| SENIOR NCO ACADEMY PROGRAM |
| Module |
Lesson Title |
| DAY 1 |
Orientation/Expectations |
| LEADERSHIP |
Effective Onboarding and Training |
| Leading a Multigenerational Workforce |
| The Reality of Change Management |
| Leading an Effective, Agile and Lethal Force |
| CULTURE |
Social Media and the Organization |
| Mission Command |
| Assessing and Shaping Organizational Culture |
| Ethics as an Organizational Leader |
| Intro to DEOCS |
| Cultural Impact of Leadership Models |
| PROBLEM SOLVING |
Identifying and Validating Problems |
| Problem Analysis |
| Setting Improvement Targets |
| Root Cause Determination |
| Countermeasures Development |
| Seeing Countermeasures Through |
| Feedback Monitoring |
| MISSION |
Air Force Core Missions |
| Mission Lab |
| COMBINED OPS |
Squadron Officer School Integration |
COVID-19 Notes
Class 21D will be in-resident at reduced student capacity; this will be the preliminary return to in-resident instruction.
Up to this point during COVID-19, the AFSNCOA has been conducting Virtual In-Resident, Remote (VIRR) classes. This virtual course is a full-up version of SNCOA including ample face-to-face time with your instructor and teammates, and doesn’t resemble course 14 or other distance learning courses in any way. If you are unable to participate fully in the class you will need to work with your chain of command and Base Training Manager to get a deferment and reschedule you into a future class; the schoolhouse cannot assist you in this process. MyPers deferment and declination procedures can be found here:
MyPers Link 1 and here: MyPers Link 2
Academy orientation information is located here; reporting instructions, to include virtual, are located here.
Class 21D COVID Standards of Practice (SOPs) are located (coming soon).
The Air Force Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy (AFSNCOA) is the third level of enlisted PME. AFSNCOA prepares senior NCOs to lead the enlisted force in the employment of air and space power in support of US national security objectives. There is a single resident AFSNCOA located at Maxwell AFB–Gunter Annex.
The Air Force Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy (AFSNCOA) is a resident CCAF-affiliated program that consists of 200 classroom hours. The curriculum prepares SNCOs for increased leadership responsibilities in the joint, combined, and inter-agency operating/strategic environment. Specifically, the AFSNCOA educates SNCOs to help them become adaptable senior enlisted leaders able to operate critically, strategically and jointly in complex and ambiguous environments through the application of four learning outcomes: Leadership, Problem Solving, Mission, and Culture.
Learning Outcomes. SNCOA curriculum prepares SNCOs to:
- Shape organizational culture by promoting a healthy organizational ethos.
- Lead organizations through problem solving efforts to achieve mission success.
- Anticipate and direct transitions that lead to more effective, agile, and lethal organizations.
- Connect Air and Space organizations and capabilities to Joint Operations.
Faculty. The AFSNCOA faculty members are required to have an associate’s degree (or fall within one year of completion) and complete the Enlisted Professional Military Education Instructor Course (EPMEIC) before assignment to the academy. Within the first year of teaching, faculty must complete a 120-hour internship at the school.
Duration. The AFSNCOA program is delivered in 25 academic days. There are 7 classes each year with approximately 300 students in each class.
Eligibility. SNCOs from the total force, active-duty Air Force, active-duty Space Force, selected Air Force Reserve (AFRES), and Air National Guard (ANG) may attend the resident AFSNCOA. Selected Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and international military personnel also attend on a limited basis. Active-duty Air and Space Force personnel must have at least one year of retainability following graduation. The Air Force Military Personnel Center (AFPC) identifies and notifies active-duty Air Force students for program attendance. Potential Air Force personnel should go through their base training manager for all questions regarding attendance, waivers and class dates. All students must meet their respective service standards.
The schoolhouse plays no part in USAF active duty, guard or reserve student selection; contact your local Base Training Office if you would like to obtain a slot. Future classes will have their rosters locked out 10 days prior to class start, please ensure you are engaged with your Base Training Office to ensure you can get into the class; no student swaps will be accepted 5 days prior to class start.
Reference AFI 36-2670, Total Force Development, for Active Duty Air Force, Air National Guard, and Air Force Reserve scheduling information.
Sister service members interested in attending should contact the following POC's:
US Navy: NCC Triston Thomas, AFSNCOA Coordinator (triston.q.thomas@navy.mil)
US Marine Corps: GySgt Jeremy Tolhurst, Marine Corps University (jeremy.tolhurst@usmcu.edu)
US Army: SGM Joseph A. Gonzalez, Operations SGM, NCO Professional Development Directorate (joseph.a.gonzalez.mil@mail.mil)
US Coast Guard: MKCS Christopher Wilson, Office of Leadership (CG-128), Enlisted Professional Development (christopher.h.wilson@uscg.mil)
Students selected for the course may email Student Administration or call: Cell (334) 201-2400 // Commercial (334) 416-1651 for any questions.
The in-residence AFSNCOA does not manage/administer the AFSNCOA DLC (Course 14). For assistance with the AFSNCOA DLC, visit https://auservicedesk.af.edu or call: Commercial (334) 416-1736 or DSN 596-1736.
Academy orientation information is located here; reporting instructions, to include virtual, are located here.
Class 21D COVID Standards of Practice (SOPs) are located (coming soon).