982 TRG det at Grand Forks AFB implements instructor training locally

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Luis Loza Gutierrez
  • 319th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D --  At a time when military units are being asked to tighten their belts and cut costs, one detachment on Grand Forks Air Force Base is helping to do its part.

The 372nd Training Squadron, Detachment 27, an 82nd Training Wing detachment, has opened its Principles of Instruction course to Airmen outside of the maintenance instructor field. The course is designed to teach students to be effective teachers themselves.

"This change is unique because although we are here primarily to support the ACC (Air Combat Command) side of Grand Forks Air Force Base with advanced maintenance training, this class allows us to add AMC (Air Mobility Command) into the mix of the type of students we train," said Master Sgt. Donald S. King, 372nd TRS Det. 27, detachment chief.

Teaching the POI course locally as opposed to sending students on temporary duty is part of an overall larger effort by the 982nd Training Group at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, to help save costs and help better serve customer's training needs.

The FTD version of the Principles of Instruction course, or POI, was implemented at 46 of the 48 FTD's owned by the 982nd TRG on Oct. 1 of last year. By early March of this year, 396 students had graduated a total of 66 classes, saving the Air Force approximately $1.1 million and time spent away from their home duty stations.

King said the detachment will also be able to offer the course to eligible Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve members, and possibly some of the Air Force ROTC detachments as well.

Offering the class is seen as a way to more effectively teach and save money not only for the 82nd TRW, but the overall Air Force as well.

"In the past personnel had to travel to Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, for this particular course, but now that we provide it locally we can save the Air Force tons of money," said King.

While this course saves money, it is also seen as a more convenient way to teach for the students as well.

"I was glad they offered the course locally," said Staff Sgt. Ryan Bacskai, a student in the current POI course. "It not only keeps my bosses happy because it helps the Air Force save money; the course being taught here also saved me the time and stress of traveling more than eleven-hundred miles to Texas."

POI course instructor, Staff Sgt. Kory Boardman, said while the course, "teaches people to teach," it also allows students the chance to build a network of subject-matter experts.

Airmen are often required to teach their counterparts various courses, from aircraft maintenance to first-aid, combat arms training to sexual assault awareness and prevention training.

King said that anyone is eligible to apply for the course, but students will be required to show a genuine reason for attendance.

Successful completion of the course may also be used as an elective credit toward an Airman's associate degree from the Community College of the Air Force.

Boardman said individuals interested in taking the course are advised to coordinate enrollment requests through their respective unit training managers.


(Airman 1st Class Jelani Gibson, 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs office, contributed to this article)