HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. -- Members of Airman Leadership School Class 22-Golf graduated during a ceremony at the Minuteman Commons here Oct. 27.
The five-week professional military education course prepares junior enlisted members and other students for supervisory responsibilities.
Chief Master Sgt. Charles Desaulniers, 66th Security Forces Squadron senior enlisted leader, as well as the class mentor and guest speaker for graduation, encouraged graduates to “dominate your battlespace.”
While the word battlespace may evoke images of a tactical combat environment, it applies to any area where you operate, including tasks, projects, or programs you run, he said.
“There are many universal truths that apply to all leaders: honesty, integrity, credibility, empathy, trustworthiness,” said Desaulniers, “Those are overarching principles that apply to any effective leader, regardless of leadership style or approach.”
While striving to develop the total force, for the first time in the school’s history, a civilian was enrolled.
“We think one of the most important lesson the students will take away from this course is emotional intelligence and realizing that we all have our own story, background and struggles,” said Tech. Sgt. Lamorris McRae, ALS instructor.
During the ceremony, ALS officials announced the names of those students who received awards.
The school’s top award, the John L. Levitow Award, went to Aidan Conlon, Nuclear Command, Control and Communications Integration Directorate. The award recognizes the student who achieves the highest overall standing from a combination of academic scores, performance evaluation and leadership qualities. It's the highest honor awarded to an enlisted-run PME student.
The Academic Achievement Award was presented to Senior Airman Ma’Kaila Eckermann, 66th Medical Squadron here. This award goes to the student who achieves the highest summative scores throughout the class, displays characteristics of an effective leader and fostered teamwork within the training environment.
Senior Airman Robert Lakhan, 106th Rescue Squadron, Francis S. Gabreski Air National Guard Base, New York, received the Commandant Award. The recipient is the student who displays all the characteristics of a leader and is chosen by the school’s commandant.
Other students graduating from the course include:
Senior Airman Kendra Balay, 66th Security Forces Squadron
Senior Airman Noah Bracelin, 117th Maintenance Squadron, Atlantic City Air National Guard Base, New Jersey
Senior Airman Bryan Church, 154th Training Squadron, Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas
Senior Airman Kaleb Marin, 167th Civil Engineering Squadron, Shepherd Field Air National Guard Base, West Virginia
Senior Airman Patrick McConnell, 66th Security Forces Squadron
Senior Airman Jemael Nzihou, 214th Attack Squadron, Tucson Air National Guard Base, Arizona
Senior Airman Kaylin Rice, 66th Medical Squadron
Senior Airman Lamar Rucker, Air Force ROTC Detachment 345, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
Senior Airman Harry Wasonga, 203rd Red Horse Squadron, Camp Pendleton, Virginia
After completing the course, each graduate earned the U.S. Air Force NCO PME graduation ribbon.