PACAF concludes chief’s orientation course

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Gustavo Gonzalez
  • Pacific Air Forces Public Affairs
JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii --  A group of 54 Air Force chief master sergeants and chief selects met here for the Pacific Air Forces Chief Orientation Course Jan. 17-20, 2012.

The event, hosted by Chief Master Sgt. Brooke P. McLean, PACAF command chief, aims to provide attendees with a greater understanding of a chief's roles and responsibilities, with a special focus on the Pacific theater.

The Chief's Orientation Course, a weeklong course held annually since 1984 for the chief selects within PACAF, focuses on strategic level leadership and defining the roles of a chief master sergeant. The course consists of sister service joint panels, specific mentoring sessions by Numbered Air Force command chiefs, as well as other functional briefings that may aid in the transition to the top enlisted rank.

The course also featured several mentors to include retired Chief Master Sgts. of the Air Force, James McCoy and Eric Benken.

"They get to interact with each other," Benken said. "They get to do some networking; they get some philosophy, and some mentorship and guidance, typically from the command chiefs that are within the command. It's just an effort to help them get their best foot forward as they become the future chief master sergeants within the Air Force."

According to McCoy, by becoming a chief you put yourself in your own separate group by yourself.

"One percent of the forces are chief master sergeants," McCoy said. "So it's a great responsibility and it's a great challenge to make sure you get the right people in there, which is what the promotion boards do. After that, it's up to the individuals to become that chief that other individuals want to follow."

According to McCoy, making the rank of chief is a big accomplishment, but that's just the beginning. You have more responsibilities and you have more things to be aware of.

"Don't be wrapped up in the fact that you're the chief," McCoy said. "They got to do their job, take care of their people and take care of their families."

According to McCoy, the best advice that he could give to anybody that's being promoted to chief is the same advice that retired Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Paul Airy gave him when McCoy became the sixth CMSAF.

"Be humble." McCoy said.