JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-CAMP BULLIS, Texas — Instructors from the Rogers Airman Leadership School and the 379th Medical Training Support Squadron created a new hands-on field training exercise designed to push students beyond the classroom into realistic leadership scenarios.
The new course, called the Airman Leadership School Field Training Exercise, or ALS FTX, is a one-day event supported by the curriculum conducted at the MRTC located on JBSA-Camp Bullis in partnership with ALS leadership.
According to Staff Sgt. Shebria Solomon, 802d Force Support Squadron ALS instructor, and one of the instructors involved in the course design, the ALS FTX was created to bridge the gap between leadership theory and real-world application.
“ALS teaches critical doctrine and leadership concepts, but this exercise allows students to physically apply those principles in an environment that’s realistic, uncomfortable and meaningful,” Solomon said.
The FTX places students in operationally focused scenarios requiring them to employ Agile Combat Employment, mission ready Airmen concepts, mission command and joint planning principles under pressure. Students must communicate effectively, adapt plans as conditions change and work as a team to accomplish mission objectives.
The exercise grew from a curriculum update by the Barnes Center for Enlisted Education in October 2025, which added an 8-hour block of operational concepts to ALS instruction. While schools across the Air Force were given flexibility in how to implement the training, instructors at Joint Base San Antonio saw an opportunity to partner with MRTC to create an immersive field experience.
According to Staff Sgt. Jeremy Shires, a 379th Medical Training Support Squadron instructor, MRTC cadre partnered closely with Airman Leadership School instructors to align training scenarios with ALS learning objectives while leveraging existing operational training resources. “The collaboration resulted in an authentic field training experience that supported the curriculum without requiring additional resources,” Shires said.
Both Solomon and Shires agree the primary goal of the training is for students to leave with confidence in their ability to lead — regardless of rank or career field.
“Leadership isn’t about having all the answers,” Solomon said. “It’s about making decisions, communicating clearly and taking care of your people when the pressure is on.”
The FTX also reinforces to students that every Airman, regardless of Air Force specialty code, plays a critical role in mission success.
“This training helps students see themselves not just as technicians, but as leaders who will be expected to make decisions that affect people, resources and outcomes,” Solomon said.
Unlike classroom instruction, the field environment allows students to experience the immediate consequences of leadership decisions.
“In the field, communication breakdowns or indecision impact the team in real time,” Shires said. “Those lessons stick because students experience them, not just talk about them.”
Core ALS competencies such as team-building, adaptability, critical thinking and communication are amplified during the exercise as students coordinate command and control, execute 9-line communications and solve complex problems as a team.
Instructors said one of the most rewarding aspects of the training was watching students grow throughout the day.
“Seeing teams adapt, improve their communication and gain confidence as leaders was the best part,” Solomon said.
While the ALS FTX is currently a one-day event, future expansions are already being considered.
“We’d like to add more training lanes and potentially move toward a multi-day format,” Shires said. “That would allow for deeper leadership development and increased scenario complexity.”
Shires and Solomon noted the training is unique in scope and execution, with no other bases currently conducting ALS instruction in a comparable operational environment.
“Watching this evolve from an idea, to a pilot, and now a fully approved curriculum has been extremely rewarding,” Solomon said. “It validates that Airmen learn leadership best through experience.”
According to Solomon, the success of the ALS FTX demonstrates a meaningful step forward in how the Air Force prepares future noncommissioned officers.
“This training shows what ALS can be—relevant, immersive and directly tied to the realities our future NCOs will face,” she said.