- "The Grim Reapers")

[MSTCM Jerald Motyka]

Chris, the former liaison departed the Academy in late March - and I didn't report in until the 3rd of July - so there was a time when there wasn't a full-time liaison, and a lot of the support was being done by HQ folks.

It's been amazing seeing the number of people that had no clue about who we were and what we do.

I'm knee-deep in the Air Force Instructor Course right now, but will be back on the job full time on the 28th. I do, however, check my e-mail at lunch and at the end of the day.

[HSC Chris Fly]

The fellow Chief who was trying to get into the course was emailing someone at the Air Force school, not exactly sure who. It sounds like it may well have been the CG Liaison who had departed. All I really know if he had sent 4 or 5 emails and had gotten no response, I guess that's before Jerald got there.

On another note, I thought it was VERY interesting when I asked the MSGTs in my class why they choose the CG course over the AF course, their unamimous answer was this. They stated that at the AF course, and in the AF senior enlisted in general, everyone is only there to further their career and will step all over anyone in their way. One of the older MSGTs stated she had never seen anything like a Chief's Mess in the AF and really loved the idea of Chiefs helping Chiefs and being able to have a discussion in the Mess but speaking with one voice when you leave the door. I'm not sure if this is the feelings throughout the AF, but according to these 4 MSGTs I'm really glad I joined the CG! They were also telling that to even be considered for SMSGT, you have to have the equivelant to our Meritorious Service Medal. If you don't have it, you might as well retire. (becuase of course you won't be a MSGT unless you have at least 20 years!)

Chris

[OSC Cory Gunkel]

you have to have the equivelant to our Meritorious Service Medal


The Meritorious Service Medal isn't restricted to the Coast Guard, so the equivalent of our MSM, is the MSM.

[HSC Chris Fly]

Ah, I see.
Thanks

[BMCS Nick Pupo]

Or...as the Air Force calls it, the "Master Sergeant Medal"

[BMCM Bruce Bradley]

Yes Nick what we used to call the O6 Good Conduct award. But you will note that with the revised (several years ago) award authorization levels that more CG enlisted members have been awarded MSMs. I trend that should keep running I suspect, which is a good thing.

[BMCS Nick Pupo]

Bruce, I agree it has opened up the MSM's to more people. But I believe the bottom line is this it depends on the supervisor. I have a story if you're interested, that I believe drives that point home.

[FSC Mike Rawski]

I just graduated from the AFSNCOA with three other Coasties. I cannot compare it to the CG CPO Academy since I have not been. I can say that it was an awesome experience. The PT program was very well administered as long as you put forth the effort. The academics were challenging to say the least. I have a much better awareness for what the other services are going through. I also have a better appreciation for my life in the Coast Guard and how it suits me.

I had no problems with the liason, getting my application in, or getting approval from the liason. I did have a hell of a time with TQC processing my orders but that is in the past now.