New ALS classroom makes room for 28 students

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Ryan Conroy
  • 1st Special Operations Wing Public Affairs
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. --  The Airman Leadership School staff introduced their newly-renovated building to approximately 150 Airmen during a ribbon-cutting ceremony, Aug. 17, here.

The 1st Special Operations Civil Engineer Squadron and the 823rd RED HORSE undertook the renovation project in July and added an additional classroom to meet growing student graduation requirements.

“We needed to add a fourth flight and a fourth room due to the increase in base population and promotion rate to staff sergeant,” said Master Sgt. Jennifer Griffiths, 1st Special Operations Force Support Squadron ALS commandant.

When the issue was presented in 2007, as a temporary fix, the front of the auditorium was used as a fourth classroom but could only hold 12 students due to layout requirements given by the Community College of the Air Force and the Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education.

“This was not ideal,” said Griffiths. “When the auditorium was used for mass briefings and guest speakers, which was three to four times a week, the flight had to remove desks, chairs, laptops and store all of their belongings in the back of the auditorium. This learning environment was not optimal.”

Since 2007, requests were submitted for a new building, but budget constraints made it impossible. In April 2014, students attending ALS offered a different proposal.

Instead of a completely new building, the idea was to remove the stage and storage room in the front of the auditorium and move a wall to extend the neighboring computer room into a classroom.

Engineers from the 1st SOCES confirmed the idea was a possibility and added the project to a priority list.

In August 2014, the Air Force decreased the time-in-service eligibity requirement to attend ALS to three years’ time in service. Then in January 2015, the Air Force required 20 percent of ALS students come from Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard. With the increased number of students needing to attend ALS and the importance of the education to Airmen, the project was made a priority.

The 1st SOCES teamed up with 25 multi-craft 823rd RED HORSE personnel to expedite the project starting July 26.

“The 1st SOCES received the work order for the ALS project and did not have enough manpower to get the job done,” said Tech. Sgt. Bryan Miller, 823rd RED HORSE team project leader. “At that time, 1st SOCES and 823rd RED HORSE worked together to order materials and complete the job.”

The two squadrons finished the project on July 25. ALS students also took the opportunity to execute self-help projects to include painting and rearranging displays.

“The cohesiveness and ability to work together, between 823rd RED HORSE and 1st SOCES, on such short notice was amazing,” said Miller.

The new classroom, a welcome addition, will now serve an important purpose, training more upcoming NCOs to enhance a future Air Force.

“We now have a dedicated classroom for our fourth flight and an auditorium that can be better utilized,” said Griffiths. “The size of the classroom also added four more students per class, which is an additional 28 students a year.”