Air Force’s top enlisted looks for solutions to the frustration and stress many airmen feel

When the senior 'leadership' of Squadrons puts so many additional duties on their SNCO's and NCO's that they barely have enough time to take care of, mentor and guide their younger airmen, that is a huge problem. Furthermore, when PME is available online ONLY, that affects everyone who does not have an office job. How can we hold younger NCO's and Airmen accountable for their PME when they don't have the available resources? Manning is so tight that it's almost impossible to relieve others so they can work on their PME without affecting the mission at hand. Clearly, budgeting for more airmen and resources is the key as Washington ignored the warnings and cut too deep.

Not sure any of the proposed changes in this article will have any affect. The largest problem that I've witnessed in the part 33 years is deterioration of cohesive teams (i.e., Brotherhood in Arms). The AF seems to have become a 9-5 job (yes I know the other services will have some derogatory remarks). In the early years of my career, the folks you worked with were like a part of your family. I'm not sure that exists anymore.

Ignoring the Warrant Officer initiative, the Chief is completely lacking awareness of origins of enlisted PME in the Air Force and how it was developed and implemented over the years. His bio informs he enlisted in 1989 after much change had already been implemented pertinent to enlisted PME and enlisted performance reporting.

I'm not expressing any complaint about current policies, but rather the concern for finding solutions for the struggling with undermanning, underfunding, a lack of resources, high operations tempos and too many extra duties pertinent to the enlisted force structure most always include solutions suggesting making changes to PME, performance report and bringing back warrant officer rank into the Air Force's force structure will solve problems.

Forgotten is until the E-8 and E-9 enlisted ranks came into existence the Air Force was utilizing warrant officers as enlisted career field managers and other duties currently performed by E-8s and E-9s.

Forgotten is until the Air Force expanded it's E-4 force structure by initially splitting it into two ranks, one the SrA and the other the NCO Sergeant rank in December 1979 and subsequently in May 1991 doing away with the E-4 Sgt rank and making SSgt (E-5) the first NCO rank in the Air Force's enlisted force structure.

Forgotten all enlisted PME in the air Force was voluntary until completion of mandatory in-residence Airman Leadership school became a mandatory requirement for the SrA to get appointed (not promoted) to the E-4 Sergeant rank. Subsequently completion of required PME (NCO Academy & Senior NCO Academy) became required for promotion to TSgt and CMSgt and award of 7-skill level and 9-skill level.

Such motivation to improve the emotional wellbeing of Air Force enlisted also resulted in fancy ribbons such as USAF BMT Honor Graduate Ribbon (1976), Air Force Overseas Tour Ribbons (1980), Air Force Training Ribbon (1980) and it resulted in the 2014 PME ribbon eligibility being extended to completion of "distance learning" courses qualify for award of the ribbon.

Being ignored is 20-months TIS is when most enlisted airman becomes eligible for promotion to SrA (E-4). If they haven't already obtained award of 5-skill level they are completing this upgrade training and beginning 7-level upgrade training. It is also the entering TIS period of significance should the airman decide he/she wants to retrain out of current AFSC and entry classify into another AFSC. At what point should the initial baseline performance of an enlisted airman begin to get documented to indicate potential for increased responsibilities and accountability?

What's the next step, remove NCO duties from all enlisted rank in the Air Force as Warrant Officers due to rank are put into NCO leading positions with consideration that other than in the Battlefield Airman AFSCs most Air Force NCOs are not leading others into harms way into combat?

It could also result in some AFSCs disappearing completely from the enlisted occupations as they get converted to 100% warrant officer occupations. Point being made is be careful for what is being wish for as it may not result in what is being expected. All change brings good and bad with it, the better change brings mostly good results.