Sheppard leadership spends day in training

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Robert L. McIlrath
  • 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs
SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  Monday through Friday, Airmen-in-Training march to class, eat at the dining facilities and perform physical training. For a few days this week, base leadership adapted the AiT schedule.
 
Brig. Gen. Scott Kindsvater, 82nd Training Wing commander, and Chief Master Sgt. Charles Burgess III, 82nd TRW command chief, both spent multiple days experiencing a Day in the Life of an Airman-in-Training here.
 
"We started off doing physical fitness at four in the morning, then we went to breakfast, then went on to engine mechanic training for about four hours," Kindsvater said. "This afternoon we're going to go change tires on a C-130 (Hercules), that'll end our day around 5 o'clock and then we'll eat dinner with the Airmen.

This opportunity allows leadership to gain a unique perspective on what it's like in today's Air Force as junior enlisted personnel fresh out of basic military training.

Kindsvater, who graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1989, recalled his time as a cadet.
 
"The marching is still the same, the camaraderie is the same, the adherence to customs and courtesies, compliance to standards and discipline, all of that hasn't changed," Kindsvater said.

The Airmen-in-Training gained an insight on how important everyone's job is when it comes to contributing to the Air Force.
 
"I think it's a reminder that we need to be on our A-game, all the time," said Airman 1st Class David Causby, 361st Training Squadron aerospace propulsion student. "Any mistakes in our job could cost someone their life or cost multiple lives."

Leadership looks forward to the next couple of days and the opportunity to see the base from a new perspective. Throughout their time they will be able to gain insight on many different specialties.

The general understands the importance of "training and inspiring" the Airmen he commands. Opportunities such as the Day in the Life event directly effect the success of the wing as a whole.

"The mission of the wing is to train Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and all of our international partners here," Kindsvater said. "So for me to get out and spend two full days with our Airmen, it's going to make me a better leader and it's going to make the chief a better leader."