Civilian acculturate, seeks mentorship; supports mission

Published Jan. 20, 2009
By Thea Skinner
21st Space Wing Public Affairs

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- Potential civilian leaders are emerging in brass environments by training in military culture and career development. Training comes in the form of quarterly seminars, individual mentorship, and the newest initiative, the U.S. Air Force Civilian Acculturation and Leadership Training Program.

Peterson AFB civilian employee, Ms. Jan Kienast, Airman and Family Readiness Flight community readiness specialist graduated in the first CALT program class held at Air University at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. in November 2008.

"They were interested in us and to know what we thought." said Ms. Kienast of the CALT instructors. "This (class) was the first of its kind."

Training in acculturation
The 10-day beta-test class addressed Air Force core values, communication, leadership and team building. Kienast reflected on the key aspects of training to assist in her professional development.

"I think honor is the most important thing we can have," she said. "Service to others before self, supporting the mission, and keeping the country safe are vitally important. It gave all of us in the class a better understanding of what our servicemembers do."

The training program educates civilians in a field training environment outside of their typical on-the-job training. Although participants were not graded or tested on their ability, they learned specific guidelines that are a part of military Airmen's lives every day.

For example, participants created a briefing and chose an admirable group leader to conduct the briefing, she said.

Facilitators asked for feedback from participants in order to foster a sense of value and increase cohesion. The class composed a letter to the secretary of the Air Force praising the values of the training program and suggested continuing the program.

If an employee has no previous military experience and begins to work in a civilian setting, acculturation into a military environment can be strenuous, she said.

Subject matter experts were on call providing war games, exercises, and presentations by senior Air Force leadership to participating civilians.

With a master's degree in counseling from the University of Phoenix, Kienast seeks to cross-train for career development in the mediation field for dispute resolution assisting with third party communication. A mediator functions as a non-biased third party bringing disputing parties together and helping them facilitate communication.

Mentorship comes to fruition
In addition to training, Ms. Kienast feels that mentorship is also important to civilian professional development. Ms. Keinast is interested in cross training into a career of dispute mediation, so during the same month CALT was held, Ms. Kienast met a mentor in that field here on Peterson. Her mentor is Emily Nicholson, U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission specialist who has a wealth of experience in the field of mediation. The duo quickly began informal training and networking.

"True mentorship is sharing of your knowledge," Mrs. Nicholson said. "I started looking at her credentials and connecting her with people in my cadre. It has become a process of making sure she knows the right people."

Nicholson, herself was mentored through the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute mediation program, so she referred Ms. Kienast to the institute. Nicholson also directed Kienast to the Air Force Alternative Dispute Resolution Program to obtain mediation training credentials.

"When you have someone who really wants to contribute, they should be sponsored and mentored," Ms. Nicholson said. "You have to look for those qualities of an individual to say this person really wants to be here."

Civilian career development
Ms. Nicholson transferred to the EEOC at Ramstein Air Base, Germany Jan. 17, and ensured that Ms. Kienast was connected with key gatekeepers before Ms. Nicholson's departure. Ms. Nicholson will continue to mentor Kienast via e-mail.

Before transferring, Ms. Nicholson passed the baton to another mentor, who will engage Ms. Kienast in further training. Ms. Kienast's desires to collaborate with the EEOC by connecting with attorneys in Washington, D.C.

Three additional CALT classes are scheduled at Maxwell AFB in February and March, and will include cross-training civilians in other areas. Several quarterly seminars are also available here that train civilians: Silver Bullet for writing enlisted performance reports and awards, leadership, mentoring and counseling, Vitally Effective Characterization Through Observation and Reflection and Supervising Military. Quarterly seminars are open to federal civilians and contractors with contracts allowing the training. Seminars take place at the Professional Development Center Suite 2127.