EFAC holds quarterly meeting during 'Focus on the Force' week

Photo By Master Sgt. John Hillier | Chief Master Sgt. Tim Zumbrun, command chief master sergeant of the Montana Air National Guard, responds to a question from the Air National Guard's 2014 Outstanding Airmen of the Year during the Enlisted Field Advisory Council meeting at the Air National Guard Readiness Center on Joint Base Andrews, Md., Aug. 5, 2014, as part of Focus on the Force week. The OAY Airmen bring the perspective of the 91,000 enlisted Airmen across the ANG to address challenges facing the enlisted force. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Airman John E. Hillier/Released)  

JOINT BASE ANDREWS, MD, UNITED STATES

08.11.2014

Story by Maj. Mary Harrington 

104th Fighter Wing

JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. - During the Air National Guard's "Focus on the Force" week, Aug. 4-7, the Enlisted Field Advisory Council assembled a quarterly meeting at the Air National Guard Readiness Center and gave the six 2014 ANG Outstanding Airmen of the Year an opportunity to share their thoughts and opinions.

The mission of the EFAC, per Air National Guard Instruction 36-2601, is to propose solutions, changes and other policy actions that impact enlisted members of the ANG.

"The EFAC is the ANG's bottom-up, ground roots way for any issue to be vetted up the chain-of-command," said Chief Master Sgt. Timothy R. Tyvan, the EFAC Chairman and the state of Washington ANG command chief.

"We run issues to the ground, and seek opportunities to resolve issues that affect our enlisted force across the nation," said Tyvan. "We can't resolve everything as quickly as we would like, but we can certainly bring them to light and get the ball rolling. Issues pertinent to this council include those in the realm of legislative, policy and procedure, but not equipment and gear."

The EFAC representatives include seven primary and seven alternate regional members. Approximately 50 percent of the council is comprised of traditional, drill-status Guardsmen. The Command Chief Master Sergeant of the ANG, Chief Master Sgt. James W. Hotaling, oversees the EFAC.

"I wanted to give the 2014 Outstanding Airmen of the Year an opportunity to share their thoughts and opinions with the EFAC panel, during our 'Focus on the Force' week," said Hotaling.

The six 2014 ANG Outstanding Airmen of the Year representing six states include Senior Airman Christian J. Goldsmith, Airman of the Year, 150th Special Operations Wing, New Mexico ANG; Tech. Sgt. Douglas J. Matthews, Non-commissioned Officer of the Year, 142nd Fighter Wing, Oregon ANG; Master Sgt. Joseph G. Ashwood, Senior Non-commissioned Officer of the Year, 147th Reconnaissance Wing, Texas ANG; Master Sgt. Linda E. Schwartzlow, First Sergeant of the Year, 128th Air Control Squadron, Wisconsin ANG; Tech. Sgt. Amy M. Ough, Honor Guard Member of the Year, Eastern Air Defense Sector, New York ANG; and Master Sgt. David E. Coker, Honor Guard Program Manager of the Year, 128th Air Refueling Wing, Wisconsin ANG.

Questions and comments during the EFAC panel ranged from basic communication to education.

"As a first sergeant, I know first-hand that e-mail doesn't always work that well," Schwartzlow said. "I think it's important we go back to basics, and engage with eye contact with Airmen."

"That's a great point," said Goldsmith. "I find our in-person flight briefings extremely helpful."

Matthews addressed e-mail access concerns for traditional, drill-status Guardsmen while away from their home units. Many Guardsmen do not have the ability to access their government e-mail on a regular basis to keep in touch with their units in between drill weekends and annual training.

"I think it's good for the full-time staff to recognize that when many traditional Guardsmen arrive to their Unit Training Assemblies, they face e-mail overload," said Matthews. "I have CAC [Common Access Card] reader access, so that helps, but many members don't have access."

Hotaling noted that more than 80,000 CAC readers were purchased in 2009, and that there may be a need for another purchase to help with access.

"We will take a closer look at that," said Hotaling in reference to the CAC reader issue.

Another major topic discussed was education from challenges faced with the Community College of the Air Force.

"Our members have faced challenges with the CCAF to getting transcripts sent to other schools," said Schwartzlow.

"I second that," said Matthews. "I faced major hurdles getting credits transferred for air traffic control school, and was disappointed that only one class transferred."

"Which credits transfer has many potential challenges, from who taught the course to what the school of transfer will accept," said Hotaling. "But certainly we want to facilitate the challenges faced with getting transcripts sent. We will take that as another action item."

The EFAC council members listened to the award winner's experiences.

"I'm confident that these are issues that our enlisted members are experiencing throughout the nation," said Hotaling. "We want to hear about these challenges, so that we can help to find solutions and keep our airmen in progressive action."

The next assembly of the EFAC is scheduled for November.

• Date Taken: 08.11.2014
• Date Posted: 08.12.2014 09:34
• Story ID: 139071
• Location: JOINT BASE ANDREWS, MD, US
• Hometown: ALBUQUERQUE, NM, US
• Hometown: BOULDER, CO, US
• Hometown: LEAGUE CITY, TX, US
• Hometown: PORTLAND, OR, US
• Hometown: ROME, NY, US
• Hometown: SOUTH MILWAUKEE, WI, US
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• Hometown: VOLK FIELD AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, WI, US