Churning Them Out

The Air Force’s noncommissioned officer academy at Kadena AB, Japan, recently graduated its largest crop ever of joint and coalition NCOs at one time. This particular class included two Japan Air Self Defense Force NCOs as well as noncoms from the US Army, Marine Corps, and Navy. “I feel very lucky to be able to be in this class,” said SSgt. Naoko Yoneto, one of the JASDF students. She added, “If we learn together and share our ideas, it definitely helps our future to accomplish our goals.” The academy uses the same accredited Community College of the Air Force curriculum with the joint and coalition participants “because management, leadership, and communication are not service specific,” said MSgt. Chadd Malin, the academy’s director of operations. While the curriculum does not satisfy the professional military education requirements for the Army, Marine Corps, and Navy students, it still provides tools and lessons that they can use to improve their leadership skills, according to academy officials. (Kadena report by SSgt. Angelique Perez)