GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- The 17th Training Wing held its first Airpower Leadership Academy at Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas, Nov. 28 to Dec. 2.
ALA is a professional development course, originally 10 weeks long but was condensed to one week. The course provides junior noncommissioned officers with the necessary skill set to lead and develop the future force.
The class of more than 20 service members welcomed Airmen, Guardians, Marines, Soldiers, and Sailors.
“Our military members spend day in and day out pouring into others, making sure that our newest Airmen can go forward and serve,” said Chief Master Sgt. Rebecca Arbona, 17th Training Wing command chief. “It’s our responsibility to develop those leaders. We owe them development, and this is just one of the ways we do that.”
The course is designed for service members ranking from E-5 to E-6 to help bridge a gap between Airman Leadership School and Non-Commissioned Officer Academy. The students have access to years of experience through guest speakers who can teach essential lessons on tough conversations and servant leadership.
“Each day, the students get to learn about a new theme, such as the importance of professional development, frontline leadership development, or investing in team building,” said Tech. Sgt. Christian Arvelo, ALA manager. “It’s course material that the attendees want to learn so they can develop themselves as better leaders and managers in their workspace.”
The attendees were hand selected by leadership with the expectation to relay what they learned to members who did not receive the opportunity to attend the class.
During an interview after speaking at ALA, Arbona shared one of her favorite quotes on opportunity.
“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” – Thomas Edison