Photo By Senior Airman Zachary Foster | U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Brad Cruz, 6th Force Support Squadron professional...... read more read more
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MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. — The 6th Force Support Squadron Professional Development Center (PDC) hosted its first iteration of the Junior Enlisted Foundations Course (JEFC300), Feb. 10-13, 2025.
JEFC300 is designed to bridge the gap between initial Air Force training and an Airman’s first leadership responsibilities. It provides junior enlisted Airmen and new supervisors with foundational knowledge on the Air Force’s core values, Airman leadership qualities, and essential professional competencies.
The course’s instructors, U.S. Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Lauren Marcus, PDC development advisor, Master Sgt. Joshua Stewart, 6th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron plans, scheduling and analysis section chief, and Tech. Sgt. Brad Cruz, 6th FSS PDC instructor, were tasked with localizing Air Education and Training Command’s (AETC) curriculum in a digestible and interactive manner conducive to student success.
According to the PDC team, MacDill’s version of JEFC300 is designed to emulate a “buffet” approach—offering a wide range of resources that Airmen can tailor to their specific needs and work centers. Much of the curriculum focuses on preparing junior enlisted members for supervisory roles, with guest instructors from across the installation leading lessons on professional writing, progressive discipline, conflict management, and other leadership fundamentals.
“At the end of the day, all professional military education (PME) is meant to create more well-rounded, ready Airmen,” said Stewart. “Our instructors and guest speakers are here to share their experience and answer any questions the Airmen have about becoming effective leaders and followers in today’s Air Force.”
The U.S. military places a high level of trust in its junior enlisted service members and young NCOs—something that distinguishes it from many other militaries worldwide. One key topic in JEFC300 emphasized the importance of trust as a two-way relationship between supervisors and subordinates.
“Our lesson on trust was really important because it showed a two-way spectrum of communication,” said Cruz. “As an NCO, I need to entrust my Airmen to do the right thing, have the right judgment, and make sound decisions. That goes both ways—my Airmen need to trust that tough decisions are being made for a good reason.”
JEFC300 is being introduced alongside a 500-level and 700-level course for current supervisors and senior enlisted leaders. According to AETC’s Enlisted Airmanship Continuum, each foundational course will eventually become a prerequisite for established PME programs.
“We’re introducing the 300-level and 500-level courses now to evaluate what works and what we need to improve on,” said Marcus. “By the end of the year, JEFC300 is expected to become a prerequisite for Airman Leadership School, and NCOFC500 will become a prerequisite to enter the Noncommissioned Officer Academy.”
By introducing JEFC300, the 6th ARW is laying the groundwork for future leadership development. Through the efforts of the three-member PDC team, the wing is positioning itself to graduate hundreds of Airmen ahead of the forthcoming AETC requirements.
For more information on JEFC300 and the other AETC Foundations courses visit: https://www.airuniversity.af.edu/Barnes/Foundations/.
| Date Taken: | 02.12.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 02.28.2025 12:40 |
| Story ID: | 491763 |
| Location: | FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 584 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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