ALS getting new addition

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Andrea Valencia
  • 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  Thanks to a $1.2 million contract and MTNT Properties, Inc. Airmen receiving their first professional military education will now have an updated facility.

"The Air Force awarded the contract in September 2009, but due to environmental issues that held up the project, construction began August 2012," said Jeff Maher, MTNT senior site manager. "They can begin using the addition by early spring 2013."

The scope of the project also includes the demolition of three buildings formally used by the Airman Leadership School, resulting in the hiring of 11 local sub-contractors creating 45 to 50 local jobs.

"With our new addition, we will have a lot more space and updated audio/visual equipment to make a more conducive environment to learning, said Master Sgt. Derrick Bennett, Airman Leadership School commandant. " The auditorium is probably going to be the biggest help: so much of our curriculum now is based on movement of the people."

The school is the first level of PME incurred by any enlisted member and sets the foundation for future supervisory leadership roles for their particular level, said Master Sgt. Bennett, and the curriculum as undergone a change as of October 2012, which involves more group activities instead of individual flight time.

"Instead of putting them into their particular seminars or flights, they are going to transfer from their seminars into the auditorium for group actives," Master Sgt. Bennett said. "Basically, half our curriculum now is based on group activities. So they have their three flights and spend half their time in there and then come to the auditorium as a class and have group activities. It's an experiential piece to learning that what the Air Force is infusing into every level of PME."

According to Master Sgt. Bennett, the new auditorium will be able to change from stadium style seating to a more mobile group activity class room and back again, allowing for more flexibility.

"It's about taking the airmen's experience and helping them learn, "said Master Sgt. Bennett. "When you put them all together, you see how to motivate different kinds of people; it makes you a better supervisor when you understand how other people work."