JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. –
Senior noncommissioned officers trained to lead from the front, set standards and deny complacency during the senior NCO Summit April 8 - 10, 2025 at Joint Base Charleston, S.C.
The summit invited several prominent speakers who focused on professional development of senior NCOs, while emphasizing joint readiness, warfighting culture, and Air Force initiatives.
“You are in the U.S. Air Force you joined us, we didn’t join you,” said U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Chad Bickley, Air Education Training Command command chief. “You joined the winning team.”
During the lectures, participants were challenged to scrutinize their own personal biases of the new generation of Airmen and to ask questions about policies that directly impact junior enlistees.
“We hope senior NCOs leave here better prepared to train and equip Airmen to be warfighters first,” said U.S. Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Tim Thulin, 628th Contracting Squadron senior enlisted leader and project officer. “They will leave with additional tools, resources, and enthusiasm to lead Airmen for what comes next.”
Dr. Jason Womack, U.S. Space Force senior director for Organizational Engagement & Leader Development, emphasized the importance of present and visible leadership.
“Storytelling and influence are imperative to being a senior NCO,” Womack said. “I don't know of anything else more important.”
Using innovative teaching methods, Womack pushed senior NCOs out of their comfort zones by using group exercises to find new perspectives, breakout sessions teaching the importance of finding common ground and the occasional squat to keep the audience’s blood pumping.
The Airman’s panel, which consisted of junior enlisted members from Team Charleston were invited to voice their concern about camaraderie, mentorship and structure. Senior leadership took note of the issues new Airmen faced and listened, showing the willingness of leaders to take steps to make positive change.
“The last three days were an opportunity for the senior NCOs of Joint Base Charleston to take some time outside of their units to receive higher-level strategic information and development that they can bring back to their Airmen,” said U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. David Snarr, Joint Base Charleston and 628th Air Base Wing command chief. “This is an effort to create a well-informed force and instill a warfighting culture down to the youngest Airman.”