With some help from my friends

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Stephen Musal
  • 17th Training Wing Public Affairs
Almost every Airman, when he or she reaches the grade of E-3, hopes to be one of the select few who are promoted below-the-zone. Goodfellow's junior enlisted organization, Armed Forces Committed to Excellence (ACE), started a program Feb. 12 to help prepare those Airmen 1st class for the face board which accompanies the competition.

"I came up with the idea in December 2008 while thinking about how ACE could help individual Airmen," said Senior Airman Inocencio Perez, a recent BTZ selectee who spearheaded the program for ACE. "I was blessed when a group of peers offered to conduct mock boards," he continued. "Without them, I would not have had a chance of winning BTZ."

Facing the mock board on Feb. 12 was Airman 1st Class Adrianne Crump. Sitting on the board were Master Sgt. Timothy Harding, Staff Sgt. Paul Lasley, Senior Airman Perez, Senior Airman Kaitlyn Salvatore and Airman 1st Class Jonathan Blythe.

According to Airman Perez, ACE's Vision for future mock boards is to assist Airmen with tuning up their presentation, building confidence and morale towards any face board. The boards are drawn up with an agenda containing common board practices, displaying customs and courtesies and demonstrating Air Force core values.

Next, there are four areas of questions, one from each area of the Professional Development Guide (Air Force Pamphlet 36-2241), Air Force Instruction 36-2618: the Enlisted Force Structure, a current event, and one opinion question.

"The mock boards would not be possible without the support of ACE, the Top 3 and the 56 Club," Airman Perez said.

For information on future mock boards, contact Senior Airman Inocencio Perez at 654-3012.