336th TRS revamps AFI program, develops a more ready force

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Suzie Plotnikov
  • 81st Training Wing Public Affairs

The 336th Training Squadron recently launched their revamped Awaiting Further Instruction program on Sept. 3, to produce more elite, warfighting Airmen.

The revamp has transitioned from having AFI Airmen only assist other units on base doing details to allowing Airmen to participate in more personal and professional development activities.

“They get to talk to Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve liaisons, people from the Airman and Family Readiness Center, chaplains and a whole variety of agencies,” said Tech. Sgt. Joshua Free, 336th TRS flight chief. “We’re trying to improve them as Airmen and as humans, whether they continue a career in the Air Force after their first enlistment or not.”

The 336th TRS has a daily average of 120 Airmen that are awaiting further instruction, which are split into three different groups with the revamp.

“The students awaiting to start the pipeline for their Air Force Specialty Code are in track one, the Airmen awaiting the 501 Security Plus course are in track two and the Airmen out processing are in track three,” said Maj. John Nagy, 336th TRS director of operations.

The different tracks focus on what Airmen need at their point in technical training. Free has previously been in charge of the old AFI program and hopes the Airmen benefit greatly from the new one.

“Overall, one of the things I always wanted to do is be able to give the information to the Airmen that I didn’t get as an Airman, whether it’s about being in the operational Air Force, deployments and all the different things that are out there,” said Free. “It took me four years to get the information we are giving the Airmen now.”

The 336th TRS hopes the new program will produce more well-rounded Airmen that will be able to aid their peers throughout their entire career.

“I think this is an exciting opportunity to take what has been a holding pen for Airmen and turn it into something more productive,” said Nagy. “We could have them do details all day long but they’re not developing an Airmen mindset. This will help us guide them in the path that we need our future warfighters to be in.”