USAFE Command Chief sets tone for professional development

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Micky M. Pena
  • U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa Public Affairs
After recently introducing his priorities to the command, Chief Master Sgt. Phillip L. Easton, Command Chief Master Sergeant, U.S. Air Forces in Europe and U.S. Air Forces Africa, is ready to speak more on the priority that truly drives a passion in him: personal and professional development.

Easton believes mentoring, molding and developing capable leaders is key to that mission and has multiple programs prepared that allow for that development.

One such platform will be the continuance of Atlantic Stripe. Atlantic Stripe is a week-long developmental event in which 60 staff and technical sergeants chosen from throughout the command through their command chiefs will come to the MAJCOM for a deliberate developmental event focused on their functional and professional development.

“You can get stuck in your stove pipe of what you do and do not realize how exactly your mission is affecting the MAJCOM, as well and U.S. European, U.S. Africa and even U.S. Central commands. These types of events give our NCOs a full sight and understanding of how important each and every one of their jobs are,” said Easton.

Revitalizing the squadron is a priority of Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein, and Easton seeks to do just that through development of the squadron superintendent course.

“The superintendent course will rejuvenate the squadron,” Easton said. “The triad for the squadron is the commander, chief and first sergeant. It’s important to make sure that our squadron superintendents, who can sometimes be either a master, senior or chief master sergeant, are set up for success. No formal AF course exists for those serving in that role, so we are going to make sure they fully understand their duties and responsibilities as superintendents to be an asset to their Airmen,” Easton added.

The squadron superintendent course is expected to debut this fall.

Another event Easton looks forward to that he hopes will grow Airmen within the command is the Senior Enlisted Leader Summit.

“During the SEL summit, we’ll have command chiefs, first sergeants and career assistance advisors from each wing come together to discuss ways to ensure we are all professionally developing our Airmen correctly and doing what needs to be done to make all our Airmen successful,” Easton stated.

What is unique to Easton’s approach toward development is that in conjunction with his wife, Yolanda, he has made the development of spouses a priority as well.

“We recently completed a chief leadership course and all the Chief selects throughout the command attended a course where they were briefed by various leaders to prepare them for the next step, and a big focus area involved with that was inviting spouses to receive professional development specific to their new role as well,” Easton explained.

The only official headquarters AF level development enlisted spouses receive is when the military spouse becomes a command chief candidate.

Additionally, Easton is coordinating with the assistance of Yolanda, the wing command chiefs and their spouses to implement a similar opportunity for the professional development of spouses of military members attending Airman Leadership School and the Senior NCO Induction Seminar.

“We believe that training and development should occur earlier in a career and that giving spouses the tools and training received by the military member will result in a stronger family unit and ultimately a stronger Air Force,” explained Yolanda.

“Spouses are extremely vital to us being the great Air Force that we are,” Easton said. “We cannot do what we do without our families and spouses.”

Through each of the programs, Easton looks to developing a command of fully capable leaders at every level that purposefully lead their Airmen who mentor, mold and develop each other.