Lakenheath’s PDC/FTAC prepares future leaders Published Feb. 28, 2008 By Staff Sgt. Vanessa Young 48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs RAF LAKENHEATH, England -- During a recent Airmen's call, the USAFE commander, Gen. Roger A. Brady encouraged officers and NCOs to mentor Airmen and to stress the importance of taking advantage of the education and development opportunities the Air Force affords them. The Lakenheath Professional Development Center and First Term Airmen Center is doing just that by educating and mentoring today's Airmen and NCOs to lead the Air Force tomorrow. The center accomplishes this mission through programs ranging from the First Term Airmen's Center to information on retraining; the PDC helps Airmen at any stage in their career. One way the PDC helps Airmen is through their Community of Practice Web site. The site offers 21 professional development courses which can be accessed and registered for 24 hours a day. The courses range from professional courses such as Enlisted Performance Report writing and Customs and Courtesies to courses that help Airmen personally including Tame Your Temper and Stress Relief. Master Sgt. Michael Montgomery, 48th Mission Support Squadron career assistance advisor, said professional and personal courses are important because, "Personal problems can spill over into Airmen's professional careers. So by, providing these courses, I feel like I'm doing my part to help Airmen professionally and personally." Sergeant Montgomery said his main goal is to build on the skills that staff sergeants and technical sergeants will need to become the Air Force's future leaders. On the center's CoP Web site, there is a supervisor's toolbox available with links to information that will help supervisor's mentor Airmen. Some of these items include an unofficial Weighted Airman Promotion System calculator, senior airman below the zone calculator and 2008 military hourly pay rates. According to Sergeant Montgomery, the military hourly pay rates information can help supervisors calculate man hours saved by their Airmen and in turn quantify their Airmen's accomplishments on an EPR. A link to the PDC CoP is available on 48FW.COM under the education link. For Airmen arriving at Lakenheath, the First Term Airmen's Center provides them with the knowledge to accomplish the Liberty Wing mission, strive to exceed Air Force standards and exemplify the core values. The center recently improved their course for newly arriving Airmen. According to Sergeant Montgomery, FTAC has combined their classes to improve instruction and learning environment for the Airmen. During FTAC, Sergeant Montgomery said the staff, "Not only provides them with professional development, but also gives them a sense of the wingman concept and an opportunity to network with other Airmen on base." Sergeant Montgomery said the combined classes make "...Airmen better prepared and ready to integrate into the operational Air Force." He added that these Airmen will now be able to network with Airmen around base and if necessary, handle situations at the lowest level. As the career assistance advisor, Sergeant Montgomery is the primary point of contact for information on retraining. He can also provide Liberty Warriors with information on military pay and benefits, force shaping programs and career counseling. For more information on the programs offered at the Lakenheath PDC, call 226-2300.