GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Six senior NCOs travelled from MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, to the University of Florida, March 28, 2017 to meet with cadets assigned to Air Force ROTC Detachment 150.
The cadets hosted a question-and-answer forum for the senior NCOs to bring light to common misconceptions of the operational Air Force within the ROTC community, as well as advise the soon-to-be second lieutenants.
“Senior non-commissioned officers are some of the most experienced Airmen in the Air Force,” said Master Sgt. Matthew Garner, the NCO in charge of personnel assigned to Detachment 150. “Every year, we love to bring in a group of SNCOs to the detachment to educate the cadets on how to be the best lieutenant they can be once they commission.”
The questions asked by the cadets ranged from how to earn the respect of their future Airmen who might be older than them with more experience in the Air Force to how to raise morale in their future units.
“Their questions were all pretty common of new Air Force members, especially new officers,” said Master Sgt. Carole Lampley, the asset management section chief assigned to the 6th Logistics Readiness Squadron. “I could tell they were very eager to learn what is expected of them.”
The group discussed multiple topics during their two-hour class, but most cadets were concerned with friendship with Airmen they would eventually supervise.
“We made sure that the cadets knew that fraternization can be a tricky subject and that ‘perception is reality,’” said Garner. “This concern was brought up by many cadets, but now they know the difference between fraternization and all-inclusive gatherings.”
After the discussion, the cadets left with more knowledge about the future of their careers. Each answer was on a broadened Air Force-wide scale, as well as specific to their career field. They were also encouraged to find a SNCO they can count on at their first base, to help guide them on their journey.
“From what we discussed, I believe that if they carry the same attitude they showed to us, then they will do very well in the Air Force,” said Lampley. “I really enjoyed the team I was a part of, and I hope the cadets were able to receive the advice we gave and use it in their future roles as Air Force leaders.”