HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. -- New flight chiefs and flight commanders learned more about their roles and responsibilities in the 49er Flight Leadership Course at Club Holloman on June 9-10, 2024.
The two-day course focused on preparing the new flight leaders to be better equipped to handle the daily challenges of their subordinates, ranging from professional development to personal challenges. Thirty-two senior leaders from across the wing discussed a variety of topics, hosted team-building sessions and answered questions from the class of less experienced leaders.
Now in its fifth iteration, the course was livestreamed for the first time to Airmen located at geographically separated units, for a total of 34 attendees.
Officers and enlisted Airmen participated together in the course. In a typical work environment, a technical sergeant or senior noncommissioned officer serve as flight chief, often working together with an officer in charge. Hearing both the officer and enlisted perspectives provided a broader insight into each other’s roles.
“Getting them to learn in tandem the same subjects creates a better team environment for the future,” said U.S. Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Troy Swenson, 49th Component Maintenance Squadron maintenance superintendent and course instructor.
While the inaugural course focused on senior noncommissioned officers and some company grade officers, the current iteration has shifted focus toward master sergeants with a year or less time in grade, technical sergeants who have had little to no flight leadership experience, and more CGOs.
“The most useful part about this is hearing from all sorts of leadership, senior NCOs and commanders all around the base, and organizing it in a way to where people new to flight command can digest it,” said U.S. Air Force 2nd Lt. Alec Acfalle, 49th Comptroller Squadron flight commander financial analysis.
Working together as a leadership team is one of the most important lessons attendees can learn in this course, according to guest speaker U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Adam Smith, 6th Attack Squadron commander.
“The flight chief and flight commander working together ensures success for that flight,” said Smith. “They can’t really do that if they don’t know what the other person is tasked to achieve and accomplish.”
After attending the course, the new flight chiefs and flight commanders are expected to be better equipped to train and lead world class Airmen for the Great Power Competition.