The Air Force’s enlisted leader says the typical time-gap between Airman Leadership School and the Noncommissioned Officer Academy is too long and could slow an airman’s professional development. “We need to close that gap,” said Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force James Roy. In the case of first line supervisors, which Roy characterized as “one of the most important positions” in USAF, “there’s a 10 year gap,” he told the 2010 Air Force Sergeants Association Professional Airmen’s Conference in Atlanta on Tuesday. Roy also said the Air Force should consider providing airmen with professional military education earlier in their careers. “For the first time, enlisted PME is being looked at by [Congress]. So far, they are satisfied with the system in place, but we know more improvements are necessary and will be made,” he said. (Atlanta release by TSgt. Amaani Lyle)
The Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile's second stage rocket performed largely as predicted by digital models in a recent vacuum chamber test, the Air Force and Northrop Grumman said, laying the groundwork for further testing that will allow the company to finalize the stage’s design in the coming months.