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145th Regional Training Site host ICP to support increasing demands for military instructors

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Patricia F. Moran
  • 145th Public Affairs
145th REGIONAL TRAINING SITE, NEW LONDON, N.C. --  Nothing exemplifies leadership more than becoming a military training instructor and more are needed to help meet short and long-term training goals.

Every Airman, regardless of component, should be given the opportunity to enhance their careers. Continuing their training in their Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC) and furthering their education is a must for promotions and the success of the mission, but many are being held back because of lack of funds for travel.

The 145th Regional Training Site in New London, N.C., served as host for this Instructor Certification Program (ICP). These Civil Engineers know the benefits first hand for training at their home station. Through home station training, the assurance of maintaining the highest state of readiness is ensured while keeping the cost to the Air Force at a minimum.

The ICP is a two week course that prepares future instructors on how to design lesson plans and material that their students will be using. It helps with developing evaluative instruments such as multiple choice test questions and performance evaluations to ensure students have mastered the educational objectives. Students also analyze test data, participate in student counseling sessions and provided effective feedback to other students in their class.

Joining Airmen from the 145th Airlift Wing were members of the 163d Reconnaissance Wing, stationed at March Joint Air Reserve Base, California Air National Guard's 144th Fighter Wing, Fresno, Calif., and Airmen from Wisconsin Air National Guard's 128th Air Refueling Wing.

The instructor for this ICP course was Master Sgt. Clifton Boswell from the I. G. Brown Training Center at McGhee-Tyson Air National Guard Base in Knoxville, Tennessee. 

Boswell, a professional continuing education curriculum developer, has been an instructor of this course for more than two years.

"I wanted to make a difference in the Air Force." said Boswell. "As a Senior Non-commissioned officer, I felt it my responsibility to produce higher quality instructors for the Air Force and Enlisted Professional Military Education (EPME)."

The ICP course allows future instructors to learn different approaches of communicating with students. The course teaches ways to learn how to analyze a student's needs while still ensuring the high standards of each course are being met.

"This course has taught me how to improve and refine a face-to-face approach in giving instruction." said Master Sgt. Emilio Martinez, 163d Reconnaissance Wing, March ARB, Calif. "In my case, to my peers within my AFSC (Air Force Specialty Code). As site manager of the 163d Regional Training Site, it is important that my delivery is on target. There are many variances in which instructors deliver lesson plans, this course helps match those differences to the way each student learns, and more importantly, retains what they have learned." 

"How I see it," said Boswell, "We only get one chance at being successful in our Air Force career. It is up to us to spend this time wisely. Being a good instructor is not always an easy job, but it is one of the most rewarding jobs that you will likely find in today's Air Force."

On Sept. 4, 2015, Graduation Day, these new instructors are now fully qualified to deliver a plan of instruction to National Guard, Reserves and Active Duty Air Force making them more valuable as a total force.