Grooming new trainers essential to mission

Published July 29, 2008
By Susan Griggs
Keesler News

KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, MISS. -- The 81st Training Support Squadron's faculty development flight's basic instructor course gives technical experts from the operational community the skills to share that knowledge with their students.

"The basic instructor course is absolutely essential to the success of the 81st Training Wing's technical training mission," said Lt. Col. Kevin O'Rourke, 81st TRSS commander. "All new Keesler instructors complete the course to learn how to effectively train students, and training students is how we're reloading the Air Force with capable and qualified Airmen.

Best instructors wanted
"We're fortunate to be able to hire the best instructors from the wing to be BIC instructors, so BIC is always a first-rate course, no matter who is attending," the colonel added.

"Instructors are the core of the technical training mission and faculty development is the key enabler," explained Lessie Daniel, faculty development chief "We focus on preparing newly-assigned technical training instructors for one of the most important, fulfilling jobs of their career."

New instructors come to Air Education and Training Command from the operational community with technical expertise, but many of them need the tools to impart their know-ledge. That's where the faculty development flight comes in.

Striving for success
"Our goal is to equip instructors for success -- to enable them to plant the seed for growth as they send their students back into their respective career fields," Mrs. Daniel remarked. "We continually strive to keep up with the training requirements needed to produce outstanding instructors, and also provide the most current technology available to assist the instructors in enhancing their training environment."

In BIC, new instructors learn fundamentals of instruction, presentation principles, basic counseling techniques and AETC indoctrination. According to George Holbert, BIC instructor supervisor, what instructors find most rewarding is acquiring the skills to effectively communicate with their students.

"BIC affords them the opportunity to develop and hone presentation skills in a controlled, peer-oriented environment," he pointed out. "BIC also showcases the most current instructional technology beyond Powerpoint. Students are exposed to applications including interactive whiteboards, Sympodium (interactive monitor), and Video Visualizer."

Graduates are awarded the highly-coveted AETC instructor badge, commonly referred to as "the cookie."

The 17-member faculty development flight was assigned "prime center" responsibilities for the BIC, serving as AETC's lead for training development. Keesler is responsible for developing all course control documents and instructional materials and maintaining the virtual training development element hosted on the 2nd Air Force Faculty Development Community of Practice through the Air Force Portal.

This curriculum is used by faculty development units at all five 2nd Air Force technical training bases -- Keesler; Goodfellow, Lackland, and Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas; and Vandendberg AFB, Calif. The course impacts approximately 1,600 BIC students annually across four training wings and eight training groups.

"BIC personnel don't just make a difference in training here at Keesler, but they have worldwide impact as well," Colonel O'Rourke emphasized. "In addition to training AETC personnel, the course is open to other Air Force major commands, military services, federal agencies and allied personnel from as far away as Turkey, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan."

"We primarily support personnel assigned to the 81st Training Group, but about 25 percent of our annual student load comes from other sources," Mrs. Daniel said.

Mobile training team
The faculty development flight also offers a mobile training team version of BIC. When feasible, a BIC instructor travels to a site to train multiple students at the same location. This is commonly used when a geographically separated unit, detachment or operation location has AETC instructors who need student administration skills.

Recently when contractor funding was cut, the faculty development flight assumed responsibility for providing hands-on training for the Technical Training Management System. TTMS student management training has been integrated into BIC and the training supervisor course.

Web opens new venues
"Typically, hands-on training is limited to resident training by the need to have the instructor, equipment and student all together at the same location, but Keesler recently experimented with Web-conferencing software that brings all of these elements together in a virtual classroom for a collaborative, interactive learning experience," Mr. Holbert said.

The 333rd Training Squadron's Detachment 1 at Falls Church, Va., identified instructors needing TTMS student management training.

"We conducted a test using the Defense Connect Online and teleconference to conduct the training," Mr. Holbert said. "The test proved hugely successful and promises significant savings in temporary duty costs across the command."

Prospective instructors inbound to Keesler are scheduled automatically for BIC. Other personnel interested in attending BIC should contact their unit training manager for scheduling information.