New senior NCO’s, spouses learn roles w/ seminar

Photo By Senior Airman Lane Plummer | Chief Master Sgt. George Anderson, United States Air Forces in Europe Squadron Section Commander first sergeant, shares advice with a group of spouses during a professional enhancement seminar Aug. 11, 2016, at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. The PES trains senior NCO selects in areas such as stress management, ethics, core values, mentoring and counseling. (U.S. Air force photo/Airman 1st Class Lane T. Plummer)  

RP, GERMANY

08.19.2016

Story by Airman 1st Class Lane Plummer  

86th Airlift Wing

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany—Team Ramstein hosted an annual professional enhancement seminar for over 165 master sergeant and master sergeant selects Aug. 9-11, at Ramstein.

The PES served to prepare Airmen and their spouses from the Kaiserslautern Military Community for the move to the senior NCO corps with stress management, ethics, core values, mentoring and counseling training.

According to Senior Master Sgt. Robert Berrier, 86th Force Support Squadron career assistance advisor, the importance of the course is making the transitioning stage matter to the new senior NCOs.

“We conduct these seminars to aid the junior-to-senior-NCO transition and help build on the foundation of professionalism, dedication and commitment that these men and women have already established,” Berrier said.

The three-day course kicked off with leadership welcoming the master sergeant selects into the program.

Berrier said the positive differences between the two tiers of NCO’s will be felt by the Airmen they serve with.

“We always try to highlight the change, impact and influence that our newest senior NCO’s will have on their units and their Airmen,” Berrier said. “We challenge them to think about the challenges they will face, while leading and developing our future Air Force leaders and what their legacy as a senior NCO will be.”

For the first time at Ramstein, spouses were involved in the mentorship seminar. According to Tonya Wright, senior spouse mentor, this is a move in the right direction in better preparing Team Ramstein.

“With this big promotion comes new aspects to the job,” Wright said. “We figured that spouses needed to also be trained on learning what to expect as their spouse makes the leap into that tier. They might have to work more, so spouses’ relationships might be affected. This new seminar’s goal is to give spouses a platform to relate with others and handle their stress levels better.”

As Ramstein Airmen take the next big step, the PES aims to ensure a smooth transition by preparing senior NCOs and their spouses for the next chapter in their Air Force lives.

• Date Taken: 08.19.2016
• Date Posted: 08.24.2016 02:48
• Story ID: 207669
• Location: RP, DE