ALS instructors impart wisdom, motivation to future leaders

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Ashley J. Thum
  • 4th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. --  Wanted: Individual who has learned lessons from their past experiences and is willing to share that knowledge with others, one who will come to work early and leave late, one who will strive for excellence and incite a similar drive in those around them, a person who will never be too timid to provide counsel nor too busy to offer assistance.

A small but indispensable group must be all this and more while discharging the duties of a Professional Military Education instructor at the 4th Force Support Squadron Airman Leadership School.

The ALS team must train the base's senior airmen and staff sergeants in all aspects of military service and equip them with the necessary tools to mold the next generation of Airmen - a daunting task for just five instructors and one commandant.

Fortunately for their students, the instructors at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base aren't ones to back away from a challenge.

Tech. Sgt. Jeffrey Lash, 4th FSS senior PME instructor, has been teaching at ALS for nearly four years.

"I volunteered for a lot of reasons," Lash said. "I saw things being done incorrectly among supervisors and their Airmen and I wanted to make it better; I wanted to have more of an impact."

"Impact" is a word often spoken in the halls of the building named after former Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James C. Binnicker, as the instructors take their responsibilities to heart leading their students through the ALS curriculum. For a period of more than five weeks, the team familiarizes each group of nearly 50 students with military dress and ceremony, interpersonal communication, expeditionary skills, administrative forms, and many other topics.

Once class has been concluded for the day, the ALS team doesn't exactly punch out.

"Our job never really stops," said Staff Sgt. Justin Davis, 4th FSS PME instructor for more than three years. "We're always available. I've taken phone calls late at night, and I'm usually in here at 6 a.m."

Late-night phone calls and early hours may seem more akin to the life of a first sergeant than a PME instructor, but the team often becomes another avenue for help to their students.

"I make myself available to them, I tell them to feel free to reach out," Lash said. "I'll do anything I can to make sure they're successful."

For Tech. Sgt. Sandi Townson, 4th FSS PME instructor, a class that started in October 2014 was her first foray into conducting PME. Although Townson didn't volunteer for her position, she has nevertheless become consumed by motivation similar to that of her colleagues.

"I've always looked forward to, at some point in my career, being around Airmen and being in a position to mentor them," Townson said. "I hope I can leave a lasting impression on every one of them, and help them become effective supervisors who will take care of their Airmen."

PME is, by virtue of its very name, built upon military principles and protocol, but the ALS team strives to instill principles in their students that will transcend the confines of their time as service members.

"We try to lead by example, live by the core values, and be models of professionalism," Lash said. "Not because it's a military thing, but because it's the right thing."

The current group of instructors comes from every point on the spectrum of Air Force specialty codes, from force support to logistics to security forces. Aside from everything they have seen and done as members of their primary career fields, one thing is certain - their time spent fulfilling a special duty position will always be remembered as exactly that; special.

"Some students are ready to graduate on day one, but others take some time," Davis said. "I'll watch people come in and they don't have very much confidence, but they go through a total transformation by the time they're done. I could not have picked a better job."