FTAC helps Airmen succeed on duty and off Published Sept. 28, 2010 By Airman 1st Class Heather Holcomb 81 Training Wing/ Public Affairs KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- It's Monday morning and all that can be heard in the First Term Airmen Center at the professional development center is shallow breathing and pens whispering across crisp sheets of paper. The tables arranged like a horseshoe are carefully set with name tags for each student and a variety of books and handouts. After basic training and tech school, arriving at a first duty station is a major life change. New Airmen are expected to fully learn and perform their jobs as well as maintain military standards. At the same time, new Airmen must settle into their new lives by learning the local area, making new friends, maintaining their fitness, working towards personal goals and finding things that help them maintain a balance in their lives. FTAC is designed to help these Airmen adjust to their new lives by laying out all the resources available to them. It's a week-long program in which new Airmen are given tools and resources to help them not only succeed at their first duty station and in their Air Force career, but in their lives out of uniform. "I don't feel as lost anymore," said Airman 1st Class Patrick McMeins, 81st Dental Squadron dental technician. Staff Sgt. Charmaine Carnes, FTAC noncommissioned officer in charge, said she hopes new Airmen leave FTAC with basic knowledge about what the base has to offer, how to uphold core values and standards, how to do well in their careers and how important they are to the Air Force mission. "Nothing makes me happier or more proud than when I see my former FTAC Airmen succeeding in their job and the Air Force," said Sergeant Carnes. The five days of briefings, power point presentations and interactive exercises include topics such as financial management, enlisted force structure, Keesler history and suicide prevention. Chief Master Sgt. Lonnie Slater, 81st Training Wing command chief, was the first briefer of the week. He stressed the importance of setting short- and long-term goals and having the self discipline to follow through with them. "Don't succumb to 'someday I'll," Chief Slater said. This advice trickles into many of the briefings that followed Chief Slater's and it can translate to every aspect of life because no matter what the goal, without action it will never be achieved. Friday afternoon, the FTAC room is filled with billowing laughter as the course draws to an end. The tables are cleared, chairs are pushed in and training certificates are passed out. The new Airmen have completed the next step in their never-ending education and self improvement.