JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- The 514th Air Mobility Wing First Sergeants Council held a First Sergeant Symposium at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, from July 17-18, 2021.
“Our goal with this symposium is to provide the wing with the next generation of first shirts; alleviating any sort of blind spots or vacancies within the wing for first sergeant positions,” said Master Sgt. Manuel Ortiz, a 514th AMW first sergeant. “It's an opportunity to develop the new leadership of the wing.”
During the symposium, senior noncommissioned officers who are interested in becoming first sergeants were able to receive informal training on various circumstances a first sergeant may experience with their Airmen.
“We started with opening comments from the wing commander and the command chief,” said Ortiz. “They received classes ranging from a sexual assault prevention and response briefing, to a synopsis brief from legal focusing on hot topics currently happening throughout the wing.”
Other classes in the symposium included a “True Colors” class given by Jacky Urmey, 514th AMW director of psychological health, an effective communication class by the 514th Operations Group superintendent, and an emotional intelligence class given by the 514th AMW chaplain corps.
The First Sergeants Council anticipates a large turnover within the next year.
“Many of the first sergeants will be removing their diamonds due to tenure,” said Ortiz. “We, as a council, have proactively decided to mitigate the issue now. Our goal is to ensure that not a single Airman throughout this wing is affected by that transition.”
To emphasize the responsibilities of a first sergeant, the 514th AMW First Sergeants Council invited Chief Master Sgt. Jason Torres, 305th Aerial Port Squadron superintendent, to speak to the class from the perspective of an active duty first sergeant.
“The level of success for a first sergeant is measured by the impact they leave on their current Airmen, and the ripple effects they will leave behind for future Airmen,” said Torres. “So I ask you, what will you do to prepare yourself for the impact you will make on your Airmen?”
Master Sgt. Manuel Ortiz is the point of contact for new first sergeant applicants. He can be reached at manuel.ortiz.8@us.af.mil