Chiefs mentor at Airman Leadership School Published Sept. 22, 2006 By Chief Master Sgt. Dale Griffith AFSOC, Det. 3 HURLBURT FIELD, Fla -- I recently had the privilege of mentoring a class at the Airman Leadership School. This program was started by ALS and the Chiefs' Group in an effort to instill a greater understanding and application of leadership into the Airmen attending the course. It gives the class members a different perspective of the Professional Military Education curriculum and how to tailor lessons learned to the work place. When I went through leadership school it was known as the NCO leadership school and sergeants and staff sergeants could attend, but only after they had taken appropriate pre-requisites. We didn't have the benefit of a mentor, so we had to rely on our own experiences or the experiences of the class instructors. In any case, there was always that element missing because we didn't have someone there to share wisdom and provide additional guidance from practical experience. This is where the chief's mentoring program has bridged the gap - helping provide that missing element of instruction with the chief's insight on the application of the instruction. Chiefs master sergeant, or selects, are assigned to each with the opportunity to attend different course discussions in the areas including enlisted force structure, group dynamics, enlisted evaluation system, maintaining standards through discipline, counseling, contemporary military leadership, mentoring, diversity, and professional and unprofessional relationships. I've learned a great deal from these Airmen and I hope I was able to impart some of my knowledge on them as well.