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KUNSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea -- In today’s high-stakes Air Force environment, the Wolf Pack is pioneering innovative approaches to leadership development, which empowers its Airmen with the skills, knowledge, and mindset necessary to excel in the most demanding operational environments.
“Investing in personal and professional development is crucial for success in a competitive environment and potential future conflicts,” said Chief Master Sgt. Nathan Chrestensen, 8th Fighter Wing command chief. “It is important to the great power competition to enable Airmen to gain a deeper understanding of the necessary knowledge, skills, abilities, attitudes, and strategic thinking required to effectively accomplish the mission."
Recognizing the need to further develop each tier group’s leadership capabilities, the Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education created additional enlisted professional military education (EPME) that would act as a natural bridge to already existing courses such as Airman Leadership School, NCOA and SNCOA.
These new Foundations courses will replace base-level professional enhancement seminars and eventually become prerequisites for EPME.
“The intent of the courses are to ensure we are continuously enhancing our leadership skills in between the times when our enlisted members attend formal in-residence PME,” said Tech. Sgt. Jordan Harris, Foundations Course NCO in charge. “What’s neat is that each level of Foundations is tailored to that learning group and promotes interpersonal skills and discussions guided by facilitators with input from the students.”
8th Fighter Wing leadership called for the expedited implementation of the foundation courses at Kunsan to ensure members of the Wolf Pack have a competitive edge.
“We could have considered not offering foundation courses at Kunsan due to its one-year remote assignment, but that would have limited our Airmen’s’ potential for long-term growth,” said Chrestensen. “The Foundation courses provide Kunsan Airmen with essential tools, such as resiliency, mission command, and leadership or followership, to apply locally and ultimately prepare them for success in any future high-pressure situation. The Wolf Pack is fully mission-oriented, and we want all our people to be ready to lead and initiate no matter what.”
To successfully implement the new courses, Wolf Pack organizers studied the curriculum, recruited volunteer facilitators, and aligned efforts with other development advisors across PACAF. As a result of the organizers’ efforts, the Wolf Pack began hosting Foundations courses 16 months ahead of the Air Force’s official implementation deadline of December 2025.
Master Sgt. Melissa Anderson, 8th Operations Support Squadron “Wizards” host aviation resource management (HARM) superintendent and recent attendee of Kunsan’s first SNCO Foundations Course, noted the new program helps members improve themselves and their units.
“The diverse range of topics covered, from leadership and conflict management to psychological safety and strategic planning ensures that we are well-equipped and can bring the skills back to our work centers to shape future SNCOs," said Anderson. “This class helped ensure that we were all more well-rounded leaders who had the tools to adapt to this ever-changing environment and lead a more cohesive force."
With a proven track record of delivering results, the course's cadre are committed to the course’s relentless innovation and improvement, ensuring that every airman who passes through its doors is equipped with the skills, knowledge, and warrior spirit necessary to ensure an open and free Indo-Pacific region.
“We really want to codify a program that works for our Airmen,” said Harris. “That’s why it was important for us to get this right, evolve and expand as a combat force.”
| Date Taken: | 01.03.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 01.05.2025 04:52 |
| Story ID: | 488683 |
| Location: | KUNSAN AIR BASE, KR |
| Web Views: | 47 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Wolf Pack employs Foundations courses for lasting leadership success, by MSgt Michael Charles, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
