TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Transitioning from a civilian to an Airman in the U.S. Air Force is not an easy feat by any means.
Becoming an Airman in the operational Air Force can be quite a lengthy process depending on the career field. Periodically throughout an Airman’s career there are several programs dedicated to building or furthering professional military education. One prime example is the First Term Airmen Center.
This program is designed to bridge the gap between the technical training environment and the operational Air Force for Airmen at their first duty station. FTAC consists of a sequence of informational briefings from base agencies and fellow Airmen about what resources are available to help first term Airmen make the transition.
My FTAC class began Nov. 14. Class 17-03 was comprised of 24 first term Airmen led by Master Sgt. Teresa A. Meade and Staff Sgt. Candace M. Tench of the 325th Force Support Squadron. I appreciated the attention to detail and commitment that Meade and Tench showed during the course. Their professionalism and leadership made it possible for me to have a positive learning experience.
I truly enjoyed the informal discussions with Col. Michael F. Hernandez, 325th Fighter Wing commander, and Chief Master Sgt. William T. Hight, 325th Mission Support Group superintendent. They shared their support for each new Airman and discussed our roles in supporting the Tyndall mission. Both were open and welcoming while sharing their personal knowledge to any and all questions we had.
In addition to being a learning atmosphere, FTAC also made it possible for me to interact with other new Airmen who now call Tyndall home. Each of us gave an introduction in regards to our backgrounds, hometowns, our careers and interesting facts about us. This allowed me to see the wide array of jobs present in our group.
Many of us quickly grew friendships and began socializing outside of the classroom. It is through FTAC that I learned of a fellow Airman who entered the service via the same recruiter and is from my hometown area in California.
The FTAC staff served us a Thanksgiving-style feast. It was definitely a morale booster and allowed me to momentarily forget about not having seen my family since March.
During FTAC I learned how to meet a promotion board, educational opportunities available to me and honor guard service. Many of the programs are not available until after the completion of an Airman’s career specific career development course. I think it would be nice if these programs were briefed later into an Airman’s first term because most of that information will be forgotten before it’s of any use.
All in all, FTAC was a great experience and I learned a lot about what is available to me at my new home. It marked the start of my time here at Tyndall while also acting as a way to meet other new Airmen.