MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Senior noncommissioned officers tackled a tactical relay July 31, 2025, during the Foundations Course 700 here, sharpening leadership skills and team cohesion for joint and operational environments.
The weeklong course, a cornerstone of the Air Force’s Enlisted Airmanship Continuum, focuses on leadership development, team building, and warfighting competencies. It replaces the base-level Senior Noncommissioned Officer Professional Enhancement Seminar and is a prerequisite for the Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy.
“Foundations Course 700 equips students with essential skills to develop, advise, and lead teams effectively,” according to the Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education. “It facilitates the transition from first-line supervisors to strategic leaders, focusing on influence tactics, building social relationships, and proactive organizational advancement.”
The course develops strategic leadership at the 9-skill level, offering tools to shape perspectives, behaviors, and informal influence within organizations.
“Foundations Course 700 is a 5-day course; 80% is classroom curriculum designed and provided by the Barnes Center,” said Senior Master Sgt. Lauren Marcus, development advisor, 6th Force Support Squadron. “The knowledge that we’re learning, the theoretical lessons, we’re going to bring them out into the practical setting where we’re hands-on and take that tactical approach.”
The tactical relay, a highlight of the course, included demanding tasks like rucking, Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC), 9-line medevac procedures, and weapons handling. “This training directly enhances MacDill’s operational capability by developing master sergeants who can effectively employ mission command principles in high-stress environments,” said Master Sgt. Joey Pecha, maintenance superintendent, 6th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron.
“The overall objective is to bring that practical hands-on application to life,” Marcus added. “We talk about the classroom setting—there’s a lot of greatness in that—but we want to get outside and start sweating. That’s where we see mission command and tactical training coming to life.”
The Enlisted Airmanship Continuum, part of the broader Enlisted Force Development Model, integrates institutional, functional, and base-level education, training, and experiences. Starting at basic military training, it reinforces foundational competencies through each Air Force Specialty Code’s career field education and training plan and continues throughout an Airman’s career.
Foundations courses (levels 300, 500, and 700) replaced base-level professional enhancement seminars in October 2023 and became mandatory Enlisted Professional Military Education (EPME) prerequisites in October 2024. Each course spans five days: four days of standardized content from the Barnes Center and one day tailored to major command or wing-specific needs.
Base development advisors, supported by local noncommissioned officers, senior noncommissioned officers, and subject matter experts, deliver the courses. The Barnes Center ensures content remains current to maintain the Air Force’s competitive edge.
The Foundations curriculum achieved full operational capability on July 19, 2024, after nine months of testing and training. Developed by the Barnes Center, development advisors, major command functional managers, and Headquarters Air Force Force Development, it bridges gaps between legacy programs like Airman Leadership School and the Noncommissioned Officer Academy, strengthening professional military education for total force enlisted Airmen.