Goodfellow NCO Academy to close

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Dorian Chapman
  • Public Affairs
After training nearly 6,000 Airmen in the Profession of Arms, the Goodfellow NCO Academy is awaiting final orders to close its doors in 2008. The College for Enlisted Professional Military Education made the decision to decrease NCO Academy training capacity based on many factors, but the bottom line is there are simply fewer technical sergeants in the Air Force to be trained.

The Goodfellow NCO Academy trains seven classes per fiscal year with an annual student load totaling approximately 490.

In addition to Goodfellow Air Force Base, students come from Altus Air Force Base, Okla.; Beale Air Force Base, Calif.; Dyess Air Force Base, Texas; Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho; and Vance Air Force Base, Okla., to receive training.

As the second level of enlisted professional military education, academy instructors train technical sergeants in the areas of leadership, communication and critical thinking to prepare them for roles as senior noncommissioned officers.

"It makes sense that we right-size NCO Academy training capacity to match the production requirement," said Chief Master Sgt. Edy Agee, the commandant of the Goodfellow NCO Academy.

"Force shaping has reduced the number of technical sergeants across the Air Force. Therefore, the yearly training requirement has decreased," she said.

In an effort to minimize teaching "empty seats," CEPME has determined that closing its four smallest schools and consolidating students to the larger academies is the best decision. The McGuire NCO Academy in New Jersey was the first closure; the school officially became inactive May 3. The Robins NCO Academy in Georgia is due to close in the same timeframe as Goodfellow, and the Kirtland NCO Academy in New Mexico is scheduled to close in 2009.

"It is just the right thing to do with our future Air Force," said Col. John Bowley, CEPME commander, during an interview for Air Force Magazine. "It's a necessary transition to ensure that we are prudent with our resources." According to the colonel, the four NCO Academy closures will save an estimated $5 million annually.

In addition to monetary savings, the maneuver is expected to enhance some future trainees' educations.

"Though the training at any NCO Academy is excellent, future students attending larger schools will benefit from interaction with a more diverse cross-section of the Air Force," Chief Agee explained. "A significant part of the PME experience is the opportunity to interact with and learn about Airmen from different parts of the Air Force. Attending a larger school will positively impact that aspect of PME."

The Goodfellow NCO Academy is scheduled to remain in operation through its FY08 training cycle. The commandant expects the school to officially close some time in the summer of 2008.

The closure is expected to have minimal impact on the base and even less impact on San Angelo. According to Chief Agee, the 11 staff members will most likely be absorbed into other units on base, dependent upon their individual Air Force Specialty Codes.
As for the loss of approximately 500 trainees per year, the chief said it should have minimal impact as well.

"The students are only here for six weeks at a time," she explained. "They are housed on base and are required to dine on base for the majority of their meals."

Though the local academy is due to close, the chief said the standardization of the NCO Academy curriculum assures the quality of training will not be diminished.

"In the pursuit of excellence, there is no finish line," Chief Agee stated, quoting her school's motto. "The education will continue. Though it will be at other locations, it will definitely continue."