Tyndall 5/6 organization focuses on 2017

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Javier Cruz
  • 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  The Tyndall Focus 5/6 professional development nonprofit organization recently completed their transition to a new counsel and hosted the first Comprehensive Airman Fitness day of 2017.

Focus 5/6 members organized the resource and manpower efforts for multiple events across the installation to support CAF day activities.

“The Air Force demands professionalism from its members,” said Tech. Sgt. Robert A. Johnson, Tyndall Focus 5/6 president. “If we truly want the best product from our Airmen, then we owe it to them to provide them with the best tools in achieving that goal.”

The mission of the organization is to “Bridge the Gap” between junior enlisted and senior enlisted Airmen to create an environment of deliberately investing in professional development and understanding of the mission each Airman supports.

The Focus 5/6 organization also provides a common ground for NCOs to build professional networks, share information and mentor junior Airmen.

“Whether you are a JTAC (Joint Terminal Attack Controller) lacing a target, or support personnel in-processing a new wing commander, it is important to know how and why what you are doing affects the mission,” Johnson said. “It gives you that sense of pride and desire to want to get the job done to the best of your ability knowing that there is a bigger picture.”

Supporting events like CAF day is just a small portion of what the Focus 5/6 contributes to Tyndall Airmen.

In 2016 the Focus 5/6 professional development sub-committee launched a new program called the “AFSC Immersion” (Air Force Specialty Code), targeted towards all Airmen on Tyndall who are interested in changing career fields.

“The immersion program is intended primarily for first-term Airmen and is meant to introduce individuals interested in retraining to a different AFSC with the end goal being cross training,” said Staff Sgt. Jason M. Daneault, Tyndall Focus 5/6 professional development committee co-chair. “The program involves shadowing Airmen from participating career fields to give the potential cross-trainee an idea of daily operations within that career field.”

Eight AFSC immersions were successfully completed under the new program during the last half of 2016.

“Giving Airmen the chance to see the workspaces first hand gives them a great opportunity to make informed decisions in terms of choosing a new career field,” Daneault said. “It develops you differently aside from routine training, it gears you towards a way of life and helps you develop your own Airmen.”

The program has a secondary benefit of introducing first-term Airmen to career Airmen in different fields and also to resources around the installation that could help with making the final decision to apply for cross-training.

“This is going to be a great year to get involved, specifically with professional development,” Daneault said. “In addition to the AFSC Immersion program we’re planning to host additional training for supervisors on written communication for EPRs and award packages, as well as continuing the speed mentoring events.”