FTOC provided junior officers the opportunity to speak with seasoned officers and enlisted members about a variety of professional development topics, from practical lifestyle resources to strategic planning at the wing level, and understanding the expectations of the enlisted force.
“Officers have just as much, sometimes more difficult challenges than their enlisted counterparts,” said Chaplain Terry Owens, 90th Security Forces Group. “Coming in they’re expected to lead right out the gate, and sometimes their experience is only their college degree.”
Owens appreciates that FTOC allows first term officers the opportunity to connect and network with their peers, and hopes that as the course grows, the opportunity will be afforded to other junior officers across the Air Force.
FTOC is tailored to provide newly commissioned officers with a shared foundation to confidently step into their first duty station, to which 1st Lt. Christopher Hecht, 90th Missile Wing Security Forces squadron flight commander, attested to.
“As first term officers, especially coming in new to the game, there’s a lot that you learn at your commissioning sources, but there’s still fine details about the operational Air Force,” said Hecht. “This course ties together what qualities we should display in order to be effective leaders.”
The next iteration is expected to take place next fall and will continue to be further developed to provide an effective source of networking and initial establishment for first term officers.
- Published
- By Amn Nicholas Rowe
- 90th Missile Wing Public Affairs