Team Vance sets senior airmen up for success

Published Jan. 17, 2007
By SrA Amanda Mills
Public Affairs

Vance Air Force Base, Okla. -- Vance Air Force Base recently began preparing its Airman Leadership School selectees for what to expect during class.
For the past three classes, Team Vance ALS students have attended a briefing and practiced drill and ceremony movements before leaving for school.
"We wanted to give our Airmen the right information to prepare them," said SSgt Noah Ynclan, 71st Operations Support Squadron and briefing instructor.
"Why not send them knowing what to expect?" said CMSgt Jeff Kallas, 71st Flying Training Wing command chief. "It helps them focus and keeps their eyes and ears open to learning, as opposed to on spending more time reviewing basics," Chief Kallas said.
So the Chief asked Sergeant Ynclan (as a recent graduate from ALS) for assistance in creating the package to present to ALS-bound Airmen.
"I came up with a plan including a Power Point briefing and some handouts, along with a refresher on drill and ceremony movements," Sergeant Ynclan said.
The information included the purpose of ALS, what leadership is, the ALS experience, uniform inspections, required projects and other expectations.
Some of the expectations are enlisted performance reports and letters of counseling or reprimand, so Sergeant Ynclan included examples of these for more references. He also included some helpful tips.
"Take a big binder with colored section dividers for all the information you'll receive; buy all your uniform requirements before you leave; take a laptop; try to use a study group and always ask questions if you need to," Sergeant Ynclan said.
Airmen are welcoming the opportunity to prepare for the unexpected.
"Before, I didn't know what I was going to be getting into," said SrA Lekeshia Arrington, 71st Flying Training Wing command chief executive. "It helped me prepare for what to expect. I might have actually shown up to class the first day in BDUs, if it weren't for us being told to wear blues. It got me ready and now I'm not nervous."
There's small proof so far the program is working.
"At least one person has returned from each of the last three classes with an award, but more importantly, our Airmen are tackling their Enlisted Professional Military Education classes with confidence on items that would normally distract them," Chief Kallas said.