Mihal to lead new Sheppard NCO Academy

  • Published
  • By John Ingle
  • 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs
SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  The Air Force announced in May that Sheppard would become the home of the newest NCO academy. Now it's known who will be the first commandant of the academy to get it up and running and lead it into the future.

Chief Master Sgt. Stephen Mihal, currently the superintendent for the 82nd Training Group at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, was selected to take on the task and get things set up before the first class begins in mid-March. His resume certainly shows he's qualified for the position with his previous Professional Military Education assignments.

The chief said he doesn't feel he did anything special to warrant his selection as the first commandant. He said he's simply had opportunities throughout his career that put him in position for consideration.

"They wanted someone who knew academy (business)," Chief Mihal said. "Any chief could do the job. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time."

His opportunities in PME-related assignments include, most recently, his service as the director of education at the Tyndall NCO Academy from January 2002-February 2003. He also served at the Community College of the Air Force at Maxwell-Gunter AFB, Ala., as the Aircraft Degree Programs manager and the assistant registrar.

The chief said there is very little flexibility for instilling his philosophies at the new academy because the curriculum very rigid. He said the course is built, designed and written by personnel at the Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education at Maxwell-Gunter. The reason for that is to ensure all 11 NCO academies operate the same and produce the same quality graduates.

"My primary focus is to stand up the school," he said. "There's a lot of work to be done."

The chief has several goals, he said, but sitting atop the list is to make Sheppard's NCO Academy the best in the Air Force by providing a positive educational and memorable experience.

"You only get to go one time," Chief Mihal said. "You don't get a second chance to do it."

Other short-term goals include gathering memorabilia and other items to provide an atmosphere that breathes the rich history and legacy of the enlisted ranks. The chief said he also has to assemble a staff of 23 people.

The first class was originally scheduled to begin in November, but that was pushed back because of the difficulty in filling the staff. Chief Mihal said he is still going through the process of reviewing packages and talking to prospective instructors. He said his attitude regarding the all-volunteer cadre of instructors is no different than his view on all technical sergeants in the Air Force.

"My expectation is that they do it well," he said of the future NCO academy instructors. "They should be as successful at (teaching) PME as they are at their primary job."

The chief said qualified applicants can contact him for more information by sending an e-mail to stephen.mihal@sheppard.af.mil or by calling (940) 676-7923.