CCAF graduates reach milestone

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Jennifer Foster
  • 66th Air Base Group Public Affairs
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. --  Twenty Airmen reached another stepping stone in their careers and educational journeys May 10 when they received degrees during the Community College of the Air Force commencement at the Hanscom Conference Center.

In all, 50 Airmen from Hanscom and geographically separated units received Associate in Applied Science degrees, during Air Force Materiel Command's "Year of the Graduate."

Master Sgt. Stephen Willis, 66th Medical Squadron First Sergeant, coordinated the graduation ceremony and believes that both the military member and the Air Force benefit from the "Year of the Graduate" campaign.

"It's a symbiotic relationship base on the premise that if one excels the other benefits," he said. "When Airmen are more educated, they can bring new ideas and thoughts which can meet new challenges. Without education we would still be sitting around in caves somewhere."

Willis knows the difference for some Airmen when it comes to reaching their education goals is seeing their supervisors and peers pursuing their degrees.

"If Airmen see that anyone can achieve the dream of a degree, I think they realize they can too. Having the CCAF graduation is great because Airmen see not only their peers getting degrees but also higher ranking Airmen getting degrees as well. It fosters the desire for those who do not have degrees to want to be like their peers or bosses," he said.

The goal of YoGrad is to inspire those considering or currently working on an education plan to start, continue or complete that plan. Along the way, the campaign will recognize members of the AFMC workforce who have completed a degree program during the two previous campaigns -- or do so during YoGrad.

Senior Master Sgt. Gene Brandt, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Detachment 7 First Sergeant and graduate, explained that completing his degree was bittersweet because he loves taking classes.

"I think it's important for supervisors to obtain CCAF degrees not only for themselves, but to also give their subordinates someone to look up to," he said. "The educational campaigns work hand-in-hand with supervisors to help encourage Airmen toward their educational goals."

Airmen receive tuition assistance while in the Air Force. They can apply for scholarships toward book fees upon completing their CCAF degree. After leaving the service, Airmen may take advantage of the GI Bill.

During the commencement, 1st Lt. Samuel Sells addressed the graduates.

"Getting a degree, getting an education is about learning how to learn. It's about learning how to think, learning how to grow, learning how to problem solve and learning how to get down to the truth of things as you go about in this world."

Sells, who enlisted in the Air Force, then pursued his education full-time before being commissioned, told the graduates that the more they learn, the more they'll want, the more they'll hunger, the more they'll realize they don't know anything at all and the more they'll want to learn.

Efforts from the Year of the CCAF resulted in 1,685 graduates at AFMC bases, the most in the history of the command. The number of AFMC's enlisted Airmen with a CCAF degree went from 24 percent to nearly 30 percent in just one year - more than double the command's goal of a 10 percent increase. With the Year of Continuing Education, the command achieved another 10 percent overall increase, this time at all levels of education rather than just CCAF degrees.

"You can sit on the sidelines in a dead end job or you can educate yourself and better yourself, family and community," said Willis. "Knowledge shapes the world we live in and I want our Airmen not only to excel in the Air Force but also after leaving the Air Force."

Brandt has some advice for the students that may feel discouraged during what may seem like a never-ending journey:

"Keep plugging away. Although the road may feel long and you may get discouraged at times, just remember that the rewards start almost immediately."

2013 graduates:
Senior Airman Ali Yasmin
Senior Airman Kylee Hines
Senior Airman Kurt Nick
Senior Airman Christopher Rathy
Senior Airman Elizabeth Roberts
Senior Airman Francisco Trejo
Senior Airman Brandon Williams
Staff Sgt. Samoeutroeutteana Beckett
Staff Sgt. Sean Carty
Staff Sgt. Damian Diaz
Staff Sgt. Jeremy Guidry
Staff Sgt. Seong Kim
Staff Sgt. Patricia Andersen
Staff Sgt. Eboni Briscoe-Jenkins
Staff Sgt. Randall Bryant
Staff Sgt. Carlos Carlo
Staff Sgt. Jenny Cate
Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Clement
Staff Sgt. Randall Dominey
Staff Sgt. Joanna Fisher
Staff Sgt. Michael Franco
Staff Sgt. Jenna Heber
Staff Sgt. Jesse Klinger
Staff Sgt. Johnathan McEachin
Staff Sgt. Elia Musallam
Staff Sgt. Jennifer Starr
Staff Sgt. Christopher Surprenant
Tech. Sgt. Christopher Battista
Tech. Sgt. Leilani Gray
Tech. Sgt. Matthew Kuebler
Tech. Sgt. Dana Moore
Tech. Sgt. Brandon Paul
Tech. Sgt. Michael Soares
Tech. Sgt. Chad Hildreth
Tech. Sgt. Brian Murray
Tech. Sgt. Doris Portillo
Tech. Sgt. Kevin Roberts
Tech. Sgt. Jacob Sheppard
Tech. Sgt. Jesse Thibodeau
Tech. Sgt. Carl Yonkers
Master Sgt. Robert McNeill
Master Sgt. Raymond Merring
Master Sgt. Mark Stretch
Master Sgt. Brian Brantley
Master Sgt. Christopher Clark
Master Sgt. Patrick Ingram
Master Sgt. Donald Luby
Master Sgt. Richard Minigan
Master Sgt. Joyce Woods
Senior Master Sgt. Gene Brandt