HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. – More than 60 trainees were formally welcomed into the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center and Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center workforce during a hybrid graduation ceremony here Nov. 30.
The 2023 cross-functional graduation ceremony included Hanscom AFB and Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, trainees from the program management, engineering, contracting, security, and logistics career fields. Upon completing their respective training programs, graduates of the PALACE Acquire and developmental programs were outplaced into a General Schedule, or GS, 12 position in their respective functional areas.
During his welcoming remarks, Michael Giger, site senior functional for program management and director of the AFLCMC Acquisition Excellence Directorate at Hanscom AFB, shared with the graduates how important they are in bringing new perspectives and a collaborative mindset to the acquisition workforce.
“We know you have exciting things ahead of you as you help accomplish important acquisition milestones in defense of our nation,” he said. “It’s great to see how you’ve developed so many strong cross-functional relationships already and are really building the future for our integrated product teams.”
During their two- and three-year training programs, the graduates received on-the-job experience supporting various AFLCMC and AFNWC missions, as well as additional virtual and in-person training.
Keynote speaker Col. Karen Landale, Hanscom AFB’s deputy director of Contracting, said the graduates have unique skills and a deep understanding of government acquisition, honed through real-world projects, supervisor mentorship, and “sink or swim” experiences.
“The work that Hanscom does—digital, networks, cyber, nuclear, enterprise services, installation support—it’s at the cutting edge of the capabilities needed by our warfighters,” she said. “We need you to do the best at your job. We need your teamwork, thoughts, ideas, and insights, and we need you to bring the talents that only you have to the fight.”
Landale also shared with the graduates the important role civil servants play in accomplishing the Air Force mission.
“You are part of a mission that can only be found in service to our nation,” she said. “You are civil servants. We’re always talking about the warfighter serving. Our civil servants are the backbone of that. When we go forward, you all stay and get the business done, so please don’t forget that role. You’re in service to your nation just as much as anybody in uniform.”
Maj. Gen. Anthony Genatempo, program executive officer for Command, Control, Communications, Intelligence and Networks, also highlighted the value of the civilian workforce in his remarks.
“You have all become Airmen in the world’s greatest Air Force,” he said, addressing the graduates. “And that is a much higher calling than the function that you have trained in. Just because you wear slightly more colorful clothing than I get to wear does not mean that you are any less an Airman than I am. We need your expertise to perform our mission. Everything that you’re going to do every day will translate to a much higher purpose and a much higher importance that you can possibly imagine sitting here today.”
The 2023 graduates will continue supporting programs in AFLCMC’s C3I&N Directorate, the Digital Directorate, the Acquisition Excellence and Program Execution Directorate, the Presidential and Executive Airlift Directorate, and AFNWC’s Nuclear Command, Control and Communications Integration Directorate, both at Hanscom AFB and at other operating locations.
To learn more about the Air Force Civilian Service’s training programs, visit https://afciviliancareers.com/recentgraduates/.