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AMC hosts Phoenix Stripe leadership conference for NCOs

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Amber Kelly-Herard
  • 375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  Since 1998, Air Mobility Command has sponsored a program aimed at providing a select group of noncommissioned officers additional leadership skills and to show them how they affect the mission.

Last week, 88 NCOs and civilians from around AMC traveled to Scott for the five-day Phoenix Stripe conference.

Not only was this the largest class, but this class also had the largest amount of Guardsmen and Reservist, a total of six each.

James Domina, AMC Commander's Action Group, said in addition to many other benefits, the Phoenix Stripe conference fills an important gap in the NCO professional military education cycle.

"There is no training between the NCO Academy and Senior NCO Academy," he said James Domina. "That is why General Johns feels this course is money well spent."  Gen. Raymond E. Johns Jr. is the AMC commander. 

During the conference, the Phoenix Stripe attendees were briefed by several top AMC leaders. Some of their other activities included a tour of the 618th Tanker Airlift Control Center, discussions with the AMC commander, vice commander and staff, as well as panels with junior and senior enlisted Airmen. They also participated in a panel discussion with senior members from each branch of service, who shared their respective service-specific experiences.

"This program gave us a great insight on leadership, past, present and future and learning how leadership is here for everybody, as well as the AMC objectives," said Tech. Sgt. Christa Collien, a Phoenix Stripe attendee and an Air Force Reserve Command recruiter. "We are all also doing a lot of networking."

Throughout the course, Chief Master Sgts. Roxanne Santos, Enlisted Education and Training chief, and Larry Williams, 618th TACC superintendent, served as mentors to the NCOs.

Course curriculum also included the book, "Lincoln on Leadership," by Donald Phillips, to help explain points on leadership.

"This program is instrumental in turning a junior NCO into a senior leader by using an out-of-the-box approach to leadership," added Tech. Sgt. Bryan Mertzlufft, a Phoenix Stripe attendee assigned to the Headquarters AMC Logistics directorate here.

According to Mr. Domina, the course has changed over the years, because of feedback provided on the last day of each session and also because of the high deployment tempo.

"This time, there was a focus on 'back-to-basics,' which is in line with what the secretary of the Air Force and chief of staff of the Air Force have asked," said Mr. Domina.

At the end of the course, participants were provided an opportunity to submit questions for AMC leaders.

"I think the most important part [of the conference] is that they learn how they help accomplish the mission and without them it would not get done," said Mr. Domina.

According to Mr. Domina, the highly competitive Phoenix Stripe conference is held twice a year at Scott AFB.  He said attendees are hand-picked by enlisted leaders at each AMC wing.