ALS equips Airmen to lead Published July 25, 2014 By Senior Airman Joe Yanik DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. -- Making rank in the Air Force Reserve doesn't just mean putting on another stripe; it means undergoing enhanced professional development for those who are determined and focused with a drive to succeed and a desire to lead. These are the ingredients needed to transform junior enlisted Airmen into noncommissioned officers in the Air Force. The rite of passage to become an NCO is Airman Leadership School, the first professional military education program enlisted Air Force members encounter. Eligible senior airmen who desire professional growth in areas of NCO leadership acumen, the profession of arms and effective communication can enroll in ALS in residence or by correspondence. According to 2014 second quarter data gathered by the 512th Force Development Flight, less than half of the Liberty Wing's eligible senior airmen are enrolled in ALS. Senior Master Sgt. David Jackson, 512th FDF chief, said he would like to see that number improve. "(The lack of enrollment) presents an opportunity for the wing's leaders to engage our Airmen," said Jackson. "Not every eligible senior airman is going to pursue the opportunity for growth that ALS offers, but we still have to keep pushing the benefits out; because, there may be some who are interested but aren't confident with how to enroll, prepare for and pass the course." Jackson added his staff, located in the 512th Education and Training Office in Building 262, is available to provide useful information to Airmen and their supervisors to facilitate course enrollment. Additional resources for reservists interested in ALS can be found on the 512th FDF's Enterprise Information Management site by clicking the "Developmental Education" tab located in the "Documents" section found on the left column of the 512th FDF's Enterprise Information Management site. Completing ALS not only equips reservists for success while in uniform, but also for the civilian world. "The purpose of ALS is to develop Airmen into effective frontline supervisors who play an important role in any organization," said Chief Master Sgt. Nadine Ritter, 512th Force Support Squadron superintendent. "These skills are sought after, not only in an Air Force organization, but also in the civilian sector, making it twice as important to enroll and commit to completing the course." Ritter added graduates of the course receive training to provide counseling when needed, to be an active listener and an effective buffer between senior management and subordinates. Matthew Sughrue, 712th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron instrument flight control technician, and Dionte Hall, 712th AMXS communications, navigations and mission systems technician, were both promoted to staff sergeants June 1. "I see the ALS course as an opportunity to influence my squadron, helping guide other Airmen in their jobs and getting them ready for deployment," said Sughrue. "The communications knowledge I gained doesn't just apply to the job in the Air Force, but in everyday life." Hall said the course not only covers new areas of leadership training, but it also revisits some of the fundamentals of being an Airman. "For me, it was a chance to meet the high standards set by the Air Force, be a good example to others and refocus on the core values I learned in basic training," said Hall. Staff Sgt. Laura Miller, 712th AMXS communications, navigations and mission systems technician, became an NCO at the same time as Shugrue and Hall. She credited supportive supervisors with playing an important role in her passing the course. "My supervisor encouraged me all along the way and pushed me to succeed," she added. "We had regular meetings to discuss my progress, which helped me to keep focus." She added the course was definitely a challenge and required her to forego a college summer semester, so she could focus on passing. Professional growth gained through ALS, and subsequent promotion to NCO, also has financial benefits. Staff sergeants with three years of time-in-service can expect to earn about $54 more every unit training assembly than senior airmen with three years of time-in-service. ALS eligibility requirements Not every senior airman serving with the 512th AW is eligible. The criteria for enrolling in ALS by correspondence are as follows: must be senior airmen with at least 48 months of cumulative time-in-service or 42 months of cumulative time-in-service and have a 5-skill level in their primary Air Force Specialty Code. The eligibility criteria to apply for ALS in-residence are: Enlisted members must be current with a satisfactory physical training assessment, must have at least 48 months of cumulative time-in-service and have a score of at least 50 in the "general" category in the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test. Senior Airmen found ineligible when attempting to register for ALS, but who meet at least of one the previously mentioned criteria for time-in-service, can contact Air University campus support at auecampussupport@maxwell.af.mil. ALS enrollment by correspondence Eligible senior airmen can find instructions online to confirm eligibility and self-register for ALS by correspondence through the related link found on the Air University Student Information System website. The ALS course is #00003. Instructions include actions like creating a user account, selecting an official test center location and creating a trouble ticket for customer support. Once an active account is set up, reservists can download digital copies of the course materials by going to http://www.aueducationsupport.com. To schedule a test, the student must log in to her AUSIS account and click "Order Test" on the Course Enrollment Information page and follow the prompts. The student will receive an auto-generated email with an identification number, which she must forward to 512FSS.FSDE@us.af.mil with a request for a test date that is at least 30 days in the advance. Enrolled students have up to 12 months to download course materials, schedule and pass Set A and Set B of the test and submit the test for scoring and posting. ALS enrollment in-residence Eligible senior airmen, in coordination with their supervisors, must submit candidate packages to the 512th Force Development Flight to enroll in ALS in-residence. Because test dates and test center locations vary depending on availability, inquiries about candidate package deadlines, test locations and in-residence course dates can be directed to the 512th FDF. Whether taken by correspondence or in-residence, ALS provides eligible senior airmen from the 512th Airlift Wing an opportunity to take their Air Force Reserve careers to the next level; but, like with all other opportunities in the wing, they'll have to "Bring It." "My advice to you is to start as soon as you can, and take the work seriously," said Miller. "The excitement I felt when I put on staff sergeant stripes in front of my co-workers and leadership took me by surprise. It was a very proud moment for me."