Photo By Staff Sgt. Nicholas Faddis | Members of the 117th Air Refueling Wing receive completion certificates from Senior...... read more read more
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SUMPTER SMITH JNGB, Ala. – A U.S. Air Force first sergeant, more commonly known as a first shirt, diamond, etc., hold many roles and responsibilities like advising commanders on the readiness, health, morale, welfare, and quality of life of Airmen and families to ensure a mission-ready force. So, how does someone become a first sergeant?
At the 117th Air Refueling Wing, members are able to attend a First Sergeant Symposium to start the process. “It’s for anyone who wants to be an undershirt or is just seeking development opportunity. It pretty much covers a small breakdown of what you will see in the actual First Sergeant Academy. The curriculum comes straight from the First Sergeant Academy.” said Master Sgt. Zackary Mayo, the 117th Maintenance Squadron first sergeant. “You go through several different types of topics, some of which you’ve seen before, some of the things you haven’t. We go into death and command, empathetic communication, there are some counseling scenarios, and we kind of navigate how the first sergeant works with the triad (the commander, the chief, and the first sergeant).”
Senior Master Sgt. Cedric Hunt, the 117th Air Refueling Wing’s first sergeant, explained that it’s not just for members wanting to become an undershirt. “I think the key part of the symposium is the developmental part of it. You have some people who attend who are interested in becoming an undershirt and some who are just looking for the developmental aspect of it,” Hunt said. “I think both components can benefit from it. I went through the undershirt program and it helped me with my path to becoming a first sergeant. I think it’s a good tool and a good resource that we’ve been able to implement and keep it going.”
So what is an undershirt? According to Mayo, “An undershirt is someone who has officially been through the First Sergeant Symposium. They can be someone who fills in for the first sergeant if they’re on leave, TDY or deployed. They can’t do all of the things a first sergeant with a diamond can do, but they can take care of things that come up if you’re not here or if you have multiple things going on at once and need some help.”
Hunt also added that they try to hold a symposium every year, and in order to attend, a member needs to make contact with the individual's supervisor and start the process from there.
“Spread the word out to anyone on base that if they’re interested in development or becoming a first sergeant, or just being an assistant to their first sergeant through the undershirt program, it’s a good tool and you’ll learn different things that you’re really not familiar with in a traditional guardsman aspect,” he said. “I think it’s really beneficial to get that familiarization with different resources that you can give out to other airmen when they’re going through times of need or just situations that come up where they may need assistance.
Mayo explained that people don’t have to become a first sergeant or an undershirt if they go through the program.
“We had several people in this class that have zero interest in becoming a first sergeant but they came here for the developmental portion of it," Mayo said. "I think everyone took something away from it.”
| Date Taken: | 04.04.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 06.07.2024 15:16 |
| Story ID: | 473363 |
| Location: | BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA, US |
| Web Views: | 17 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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