Erwin PME wins AFSC A1 Award

KADENA AIR BASE, OKINAWA, JAPAN

04.10.2014

Story by Airman 1st Class Zade Vadnais 

18th Wing

KADENA AIR BASE, Japan - The Erwin Professional Military Education Center was recently awarded the Air Force Space Command 2013 A1 Awards Program’s Enlisted PME Team of the Year award.

This is the first time the Erwin PME Center has won the Air Force-level award, which focuses on mission accomplishment and innovation in leadership, management and customer service.

“It’s definitely an honor to be considered the best team out of the whole Air Force,” said Chief Master Sgt. David Brown, Erwin PME Center commandant. “We try to push innovation in leadership, management and customer focus. We want to improve the curriculum for the students.”

In the past year, the Erwin PME Center, the largest in Pacific Air Forces, has increased the number of sister service students in attendance, contributed 4,700 volunteer hours to the Okinawa community, instituted a wing mentorship program that encourages senior enlisted leaders to be guest speakers for Airman Leadership School classes, and directed the first ever Kunsan Air Base ALS graduation.

“We also send instructors out to (Misawa Air Base and Yokota Air Base) to teach, instead of bringing 30 or 40 students to Kadena, which will save the Air Force a total of $1.2 million over a year,” Brown said.

Brown added that the Erwin PME Center could not have won the award without the staff’s hard work and dedication to innovating new programs and improving existing ones.

“It’s an honor and a privilege to work with the fine men and women at the Erwin PME Center,” Brown said. “I really couldn’t ask for a better staff.”

• Date Taken: 04.10.2014
• Date Posted: 04.09.2014 19:09
• Story ID: 125200
• Location: KADENA AIR BASE, OKINAWA, JP