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380AEW Article

Mentoring opportunities at the 380AEW

  • Published
  • By Senior Master Sgt. Eric Peterson
  • 380th Air Expeditionary Wing
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  Air Force senior non-commissioned officers possess a wealth of knowledge and experience that should be shared with younger Airmen growing in their careers, according to a member of the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing's Top 3 mentorship committee at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia.

KC-10 Extender Flight Chief Air Force Master Sgt. Dustin Wilder has been running the speed mentorship portion of the program since July and said this unique experience gives Airmen the opportunity to question senior NCOs on a multitude of subjects related to their professional lives.

Speed mentorship is an hour-long event that begins with Airmen being matched with random mentors. They spend five minutes asking questions of that mentor until the signal sounds to rotate to the next individual providing advice in the session.

Wilder said the program is a good way for Airmen to get information on preparing for promotions or to just receive guidance on their Air Force careers. 

"I think it really opens up the lines of communication between our ranks and our varied career fields," said Wilder. "It breaks the ice and encourages our Airmen to search out mentors not necessarily in their chain of command."

Air Force Master Sgt. James Nielsen and Air Force Senior Airman Erik Winter have taken the mentoring program one step further. Nielsen has agreed to serve as Winter's mentor for the duration of their deployment in the Top 3's "Adopt an Airman" program.

Nielsen, the 380th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron unit deployment manager, said he saw an opportunity to offer his mentoring skills to someone working outside of his career field.

"For me, it's knowing that I'm able to help a fellow Airman who is going to be a future leader in the Air Force," said Nielsen. "I'll be retiring within the next six years and knowing that I was able to impact somebody who is going to be a future leader is the greatest thing."

The two have been having weekly meetings to discuss how the deployment is going and the progress being made with their planned goals.

"We go over goal progression and a lot of time we just talk about family, and how the day is going," said Nielsen. "As leaders in the Air Force it shows that we genuinely care about our Airmen."

Winter, who serves as a 380th Wing Staff Agency chaplain's assistant, said he jumped at the chance to participate in the mentoring program after reading what the program offered in an email sent from the wing Top 3 organization.

Nielsen's mentorship has helped Winter meet and beat his physical fitness goals that were set at the beginning of his deployment. He said during the first three months of his deployment he has already lost 25 pounds, has gradually increased his running distance and is also eating healthier.                   
               
"I had a lot of goals I wanted to accomplish to the best of my ability," said Winter. "That's a really big challenge, so I'm open-minded to his help and guidance. In all of my goals that we've discussed where I've expressed that I need help he's definitely had recommendations that I've been able to implement and they were very effective."

Wilder encourages senior NCOs to consider participating in the 380th AEW mentorship program. He said the program provides personal benefits not only for the person being mentored but also for those providing the advice. 

"I think as leaders we need to spend more time mentoring," said Wilder. "I hope that these events will spread that desire to mentor and encourage others to do it outside of these events. I also hope it encourages our Airmen to seek mentorship. I think I learned just as much from the events as a mentor as the mentees learned from me."

The next speed mentorship events for the 380th AEW are scheduled to be held September 23 and 30 in the Levitow Room of the Oasis Dining Facility.