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Five Airmen hailing from Whiteman Air Force Base received an exciting surprise upon discovering that they were chosen for commissioning in the United States Air Force.
The selected individuals are Master Sgt. Latisha Langley, Tech. Sgt. Katie South, Tech. Sgt. James Giles, Staff Sgt. Mathew Leyland, and Tech. Sgt. Scott Ebert. They will undergo a nine-week training program at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama, known as the Air Force Officer Training School. Upon completing this training, they will earn the rank of second lieutenant.
Formerly enlisted members of the USAF can bring a unique perspective and valuable experience to their officer role, leveraging their previous military background and skills. They can use this knowledge to better understand and address the needs and concerns of enlisted personnel, fostering a positive working relationship between officer and enlisted total force.
“I believe the Air Force needs officers who can effectively empower a team to accomplish the mission,” said Giles, 509th Civil Engineering Squadron, assistant chief of logistics, Fire and Emergency Services. “Educational competency, technical expertise in one’s field, and a solid foundation in our core values are of course all required, but not a single leader can complete a goal without their team to back them up.”
Having the necessary experience and knowledge is important for those commissioning into the Air Force but having a motivation is also vital for those who were selected.
“Commitment to tradition and purpose is what motivated me to strive toward commissioning,” said Langley, 509th Security Forces Squadron, logistics section chief. “Coming from a military family it’s been an honor to continue the legacy of service my family has upheld for over 75 years. By serving others and setting an example, I hope to inspire those with similar aspirations.”
South, 509th Bomb Wing noncommissioned officer in charge of wing exercises, further explained, “to make it you must not only possess the qualities that the Air Force values, but also have the determination to push for the nomination.”
Each of the OTS selectees wouldn’t be here without the work they did as enlisted Airmen, however, now that they will be officers, tasked with leading other Airmen, they all have goals they want to accomplish.
“As an officer, I hope to do my part leading units in positive directions by focusing on its members,” said Leyland, 509th Munitions Squadron conventional crew chief. “My aspiration is to develop those around me into strong foundational pillars that will not only hold up a unit but take it to new heights.”
Team Whiteman congratulates all the OTS selectees, and we look forward to what they each will contribute to the Air Force mission in the future.
| Date Taken: | 08.22.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 10.01.2024 10:09 |
| Story ID: | 482191 |
| Location: | WHITEMAN AFB, MISSOURI, US |
| Web Views: | 10 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Enlisted to Officer: Strikers chosen for commissioning, by SrA Bryson Sherard, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
