Filling blocks can lead to more stripes

  • Published
  • By Chief Master Sgt. Linda Menser
  • 514th Maintenance Group superintendent
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. --  How do you think you will measure up for that next promotion?

Do you have all your blocks filled? Do you even know what the blocks are? Let me explain.

The first block you need to fill is related to professional military education, or PME for short. Every month, I review the ineligible roster for promotion (as does your commander and supervisor). What stands out boldly to me are the Airmen who have not completed the required PME.

All too often, life's challenges can afford us many excuses for putting our PME on the back burner. But as we all know, our PME is something we need to move forward in our military careers, so why procrastinate and let it hold back your promotion?

The next block is civilian education. As a member of promotion enhancement boards, I can tell you first-hand the competition is highly educated, most having at least a Bachelor's degree.

Completing your Community College of the Air Force Associates degree is a must. For you to be competitive in the future, you will need to consider furthering your education to include a Bachelors or even a Masters degree.

The final block is related to how active you are in your military and civilian communities. Many times, we underestimate the value of our contributions to our churches, schools and local community programs. All of this adds up to a well-rounded individual, ready to
be involved, take on new leadership roles and give back to help shape the future of the Air Force.

So, in closing, I put the challenge to you, your supervisor and your leadership to do whatever it takes to help you create your development plan and then follow through with it in a timely manner.

You can find information by clicking the MyDP-My Development Plan button located on the Air Force Portal home page in the Education/Training Force Development section.

You see, it's just not enough to be the best at your job, but how you can make the greatest impact on the success of your unit and your fellow Airmen. Take the challenge and succeed!