FORCE DEVELOPMENT

The Air Force released The Blueprint April 21. It serves as a foundational document to link enlisted development — from entry to departure. This new document is one of 28 Enlisted Force Development Action Plan (EFD-AP) objectives focused on developing tomorrow’s enlisted Airmen … today.

The Air Force recently updated the contents of The Enlisted Force Structure and The Profession of Arms: Our Core Values, more commonly known among Airmen as the “Brown” and “Blue” books.

Tradition and heritage are themes found within the revamped foundational guides for Airmen to emulate throughout their career.

Developing and updating these guides was part of the 28 Enlisted Force Development Action Plan objectives focused on developing the future enlisted force. The revised “Brown Book” can be found here and the revised “Blue Book” can be found here.

OFFICER:  The Air Force Officer Professional Military Education Program is central to a Continuum of Education that spans an officer's professional career. Beyond pre-commissioning education, which constitutes the first level of the COE, developmental education is designed to educate and professionally broaden individual officers into strategic leaders who can provide innovative solutions to the future complex challenges facing the Air Force. Officers selected for developmental education will attend programs such as Air Command and Staff College, Air War College, National War College and others. For the latest information about developmental education, such as the 2020 Officer Developmental Program Description Guide, intermediate and senior DE timeline and eligibility charts, visit myPers; click the Force Development link from the active-duty officer landing page or select the active-duty officer category from the dropdown menu and search “force development.”

ENLISTED:  Enlisted Professional Military Education introduces Airmen to appropriate institutional competencies at specific milestones throughout their career. Visit myPers; and click the Force Development link from the active-duty enlisted landing page or select the active-duty enlisted category from the dropdown menu and search “force development.”

Developmental Education (DE) course completion is normally updated automatically in an Airman's personnel record within 7 duty days. Airmen should verify course completion by reviewing their vMPF Career Data Brief (CDB) prior to requesting a course completion update.

NOTE: Only three levels of enlisted military education may be displayed on an Assignment Management System (AMS) Single Unit Retrieval Format (SURF), therefore the member's CDB should be used to verify EPME course completion. 

OFFICERS

Officers must contact HQ AU/CFRO at DSN 493-4776, commercial 334-953-4776, or fax a written request to DSN 493-8127. In your message/fax, please include first and last Name, SSN, e-mail Address, phone number, course ID and completion date. HQ AU/CFRO will contact you as soon as possible.

ENLISTED

Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education (SEJPME) Updates: Base-level Formal Training Office (FTO) will update SEJPME course completions. Airmen must take the completion certificate to the FTO. FTO have the ability to update SEJPME course completion in Military Personnel Data System.

NOTE: Requests to update SEJPME or other DE course completions submitted using the "Request SNCO/NCO Distance Learning Course Update" will be returned without action.

SNCO/NCO Distance Learning Course Updates: Use the Request SNCO/NCO Distance Learning Course Update (found via myPers) to attach a copy of your Professional Military Education (PME) certificate. This action will generate an incident for the myPers-Total Force Service Center to update your personnel records.

Resident EPME Updates: Contact your local FTO for assistance. If necessary, the FTO will elevate to the appropriate office for update.

Many developmental programs, such as commissioning programs, require taking the Air Force Officers Qualification Test (AFOQT). For information, to include test preparation and location go to the AFOQT webpage. The AFOQT study prep course is on the left-hand side of the page near the bottom labeled "AFOQT Prep Materials." Click on it and it will bring you to another page with a link in the middle that says “AFOQT Form T Prep Materials.” Click on that and it will bring you to a page with several links. The first one is the Info Pamphlet with the overview of the AFOQT and the second one is the prep course.

A Headquarters Air Staff & AETC initiative
Developmental Special Experiences are immersive, competency-based learning activities outside the scope of the AF formal training and education that have been validated as potential means for Airmen to obtain specific, foundational, occupational or joint competencies. Some examples of DSEs are duty as a Security Cooperation Officer, senior master sergeant Defense Attaché or participation in the Civilian Strategic Leader program.

The Force Development Special Experience Catalog provides the Total Force the opportunity to impact their future. The DSE Catalog provides information to assist the development of future career goals and pathways and may be sorted by officer, enlisted, civilian, rank/grade, AFSC/series and component. You can access the catalog off Air Education Training Command’s Education & Training Course Announcements SharePoint with a common access card from an Air Force server, either direct or via VPN. The DSE link is in the upper right of the page. 

AIR FORCE RESERVE:  Force Development is the career-long pursuit of education, training, experiences and assignments that produce Citizen Airmen who possess the requisite skills, knowledge and motivation to lead and execute the full spectrum of Air Force Reserve missions. Each Citizen Airman is encouraged to seek out opportunities and experiences to remain professionally relevant throughout the course of their career. The goal is to produce Citizen Airmen who possess the tactical expertise, operational competence, and strategic vision to lead and execute the full spectrum of Air Force missions. 

For the latest information about Reserve developmental opportunities, visit myPers; click the Force Development link from the Reserve officer or enlisted landing pages or select the Reserve officer or enlisted category from the dropdown menu and search “force development.”

AIR NATIONAL GUARD:  The goal for Air National Guard Force Development is to prepare Airmen for both current and future challenges through a deliberate and individualized development process conducive to the Citizen Airman schedule and inclusive of civilian experience.

For the latest information about ANG developmental opportunities, visit myPers; click the Force Development link from the ANG officer or enlisted landing pages or select the ANG officer or enlisted category from the dropdown menu and search “force development.”

Civilian Force Development ensures the Air Force has the right people in the right job at the right time and provides education and leadership opportunities that will prepare Air Force civilians to successfully meet challenges across the wide range of operations and missions. 

Air Force Civilian Force Development offers more than 25 programs to help civilians develop leadership skills and expand their overall knowledge. They include the Civilian Associate Degree Program, Squadron Officer School, Education with Industry, Air Command and Staff College (in residence or the online master’s program), Air Force Legislative Fellows Program, Air War College (in residence), National War College, the Defense Senior Leader Development Program and more. 

For more information, click here to visit our Civilian Career Broadening public web page. Or, visit myPers; click the Force Development link from the civilian employee landing page or select the civilian employee category from the dropdown menu and search “force development.”