Setting Airmen up for success

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Jarad A. Denton
  • 28th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. --  After the shock of basic military training and the fast-paced learning environment of technical school has come and gone, Airmen begin the task of transitioning to their first assignment.

The First-Term Airmen's Center at Ellsworth Air Force Base provides those Airmen with a class designed to help them acclimate to life at their first base.

"Airmen come here with skills learned in BMT and tech school - which will help them succeed at their first assignment," said Chief Master Sgt. Clifton Cole, 28th Bomb Wing command chief. "FTAC adds to those skills by giving the Airmen a strong foundation of the various programs and processes on Ellsworth, within the local community and the Air Force."

Inbound Airmen are required to attend FTAC within 30 days of arriving on Ellsworth. The class consists of an in-processing briefing, collection of medical records from tech school, a standards and discipline briefing by Ellsworth first sergeants, a perspective of life on Ellsworth from the point of view of a chief master sgt. and a mission orientation from Col. Jeffrey Taliaferro, 28 BW commander.

"On a general basis the Airmen who attend this class do very well," said Tech. Sgt. Bobbie Davis, 28th Force Support Squadron FTAC NCO-in charge. "They come in with a lot of enthusiasm and a positive attitude."

Sergeant Davis encourages first-term Airmen to take that positive attitude and transition it into their workplace and military life. She also wants Airmen to realize just how supportive the Air Force can be.

"The Air Force is actually a close-knit family," she said. "We will take care of our Airmen and help them when they need it."

Chief Cole also encourages Airmen to heed the lessons learned during FTAC and take advantage of all the opportunities Ellsworth and the Air Force have to offer.

"You always hear that a first assignment is what you make of it," Chief Cole said. "Regardless of where an Airman is stationed, the level of success they achieve is directly dependent on how much effort they are willing to put into it."