Updates to EPME offer flexibility for Grissom Airmen

Photo By Master Sgt. Benjamin Mota | The Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education is releasing a new distance learning version of the Airman Leadership School course, ALS DLC 2.0, scheduled for Nov. 30, 2020. Updates to the Long distance versions of Enlisted Professional Military Education are being made to offer increased flexibility. For questions on EPME courses, please contact the Grissom’s Education office at [phone] or email at [e-mail]  

GRISSOM ARB, INDIANA, UNITED STATES

11.17.2020

Story by Master Sgt. Benjamin Mota 

434th Air Refueling Wing

GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BASE, Ind. --
The Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education is releasing a new distance learning version of the Airman Leadership School course, ALS DLC 2.0, scheduled for Nov. 30, 2020, due to the success of the Non-Commissioned Officer DLC 2.0 released in July 2020.

Updates to the Enlisted Professional Military Education, or EPME, were made over the past year to provide Airmen the flexibility to grow as first-line supervisors and leaders.

Traditionally, Airmen would attend ALS or NCOA either in person to receive the training and education necessary for promotion. However, updates to the distance learning version of these courses will better adapt to citizen-Airmen’s needs.

“The new ALS DLC 2.0 curriculum has a 90 enrollment period unlike the one year from previous editions.” said Senior Master Sgt. Adam Oswalt, 434th Education Office flight chief. “Students will also have on-demand access to the program material using Canvas which allows members to download and access the course content anytime from their personal devices.”

Assessments are also accomplished on Canvas and can be done on any personal devise that supports IOS, Android, MacOSX, Windows 10, or Linux. Another big change is that members enrolled in this program no longer need to schedule a time to take EPME course exams at Grissom’s Education Office.

The ALS course is based on the NCO DLC 2.0 curriculum which received high praise from Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve technical sergeants for being more relevant to the way NCOs work and learn. This feedback was taken into account while creating the ALS DLC course.

The ALS DLC 2.0 program will have four outcome-based multimedia modules on leadership, culture, problem-solving and mission and will be followed by an assessment which students will need to accomplish with a score of at least 70 percent to pass. The modules contain 22 lessons, each based on national strategic documents with the lessons consisting of reading assignments, videos, audio clips and knowledge checks.

The capabilities to attend in-residence EPME courses are limited,” Oswalt said. “Distance learning is definitely the answer for Airmen attempting to accomplish training, and the new distance learning formats make it even better for those with limited time. These updates eliminates many struggles that Airmen may have with attempting to accomplish EPME while balancing their civilian life.”

While distance learning is available for those attending ALS or NCOA, the Barnes Center is projecting to start the Senior NCOA distance learning beta course in December.

The distance learning courses will be available to all Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve Airmen and students can self-enroll at any time. The flexibility that comes with not being restricted to a specific class start date will allow students to do the course work when it is most convenient for them.

For questions on EPME courses, please contact the Grissom’s Education office at [phone] or email at [e-mail]

434th ARW is the largest KC-135R Stratotanker unit in the Air Force Reserve Command. The Citizen Airmen from the Hoosier Wing routinely deploy around the world in support of the Air Force mission.

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• Date Taken: 11.17.2020
• Date Posted: 12.07.2020 14:39
• Story ID: 384401
• Location: GRISSOM ARB, INDIANA, US