EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- The Edwards Middle Tier Association hosted a Chief Speed Review at the Desert Mall Oct. 17. Fifty Airmen sat down for five minutes each with five different chief master sergeants to discuss future opportunities in their Air Force careers and receive professional guidance.
“The purpose was to give enlisted members at Edwards access to a diverse group of chief master sergeants with different experiences and perspectives who have a combined 115 years of service,” said Chief Master Sgt. Todd Simmons, 412th Test Wing command chief. “Members were encouraged to bring questions concerning their careers and future goals.”
Edwards MTA members, Staff Sgt. Ashley Provost and Staff Sgt. Kynetta Small, both of the 31st Test and Evaluation Squadron, were the architects of the review and brought the idea to Simmons for assistance.
“With the new (Enlisted Performance Reports), we asked if Airmen could set up meetings with the chief or other chiefs to make sure we’re doing things correctly and receive some guidance on career progression,” said Small.
The chief agreed and the Edwards MTA sent out an email to different units on base soliciting Airmen who wanted to participate.
The chiefs conducted reviews of individual records, discussed career goals and provided advice along with future job recommendations. The chiefs also helped identify errors the Airmen had in their records and offered tips on becoming more competitive in their careers.
“I hope each participant took away at least one nugget from the day. With over 115 years of experience in four Air Force Specialty Codes, from five chief master sergeants, I hope they all were able to gain knowledge and perspective on what it takes to continue to excel in today’s and tomorrow's Air Force,” Simmons said.
Simmons and the Edwards MTA hope to expand the program for all three enlisted tiers. Another Chief Speed Review is planned for January 2017.