Photo By PA Workflow | Then-Master Sgt. Louis Fischer conducts training with U.S. Air Force Academy cadre....... read more read more
SCHRIEVER AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. - Louis Fischer could still remember his experience at the U.S. Air Force Academy as one of the first enlisted airmen to be a military training leader there.
It was 1995. Fresh from a deployment in Panama in support of Operation Safe Haven, then Tech. Sgt. Fischer was a security policeman looking for a job in the Air Force that did not require him to be away from his family for a long time.
"I was spending so much time gone that my kids were growing up without me," Fischer said. "It became a matter of concern where the ability to be there with the family wasn't there."
Fischer didn't mind the deployment but his family was suffering as a result. He needed to find something to do in order to focus on his family.
At that time, there was an advertisement in the base newspaper for a new position as military training advisors, which later on became military training leaders, at the U.S. Air Force Academy. It was a brand new program designed to introduce enlisted mentors to the cadets. Fischer sent the requirements without expectations of getting picked up for the job.
He got called for an interview, as one of 300 to 400 applicants for the 40 available positions. The Academy was looking for a certain demographic; a lot of the NCOs hired were security forces members, former military training and professional military education instructors. However, as a new program, there was no job description.
"You had to make it up as you went along," the Utica, Mich., native said. "You were in most cases the cadets' first exposure to an enlisted person, setting the stage for a positive rapport in their careers."
When Fischer arrived at the Academy, he and the other NCOs received additional training with the Presidential Honor Guard to go through drill ceremonies, manual of arms, marching and more. The Academy also brought in a mobile team to show the NCOs how to teach and how to develop their public speaking skills. They even had to go through etiquette school.
As an MTL, Fischer served in a first-sergeant role and addressed whatever issues and concerns the cadets may have had. He also engaged them formally when he taught them how to write enlisted performance reports, how to provide feedback, how to counsel and how to enforce standards. He was also responsible for parades, formations, drills and ceremonies.
"It was just based on what you brought to the table," said Fischer.
For more than seven years, he served as a senior MTL, then became a cadet group superintendent where he managed more than 1,000 cadets.
"You mentored the cadets, showed them what an NCO does and how NCOs take care of their people," Fischer said. "You also assisted them in their development."
Even after completing his MTL function, his former cadets would still come to him for mentoring and guidance. Often, he would meet them at various places, even in deployed locations. Those same cadets would often go on to serve as squadron commanders. One of those cadets was Lt. Col. Jasin Cooley, Academy Department of Military and Strategic Studies deputy head for operations and assistant professor and former 50th Security Forces Squadron commander.
"The AMTs, which were called MTLs back then, were invaluable for providing cadets with tactical-level leadership guidance and mentoring," said Cooley.
When the Academy instituted the MTL program in the mid-1990s, every squadron was assigned a staff sergeant, a technical sergeant or in a few cases, a master sergeant; this was a significant change since most squadrons had only a single captain commanding.
"These NCOs had an immediate influence, delving into enlisted issues, a more holistic view of the role and influence of company grade officers and insight into other career fields, I event took the [Air Force Specialty Code] of my MTL," said Cooley.
Today that role is more defined and institutionalized, providing cadets with a much clearer picture of their roles and responsibilities when they enter active duty, Cooley said. Moreover, the AMTs often provide a candid, yet somewhat discrete, sounding board for cadets seeking career and personal advice from an experienced Airman, one who is supremely reliable, but separate from their cadet or officer chains of command.
Before becoming an MTL, Fischer's years as a security police man helped him gain the knowledge and experience that he shared with the cadets. Fischer entered the Air Force in 1984 as a security forces member. His brother went Army and told him to stay away from the Army. He was never big on boats so he didn't choose Navy and the Marines were a little too gung-ho.
"The Air Force gave me my preference," Fischer said. "I always had a desire to be a cop."
However, it wasn't what he thought it would be. Security forces at that time was security police. When Airmen came in, they either came into one of two disciplines - security or law enforcement. Security guarded the assets while law enforcement performed police work.
Fischer, who was law enforcement, became one of those security force members who had specialized training for air base defense.
"It became the gift that kept on giving," Fischer said. "Once you're identified with that specialized training, you're always in that deployment cycle."
He deployed in support of Operation Desert Shield, Desert Storm and Operation Safe Haven.
"Operation Safe Haven was probably the worst deployment of my life because of the environment but then again, it was also the best because not many people get to experience that," Fischer said. "We got tagged to deploy. The tasking was one of those 'get your bags, you're going, but we can't tell you where and for how long.'"
The operation began Sept. 6, 1994, when Cubans from Guantanamo arrived in Panama. This was the result of an agreement between the U.S. and Panama government permitting the Cubans to remain in Panama for six months. Fischer was tasked with the maximum security area where they put all the bad actors.
"I've spent six months in the desert for the Desert Shield and Desert Storm; it was an intense and scary experience," Fischer said. "But Panama was different."
Fischer and his team were put in the mix in a completely different environment. They were a small Air Force team assigned to an Army unit. It was because of this that they became reliant on each other.
"I still keep in contact with these individuals more so than Desert Shield and Desert Storm," he said.
After being an MTL, Fischer went on to serve as a first sergeant. He wanted to come back as a cop. However, because of manning issues, the Air Force didn't have positions for him except as a first sergeant. Fischer said becoming an MTL helped him become a shirt.
"It allowed me to hone my people skills," he said. "It made me communicate better and allowed me to see various walks of life. I took the first sergeant position because I've been doing it with the cadets and I found out I liked working with people. I thought I was pretty good at it."
Fischer would later become a security forces manager and group superintendent. He also deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. During his 25-year career, he earned a Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Air Force commendation with four oak leaf clusters and Air Force Achievement Medal with six oak leaf clusters.
After retiring as a chief master sergeant in 2009, he chose to continue to serve in the Air Force, this time as a civilian Airman. He is currently the Schriever Air Force Base Antiterrorism officer.
"The Air Force is pretty much my family and I want to stay in the family," Fischer said.
| Date Taken: | 08.28.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 08.29.2013 10:16 |
| Story ID: | 112816 |
| Location: | SCHRIEVER AIR FORCE BASE, COLORADO, US |
| Hometown: | COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO, US |
| Web Views: | 67 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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