Kadena NCO Academy trains joint partners

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Angelique Perez
  • 18th Wing Public Affairs
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan --  The Erwin Professional Military Education Center's NCO Academy bridged culture gaps of more than one kind recently as it graduated two Japan Air Self Defense Force NCOs as well as noncoms from each of the three sister U.S. military services. 

The PME center, which routinely educates JASDF and sister service NCOs, operates the exchange program to build a stronger joint and coalition team. This was the first class where so many joint and bilateral partners were represented at one time.

"The usual accredited Community College of the Air Force curriculum remains the same even though there are JASDF, Army, Navy, and Marine students attending," said Master Sgt. Chadd Malin, NCOA director of operations, "because management, leadership and communication are not service specific." 

Staff Sgt. Naoko Yoneto, an attending JASDF student from Fuchu Air Station, Tokyo, Japan, said she enjoyed the course and found many similarities between the Japanese and U.S. military values of professionalism and pride in a job well done.

"I feel very lucky to be able to be in this class," she said. "It's a real opportunity for JASDF NCO's to attend the Air Force school." 

"It's beneficial because we are doing a lot of bilateral exercises and exchanges," Sergeant Yoneto added. "I hope we will be able to have a better mutual understanding of each other. If we learn together and share our ideas, it definitely helps our future to accomplish our goals." 

The Air Force Non-Commissioned Officer Academy curriculum does not satisfy the PME requirements for sister service students, but it does provide tools and lessons they can use to improve their leadership skills.

This class' Navy and Army students found the course interesting because of the almost identical challenges that all enlisted military leaders face in their day-to-day operations. They said that learning each other's communication and leadership styles has given them a better sense of how their counterparts do business and will serve them well in future interactions with joint partners. 

"This course only enhances the versatility of the attending servicemembers, regardless of the branch they are in and prepares them for operating in a joint environment downrange," said U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Edward Steiner from Fleet Activities, White Beach, Okinawa. 

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Christopher Lane, from the Kadena-based 1-1 Air Defense Artillery Battalion, has attended the Army and the Air Force NCO academies. He said he can take what he learns here and apply it in his unit. 

"I volunteered to attend the school because I wanted to see and appreciate how the Air Force works," said Sergeant Lane. 

"We are going to be working with our counterparts more frequently," said Sergeant Lane, adding that the Air Force NCO Academy has prepared him "to work with them more efficiently."