Wing aims to break CCAF record

  • Published
  • By Veronica Aceveda
  • 512th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

The 512th Airlift Wing has seen its Community College of the Air Force graduates rise from only seven in 2000 to its highest number of 70 in 2012.

This year, the 512th Force Development Flight here has a goal to not only beat its record but to tally 100 CCAF graduates by the end of the year.

“We set the goal to maximize our Airmen’s opportunities to achieve their CCAF degree,” said Senior Master Sgt. David Jackson, 512th Force Development chief. “The CCAF has become more important to enlisted members’ careers. It’s already mandatory for promotion to E-8 and E-9, so we want to do everything we can to assist our wing members on their professional development path.”

“When I was younger, the CCAF wasn’t promoted as much as it is today,” said Master Sgt. Antoine Robinson, a 512th Maintenance Squadron member and 28-year veteran, who began pursuing his CCAF degree in 2014. “I always take the opportunity to tell Airmen not to wait like I did.”

Using an Advanced Standing Report from this January, the education team discovered 78 wing members were within one class of receiving their CCAF associate degree. They also identified members who are within 19 credits or approximately six classes of graduating. Of the members who are close to meeting their degree requirements, nearly 30 of them need credits in public speaking.

Specific outreach is underway for these members through emails, phone calls and personal engagement. To help them and any wing member interested in acquiring their CCAF degree, a Town Hall is scheduled from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., April 3 in Bldg. 270’s auditorium. Enlisted Airmen with advanced degrees are also encouraged to attend the CCAF Town Hall.

There, the wing’s education coaches will provide a CCAF overview, including its 64-credit requirement, different options in acquiring those credits as well as an education benefits briefing.

Receiving credits through CLEP or DANTES is one such option. However, since these tests are typically not administered over the Unit Training Assembly here, the wing’s educators have been coordinating with a local college to conduct a special UTA testing session. The team is aiming for a June or July UTA CLEP or DANTES event.

For members who may live near another regional installation, the 512th’s FD team has also reached out to surrounding bases for information on their testing centers, dates and times. These include Air Force bases in Maryland, Virginia and New Jersey.

April’s Town Hall will feature updates on testing with the 512th and nearby bases.   

Airmen can help prepare for the group session or a one-one-one at the 512th Education and Training Office by visiting the AF Virtual Education Center via the Air Force Portal to download a copy of their CCAF progress report.

The record details the classes and credits already completed as well as the remaining classes needed for a CCAF degree. Using the document, the wing’s education counselors can help guide each member on the best method to complete their degree.

“They advised me that it might be best to begin in a classroom setting versus online, since I had been out of school for a while,” said Robinson, whose first come-back class was Public Speaking. “They were right. I initially wasn’t ready for distance learning, but I excelled during the lunchtime classes on base.

“They are a great group of people over there.”

With their help, Robinson completed his last class about a month ago and will be part of Force Development’s 100-graduate goal this year.  

“It feels great to finish this piece of the puzzle,” said Robinson, “like everything’s all in place.”

The wing is already more than half way toward their target as its spring class boasts 61 graduates.  The remaining 39 students must complete all requirements by the last Friday in August to make them eligible for the fall graduating class.

A combined commencement for both classes is scheduled for December.

“We are really excited and energized for our members,” said Jackson. “The possibility of reaching 100 graduates would be an all-time record for the wing. And, being number one in (Air Force Reserve Command) wouldn’t be bad either.”

For questions concerning the CCAF or other education benefits, send an email to 512fss.fsde@us.af.mil.