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A Guide for the Air Force Officer and DoD Civilian Enlisted Professional Military Education  (PME) Source: The Enlisted Professional Development Committee 21st Space Wing

ENLISTED PROFESSIONAL MILITARY EDUCATION (PME):

The Air Force realizes that it must educate its enlisted members to be effective leaders, supervisors, and managers. It is not enough for enlisted members to master their Air Force Specialty (AFS); they must also influence their subordinates to uphold the standards, customs, and courtesies of the military profession. For this reason, the Air Force established the enlisted PME program. The program is administered by The College for Enlisted Professional Military Education (CEPME), located at Maxwell AFB, Gunter Annex, Alabama, and is part of the Air University system.


The mission of CEPME is to prepare the Air Force's enlisted corps for increased leadership responsibilities through a sound educational program.  Enlisted PME attempts to broaden enlisted members' perspectives and increase their knowledge of military studies, communicative skills, leadership, QAF principles and concepts, supervision, and prepare them to assume more responsibility. Supervisors should ensure subordinates attend PME courses as soon as they are eligible. Each person must meet the eligibility criteria for the course at the time of attendance. Those who do not meet these criteria when reporting to school will be sent back to their units.



The resident enlisted PME program consists of the following three courses, each designed for people with a particular grade and experience level:

Airman Leadership School (ALS)

The ALS prepares senior airmen (SrA) to assume supervisory duties.  This entry-level enlisted PME program is available to SrA after reaching 48 months of TAFMS or after being selected for promotion to SSgt. The 4-week course offers instruction and practice in leadership and followership, written and oral communicative skills, and profession of arms. Students learn to appreciate their role as military supervisors and how they contribute to the overall goals and mission of the Air Force. (Note: SrA must complete ALS to assume the rank of SSgt.)


MAJCOMs establish selection procedures to insure eligible SrA and SSgt selectees attend this course. SrA must complete the ALS. Graduates of the ALS are authorized the NCO PME Ribbon.

NCO Academy (NCOA)

The NCOA broadens the leadership and management skills of TSgts and TSgt selectees. It provides more in-depth instruction than that received in ALS. The NCOA is a course of approximately 6 weeks that covers Air Force history, Air Force organization and mission, the military justice system, professional skills, customs and courtesies, leadership and management, the substance abuse program, counseling techniques, human behavior, and orientation of newly assigned personnel. The course also includes formal and informal group leadership, management theory, personnel management, problem-solving techniques, the supervisor's role in effective communication, and effective writing in the Air Force.


Like ALS, MAJCOMs establish procedures to ensure TSgts and TSgt selectees attend this course. NCOA graduates should be prepared for increased responsibilities on the job and in base and unit activities. They earn the right to wear the NCO PME Ribbon. If NCOA graduates attended ALS or the discontinued NCO Leadership School, they will add a bronze oak leaf cluster to the basic ribbon. (NOTE. NCOA completion is required before assuming the grade of MSgt.)

Senior NCO Academy (SNCOA)

The SNCOA is the highest level of PME available to NCOs. This 7-week resident course is conducted at Maxwell AFB/Gunter Annex, Alabama. Each year, HQ AFPC identifies CMSgt selectees, SMSgts, SMSgt selectees, and a certain number of MSgts to attend the SNCOA. This course provides the education necessary for senior NCOs to become more effective leaders and managers during peacetime, time of crisis, and conflict. SNCOA graduates should approach their assignments with an expanded perspective of the military profession and broadened leadership and managerial capabilities.


The SNCOA curriculum includes communicative skills, international relations, national objectives, employment of military force in achieving Air Force objectives, the Air Force role in force application, management, and effective use of human resources. This course also includes the individual and work environment, management concepts and theories, analytical problem solving, managerial styles, and methods of improving workers' performance.  The curriculum is also designed to take the theories of sound leadership and management principles and intertwine them with QAF principles and concepts. The students are then allowed to apply these sound quality ideas to simulated case studies in making improvements within their organizations.  Graduates earn the right to wear the NCO PME Ribbon. (NOTE. SNCOA completion is required before assuming the grade of CMSgt.)

COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF THE AIR FORCE (CCAF)

The CCAF was specifically created for the Air Force enlisted member and plays a vital role in their professional growth and development. In addition, the CCAF is the only federally charted institution within the DoD authorized to grant Associate in Applied Science degrees to enlisted members of the armed forces. For most formal training, graduates receive college credit.  The amount of credit depends on the length and content of the course.

Some examples include credit for basic training, technical training, skill-level upgrade training and professional military education. As their supervisor, it is critical you encourage enlisted personnel within your influence to pursue and complete the CCAF degree.


HISTORY

The CCAF concept evolved in the early 1970s as a means of gaining accreditation and recognition for Air Force training. Led by Lt Gen George B. Similar, commander of Air Training Command, Air Force visionaries recognized the need to enhance the skills of noncommissioned officers (NCOs) as technicians, leaders, and citizens. Representatives of Air Training Command, Air University, and the Air Force Academy held a series of conferences in 1971 to discuss the need for increased development of NCOs as managers of Air Force resources. The conferees recommended the founding of an Air Force Community College, and on 9 November 1971, General John D. Ryan, Air Force Chief of Staff, approved the establishment of the Community College of the Air Force. The Secretary of the Air Force approved the activation plan 25 January 1972, and the college was established 1 April 1972 at Randolph AFB, Texas.


PHILOSOPHY

The United States Air Force requires well-trained, educated, and professional noncommissioned officers prepared to meet current and future leadership, managerial, and technological challenges of an increasingly sophisticated and complex Air Force. We believe enlisted members of the Air Force are entitled to personal and professional growth through collegiate programs beneficial to the Air Force and the nation.


MISSION STATEMENT

Offer and award job-related associate in applied science degrees and other academic credentials that enhance mission readiness, contribute to recruiting, assist in retention, and support the career transitions of Air Force enlisted members.


VISION

CCAF: The foremost occupational education institution—preparing the world’s best air and space enlisted leaders.  Your local base Education Services office can answer any questions you might have concerning CCAF’s degree programs.

Professional Reading Program

In January 1997, the Chief of Staff of the Air Force initiated a professional reading program designed to promote the development of Air Force operators. Reading is one of the most important things an Air Force member can do for personals professional development. By reading, we can examine the thoughts and actions of important people that have faced the same kinds of challenges that we face today, and we can learn from their experience. In the broad perspective, their times were different and the issues varied, but the problems are quite similar.


The program is designed to encourage Air Force people to broaden their understanding of air and space power, service doctrine, employment concepts and Air Force contributions to joint and combined operations. All Air Force people must be able to describe what air and space power bring to the table. Avidly pursuing a professional reading program is one means of contributing to this objective.


By mid 1997, efforts went into organizing the reading program for enlisted members. Proposed by CMSAF Benken, this program was developed with the help of other senior enlisted Air Force leaders and the enlisted PME community. The list includes eight books that are divided into basic, intermediate and advanced elements similar to the officer program. All Air Force enlisted members will receive the appropriate book for their level of development, free of charge, as part of their professional military education --Airman Leadership School, NCO Academy, Senior NCO Academy. This more limited list, identified for distribution to the school, is not meant to exclude enlisted members from reading all the books in the Professional Reading Program. The idea is to introduce all the Air Force to air power ideas.

For a complete list of the recommended readings for enlisted personnel, go to Air Force Chief of Staff Reading List!