Organization Profile: The Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted

EducationStacie Duck

Walden University24 February 2013

Overview

History, Structure, Culture

Change Undertaken

Leadership Action Through Change Process

Overall Effectiveness of the Change Process

Reflection

History

Established as the College for Enlisted Professional Military Education December 15, 1993

Renamed Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education on March 30, 2008 to honor Retired Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force (CMAF) Thomas N. Barnes

Mission: Train, educate, and graduate Airmen in skills and competencies that enhance Air Force mission accomplishment.

Vision: World-renowned Center for enlisted education.

History

Responsible for the instructional programs and faculty development for:

- 64 Airman Leadership Schools (ALSs)

- 11 Noncommissioned Officer Academies (NCOAs)

- 1 Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy (AFSNCOA)

Responsible for the education of Air Force future enlisted leaders; graduates approximately 27, 500 students annually

Structure

Consists of the following organizations:

- Head Quarters Barnes Center

- Air Force Enlisted Heritage Research Institute (AFEHRI)

- AFSNCOA

- NCOAs

- ALSs

- First Sergeant Academy

- Community College of the Air Force (CCAF)

- Air Force Career Development Academy (AFCDA)

- Educational Program Cadre (EPC) also as known as the ISD cadre

Structure

Hierarchical Commander

Dean of Academic Affairs

Senior Program Team Manager (SPTM)

Superintendent of Program Teams

- ALS

- NCOA

- SNCOA

Commander

Dean AA SPTM

Supt ALS Team

Supt NCOA Team

Supt SNCOA Team

Culture

Professional active duty, retired, and non- military civilians

Relaxed and fun

Symbolic Symbols

- Barnes Center PME Emblem and Badge also know as a “Cookie”

Change Process Undertaken

Total Curriculum Rewrite for:

- ALSs

- NCOAs

- SNCOA

- Initiated to align curriculum with Air Force Institutional Competency List

- defines the broad and general subject areas for new curriculum for each level

Leadership Actions Throughout Change Process

Planning

- analyzed, evaluated and developed contingency plans for all conceivable scenarios

- Conducted gap, learning, technology and resource analysis

- Projects cost evaluated

- Time studies conducted to support the change process

- Compared to the Air Force Institutional Competency List (ICL)

Leadership Actions Throughout Change Process

Implementation

- Leadership communication

-- communicated with designers first

-- communicated with school and academy commandants

--- commandants communicated change to their respective instructor cadre

-- Mass communication at professional military education seminar, which is held once a year for all PME staff (leadership, designers, commandants, instructors, and support staff

-- Weekly updates posted to the Barnes Center Community of Practice (CoP) Web site

Leadership Actions Throughout Change Process

Implementation

- Curriculum draft released to all schools and academies 6 months before official implementation date

-- instructors provided feedback

-- curriculum edited based on feedback

-- small-scale test conducted at 5 NCOAs, 12 ALSs and the SNCOA

--- students provided feedback

--- curriculum edited again based on feedback

-- Curriculum designers traveled to different schools to evaluate curriculum delivery for 3 months

Overall Effectiveness of Change Process

Chang very successful due to:

- Consistent communication before, during and after implementation between everyone involved in the change

-- Reason and vision was clearly communicated

-- Tasks and responsibility were clearly outlined

- Unlimited encouragement and support

- Creativity and autonomy

Reflection

Chang very successful due to:

- Consistent communication before, during and after implementation between everyone involved in the change

-- Reason and vision was clearly communicated

-- Tasks and responsibility were clearly outlined

- Unlimited encouragement and support

- Creativity and autonomy

Summary

HISTORY

STRUCTURE

CULTURE

CHANGE UNDERTAKEN

LEADERSHIP ACTION

EFFECTIVENESS OF CHANGE

REFLECTION

Statue of CMAF (Ret.) Thomas N.

Barnes