FTAC builds foundation for professional Airmen

The basics, check. The training, check. Now, on to professionalism. From the intensity of basic military training to the countless hours of sitting in class gaining career knowledge, the time finally comes to use those skills and become military professionals. This is the path all Air Force members must take in
their first month as the new faces of the Air Force.

First-Term Airman Center instructors are responsible for taking new Airmen and shaping them into contributing members of the Air Force. They provide key information needed to prosper as Airmen begin their Air Force career.

“We provide them with the information they’re going to use for the rest of their career,” said Staff Sgt. Robert Hockenhull, 86th Force Support Squadron FTAC instructor. “Every briefing is important and they will need this information at some point in their career.”

Along with teaching the basics of being an Airman during the eight-day course, the instructors assist by helping them with wingmenship.

“It’s about molding them into Airmen and helping them become great people,” Hockenhull said. “We’ve built an environment that allows them to become closer with their fellow wingmen and come out of their shells in our group activities.”

FTAC instructors haven’t always had the job of training Airmen. The instructors teaching the courses are from many different career fields and use their different experiences to provide a variety of knowledge to the Airmen.

“I have worked with nearly every career field in the Air Force,” said Staff Sgt. James Gettis, 86th Force Support Squadron FTAC instructor. “Because instructors come from different jobs, we can answer a lot of questions the Airmen have about what the operational Air Force is like.”

Gettis said the transition from trainee to professional is the best time to teach new Air Force ambassadors important aspects they need to know.

“This is the most crucial part,” Gettis said. “The transition can be rough, but they made a great decision in their life. Wearing the uniform is a matter of pride and dedication to something greater than themselves … they can go to bed at the end of the night saying they are professional and they have to learn to present themselves as such.”

FTAC instructors provide leadership skills from the front as well as followership skills needed to be successful in their Air Force career. With their new found Air Force knowledge Airmen have the tools they need to perform their job and be a functional member of the Air Force.