Airman Professional Enhancement Seminar bridges PME gap

  • Published
  • By Andrea Jenkins
  • 23rd Wing Public Affairs

Team Moody hosted a three-day Airman Professional Enhancement Seminar for junior Airmen at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, Nov. 7-9, 2022.

The AMNPES is designed to provide relevant, specific training focused on military and professional subjects essential for strengthening Airmen’s ability to lead, follow, and manage while imparting a broader understanding of the military profession and their role within.

“(We want) Airmen to walk away with a greater understanding of Air Force concepts relative to what they do on a daily basis and how it can impact their squadron and wing’s mission and to embrace the emerging culture of the changing Air Force,” said Master Sgt. Derek Longshore, 23rd Force Support Squadron career assistance advisor. “Additionally, we foster characteristics and skills to increase self-confidence, and encourage ethical and exemplary behavior so each Airman can be experts in communicating inside and outside of the military to build personal and professional relationships.”

Professional enhancement seminars are informal leadership courses designed to bridge the gap between formal professional development such as Airman Leadership School (ALS), First Term Airman Center and Noncommissioned Officer Academy.

“It’s all about the constant, never ending continuation of learning and development to be a better Airman and person,” Longshore said . “The PME gap can be wide, and Airmen should not be limited to formal PME for development.”

Often, Airmen do not receive any formal professional education after graduating their technical training school until they attend ALS as a senior airman or a newly appointed staff sergeant.

“Dynamics in the Air Force are always on the move and can shift pretty quickly,” Longshore said. “With that, we need to quickly supplement some of the traits and skills needed to meet and respond to those dynamics. We need to arm Airmen at all levels to be able to communicate, initiate and have tough conversations to gain trust. We cannot wait years to meet this challenge.”

During AMNPES, the Airmen learn a wide variety of tools to help them grow as followers and leaders as they develop through their career. There are a variety of topics during the AMNPES and each seminar is based on the wants and needs of Airmen and prior attendees’ feedback.

Mentors and instructors from various units spoke to the first-term Airmen at the seminar on a wide range of topics like the enlisted force structure, leading change, emotional intelligence, retraining, and enlisted performance reports and interpersonal communication.

For Airman 1st Class Isaac Amezcua from the 23rd Munitions Squadron, this seminar was an opportunity to receive vital new information, make connections and hear different perspectives from leadership.

He connected with leadership by “hearing that each one of them has gone through some of the same challenges that we face today because they were all Airmen at one point,” said Amezcua.

“Overall, this seminar taught me how to be a better follower and a better leader,” Amezcua added. I got a deeper dive into what programs and agencies are available to me. It’s been a good time and I will definitely go back to my shop and recommend this to anyone who hasn’t been.”

Events

Today 
FebruaryMarch 2024April
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
25
26
27
28
29
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
6