JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas (AFNS) -- Navigating the force development waters just became smoother with the recent launch of two new SharePoint Online sites aimed at keeping Airmen and Guardians informed.
The Force Development Gateway and Force Development Service Catalog are now live. Both sites can also be accessed through the Air Force Portal front page under the Education / Training / Force Development section.
Force Development falls under the umbrella of Air Education and Training Command and is managed by the Operations and Communications Directorate, led by Maj. Gen. Jeannie Leavitt. It is the framework that links training, education and experiential learning to develop an Airman’s competencies to out-think and out-perform any adversary in air, space and cyberspace.
As part of that framework, the Force Development Gateway was created. This customer-service office is the designated entry point for Force Development mission requests, and can be reached directly by email at AETC.ForceDevelopment.Gateway@us.af.mil.
“A mission request is a clearly defined or identified request for Force Development support or funding,” said Teddy Woodland, AETC Planning, Analysis and Liaison branch chief. “Examples of requests may involve administration, course updates, or technology.”
The Force Development Gateway receives the requests directly from customers through the use of a submission form and then tracks them through the life-cycle of the request. The submission form, a status dashboard, frequently asked questions and more can all be found on the site.
The Force Development Service Catalog site is an entry-point into Force Development programs and services and “is designed to be a one-stop shop for finding pertinent information about Force Development,” Woodland added. Within the catalog site is information about policy, credentialing, innovation advancement and more.
“In AETC, we are evolving to a more competitive approach to Force Development that is Airmen-centric, mission-focused and competency-based,” Woodland said. “These sites are just one more step in the right direction to ensure our Force Development customers stay informed.”