AFMC commander emphasizes education, CCAF

  • Published
  • By Gen. Donald Hoffman
  • Air Force Materiel Command Public Affairs
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio --  On Jan. 1, AFMC will begin our "Year of the Community College of the Air Force" campaign. John Buchan, a 20th century writer and politician, once said, "The task of leadership is not to put greatness into people, but to elicit it, for the greatness is there already." Therefore, I challenge each of you to reap the benefits of formal education during the New Year.

AFMC's YoCCAF will emphasize the need for enlisted Airmen to earn college degrees, specifically a CCAF degree. Currently, 24 percent of AFMC's enlisted Airmen have earned degrees through CCAF, and our goal is to increase this by 10 percent in 2011. With 67 degrees in five general areas, CCAF provides career-specific education for enhanced performance as technicians and noncommissioned officers.

YoCCAF will employ a direct approach -- individual bases will designate mentors to contact Airmen face-to-face to share the importance of education in their own lives and the benefits to the entire Air Force. Although YoCCAF will target E-4 to E-7, I encourage all Airmen to seek additional education regardless of rank. Formal education after high school is a path to promotion and personal development for enlisted Airmen, and a commodity highly valued in all Air Force members. Even the wisest mind has something more to learn.

Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Roy said, "Airmen are to be trained, educated, and have the experience (depth) to carry out the mission." Our Air Force is confronted with great challenges and considerable fiscal constraints, but the solutions are right here. They are in the new recruits, in the Airmen we supervise, and inside each one of us. Through continuing education we can unlock ideas to create efficiencies, conserve valuable resources and inspire innovation.

Whether for promotion, qualification for a special duty, or personal improvement, I encourage all AFMC Airmen to make time for education in the New Year. Add educational goals to your list of New Year resolutions for 2011 and keep learning -- the future of the Air Force depends on it!