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316th TRS Airman Leaders are the Whole Airman Concept

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Abbey Rieves
  • 17th Training Wing Public Affairs
GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  
The 316th Training Squadron constantly shuttles Airmen in and out of its building, much like worker bees feverously constructing their hive.
 
At any given moment, the 316th TRS has hundreds of technical training students hustling and bustling through its corridors.
 
As tech school students motion-blur through the day, some Airmen stand out amongst the rest. These Airmen are distinguished by either a green, yellow, or red knotted cord around their left arm. 
 
The stoplight-colored ropes distinguish the individual as an Airman Leader. The entry-level green rope, secondary yellow rope and final red rope level retrospectively displays the leader’s level and responsibility.
 
But first, the rope must be earned based on the 316th TRS standard.
 
“When we are looking for Airman Leaders, we are looking for the Whole Airman Concept,” said Staff Sgt. Alonso Hall, 316th TRS military training leader. “We don’t just want someone who’s really good at their job or school. It’s a highly visible job, these Airmen represent their squadron and their MTLs. We want the best of the best for Airman Leaders.”
 
To be the best of the best, Airman Leader candidates are held to a higher standard than the average tech school student.
 
Hall said to achieve a green rope, Airman Leader candidates must meet or exceed a monthly volunteer quota, attend a leadership course, pass a written exam, maintain an 85% average grade in school and have a favorable interview with their assigned MTL. The process takes about six weeks to complete. Once achieved, green rope Airman Leaders have to complete a stricter set of standards to promote to a yellow or red rope.
 
Once an Airman becomes an Airman Leader, his or her responsibilities expand greatly.

Hall said Airman Leaders have standard responsibilities such as marching flights, coordinating physical training at 4 a.m., conducting open rank uniform inspections, mentoring new students, taking daily accountability, running safety briefings, organizing Airman Leader meetings, and scheduling squadron details.
 
In addition to operational responsibilities, Airman Leaders mentor other Airmen on behalf of the MTLs.
 
“It’s important to have Airman Leaders because we give the other students a peer network to look up to instead of going to the MTLs for everything,” said Airman 1st Class Joshua Winston, 316th TRS student and red rope level Airman Leader. “We can help with the smaller things that a student might not actually need to go to an MTL for an answer.”
 
In addition to mentoring, Airman Leaders help MTLs effectively distribute information to the squadron.
 
“MTLs can come to 30 Airman Leaders with one thing that need to get done, and we disperse it to all of the students,” said Airman 1st Class Chasen Zara, 316th TRS student and yellow rope leader.  “It’s more effective than one MTL managing all the Airmen.”
 
But Airman Leader responsibilities include more than just communication and leadership to the students of the 316th TRS.
 
“Their tasks don’t stop there,” said Hall. “Airman Leaders juggle a lot. They’re in school learning their future jobs, while accomplishing higher level tasks like keeping track of the Airmen Against Drunk Driving program and Airman’s Attic, which is a huge resource that provides free military uniform pieces base-wide.”
 
Though Airman Leaders are held to a higher responsibility and standard, these individuals thrive.
 
“The best part is being involved in so many different moving parts,” said Winston. “Once I found out I would be in casual status and would be here a while, Sergeant Hall pushed me to join the program and helped get me involved in it. Ever since then, I just love being a part of something. I enjoy having a hand in the volunteerism that goes on, and helping organize some squadron events, like Super Bowl activities and things like that. Another thing is to help out new students that get here from BMT. It’s awesome for me to get to talk to the new students and help them adapt. Being an Airman Leader, there’s not too many downsides, the way I see it.”
 
Being an Airman Leader can also help an Airman become more social and develop into the person he or she wants to be.
 
“The Airman Leader program promotes personal growth,” said Hall. “It forces Airmen to come out of their comfort zone, teaches them to work with senior leadership. It helps them not think of themselves as an individual but as a team.”
 
 Personal growth is even noticeable within the individual.
 
“My favorite part is helping my wingmen,” said Zara. “And the growth I’ve seen in myself too since coming to Goodfellow. I was very quiet when I first got here. Now I’m helping 90 plus Airmen.”
 
Though involvement as Airman Leader develops personal growth, it can also help equip individuals with tools needed to lead successfully outside of tech school.
 
“We want to set them up for their next level in their careers, which is operational Air Force,” said Hall. “Being an Airman Leader is a way for them to get started and to think about what kind of leaders they will be.”