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Chief Master Sgt. Aaron D. Bennett, 86th Airlift Wing command chief, spoke to members of the Kaiserslautern Military Community 5/6 association during their general membership meeting Sept. 1 on Ramstein.
Bennett discussed new changes to the Air Force, especially adjustments to the promotion system.
“The promotion system is working the way we want it to,” Bennett said. “What have you done in the last five years? Have you been doing the same thing or have you changed your duty description? How many people are you leading? Have you been expanding your knowledge and have you been doing something new? These are the things they’re looking for.”
Bennett also highlighted the reduction of additional duties, which had been a cause of concern for Airmen who said additional duties competed with their primary missions.
The KMC 5/6 is an organization that seeks to lead, develop and mentor E-5s and E-6s for further leadership.
Staff Sgt. Trier Stewart, 86th Force Support Squadron First Term Airman Center lead and KMC 5/6 president, believed Bennett’s presence at the 5/6 meeting helped give noncommissioned officers direction in how to lead their Airmen and set them up for success.
“We’re grooming the NCO tier to become effective NCOs and supervisors while preparing them to become senior NCOs,” Stewart said. “As our Air Force continues to go through paradigm shifts, it’s imperative that our Airmen are knowledgeable in order to execute the missions that are before us, (and) I believe that process begins with our leadership’s guidance and involvement.
“(Bennett) gave leaders who deal with Airmen on a day-to-day basis a roadmap to give their Airmen information in regards to what’s going on: What’s going on with these changes, what’s my enlisted performance record supposed to look like and what am I supposed to be doing to become an NCO? How do I get there?” Stewart continued. “It’s going to allow our members and our NCOs to execute the mission effectively and efficiently, and that in itself is going to boost the morale of the Airmen across the board.”
Tech. Sgt. Jonathan Cagle, 86th Medical Support Squadron NCO in charge of clinical maintenance and KMC 5/6 vice president, added that the effectiveness of the promotion process will help Airmen gain more confidence in the system.
“What we know is that the system is working the way it is intended,” Cagle said. “I think it is a big confidence booster to people to understand that even though (we) may not fully understand what is happening behind the doors, what is supposed to be happening is happening.”
Although Bennett’s speech to the members of the 5/6 concerned changes to the policies of the Air Force, the message remains the same: Whatever decisions Air Force leaders make, Airmen are not forgotten and will always be taken care of.
