332D AIR EXPEDITIONARY WING -- 332d Air Expeditionary Wing Red Tails came together June 21 to celebrate the latest graduates from the 332d AEW First Sergeant Symposium at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia.
The First Sergeant Symposium provides noncommissioned and senior noncommissioned officers with valuable knowledge about the role of the first sergeant and access to tools they may use as leaders within their organization.
“I love hearing how other NCOs and SNCOs think, lead, and care for their Airmen,” said Senior Master Sgt. Ninette Campbell, 332d Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron first sergeant, and symposium co-director. “Personally, I have gained so much from just listening to the students.”
Not all graduates will become “diamond wearers”, some might take the knowledge and be better supervisors, mentors, or an additional duty first sergeants.
One of the bigger lessons Master Sgt. Matthew Lakin, 332d AEW special staff first sergeant, and symposium co-director, hopes the students take away from the experience is the value in networking.
“It’s not that they have to know everything or have all the answers, it’s that they become comfortable asking their peers for help and showing others where to find the answers.”