Special duties at Hurlburt Field: CPAC leader

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Andrea Posey
  • 1st Special Operations Wing Public Affairs
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. --  Editor's Note: This is the second article in a series about special duties offered on Hurlburt Field.

When one staff sergeant walked into the Commando Pride Airmen Center here to interview for the NCO in charge position, he did not expect to give an impromptu teaching lesson.

The career advisor, the previous NCO in charge and their leadership asked Staff Sgt. Todd Wickham, a weather systems trainer at the 2nd Combat Weather Systems Squadron, to teach the CPAC Airmen about timeliness.

"I had nothing prepared," he said. "I went in [to the class], told them who I was, and asked them to tell me about themselves, allowing me to gather my thoughts. Then, I talked about good supervisors, bad supervisors and the importance of timeliness."

Wickham said he applied for the position after he saw an email asking for volunteers.

"It was something I had thought about for a while," he said. "When I saw an opportunity, I jumped at it."

Wickham said he wanted the position so he could give back to Airmen and help them start their careers on the right foot.

"When [interviewing] Wickham at CPAC, I wanted to make sure he not only had all the credentials for the job itself, but that he had the ability to interact and lead students," said Senior Master Sgt. Scott Reed, Hurlburt Field Career Assistance Advisor. "He also needed to have what it takes to be a future leader in the Air Force."

The team of interviewers saw Wickham's potential and he was selected for the position, Reed said.

As the NCO in charge at CPAC, Wickman said he and the other instructors juggle two different roles: teaching and preparing to teach.

When he's not instructing classes, Wickham he works on scheduling, organizing team-building events, creating physical training sessions and scheduling guest speakers for future classes.

During class, instructors implement their plans, ensuring speakers arrive on time and the class is flowing smoothly. The same goes for team building, said Wickham.

"We try to get Airmen involved with each other, allowing them to network and build those initial relationships," he said.

During the weeklong CPAC course, instructors transition Airmen from the training environment to the mission mindset.

This helps them learn to be proactive, and to figure out what they're doing, Wickham said. They also learn about the mission and how they can be invested in it and make it their own.

"A lot of it is getting them to ask for resources and understand they can do that in the real world," said Wickham.

Those interested in this position should be able to display confidence at all times, according to Wickham.

"An Airman needs to be able to talk to people and get their message across clearly," he said. "It helps to previously be a mentor or a supervisor for other Airmen, so someone knows how to handle a situation where they may have to counsel someone."

To interview for a CPAC instructor position, Airmen must submit their last three EPRs and PT scores.

The CPAC instructor position is a one-year tour which hones computer, mentorship and leadership skills, according to Wickham.

"I think it takes a certain type of person for this job, but it is a great job... by far," he said. "If you are a people person and want to help, then you will get that chance. The best part is interacting with the Airmen and the different personalities."

If interested in applying for a CPAC instructor position, contact Reed at (850) 884-3912.