Organization Profile: The Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted
EducationStacie Duck
Walden University24 February 2013
Overview
History, Structure, Culture
Change Undertaken
Leadership Action Through Change Process
Overall Effectiveness of the Change Process
Reflection
History
Established as the College for Enlisted Professional Military Education December 15, 1993
Renamed Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education on March 30, 2008 to honor Retired Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force (CMAF) Thomas N. Barnes
Mission: Train, educate, and graduate Airmen in skills and competencies that enhance Air Force mission accomplishment.
Vision: World-renowned Center for enlisted education.
History
Responsible for the instructional programs and faculty development for:
- 64 Airman Leadership Schools (ALSs)
- 11 Noncommissioned Officer Academies (NCOAs)
- 1 Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy (AFSNCOA)
Responsible for the education of Air Force future enlisted leaders; graduates approximately 27, 500 students annually
Structure
Consists of the following organizations:
- Head Quarters Barnes Center
- Air Force Enlisted Heritage Research Institute (AFEHRI)
- AFSNCOA
- NCOAs
- ALSs
- First Sergeant Academy
- Community College of the Air Force (CCAF)
- Air Force Career Development Academy (AFCDA)
- Educational Program Cadre (EPC) also as known as the ISD cadre
Structure
Hierarchical Commander
Dean of Academic Affairs
Senior Program Team Manager (SPTM)
Superintendent of Program Teams
- ALS
- NCOA
- SNCOA
Commander
Dean AA SPTM
Supt ALS Team
Supt NCOA Team
Supt SNCOA Team
Culture
Professional active duty, retired, and non- military civilians
Relaxed and fun
Symbolic Symbols
- Barnes Center PME Emblem and Badge also know as a “Cookie”
Change Process Undertaken
Total Curriculum Rewrite for:
- ALSs
- NCOAs
- SNCOA
- Initiated to align curriculum with Air Force Institutional Competency List
- defines the broad and general subject areas for new curriculum for each level
Leadership Actions Throughout Change Process
Planning
- analyzed, evaluated and developed contingency plans for all conceivable scenarios
- Conducted gap, learning, technology and resource analysis
- Projects cost evaluated
- Time studies conducted to support the change process
- Compared to the Air Force Institutional Competency List (ICL)
Leadership Actions Throughout Change Process
Implementation
- Leadership communication
-- communicated with designers first
-- communicated with school and academy commandants
--- commandants communicated change to their respective instructor cadre
-- Mass communication at professional military education seminar, which is held once a year for all PME staff (leadership, designers, commandants, instructors, and support staff
-- Weekly updates posted to the Barnes Center Community of Practice (CoP) Web site
Leadership Actions Throughout Change Process
Implementation
- Curriculum draft released to all schools and academies 6 months before official implementation date
-- instructors provided feedback
-- curriculum edited based on feedback
-- small-scale test conducted at 5 NCOAs, 12 ALSs and the SNCOA
--- students provided feedback
--- curriculum edited again based on feedback
-- Curriculum designers traveled to different schools to evaluate curriculum delivery for 3 months
Overall Effectiveness of Change Process
Chang very successful due to:
- Consistent communication before, during and after implementation between everyone involved in the change
-- Reason and vision was clearly communicated
-- Tasks and responsibility were clearly outlined
- Unlimited encouragement and support
- Creativity and autonomy
Reflection
Chang very successful due to:
- Consistent communication before, during and after implementation between everyone involved in the change
-- Reason and vision was clearly communicated
-- Tasks and responsibility were clearly outlined
- Unlimited encouragement and support
- Creativity and autonomy
Summary
HISTORY
STRUCTURE
CULTURE
CHANGE UNDERTAKEN
LEADERSHIP ACTION
EFFECTIVENESS OF CHANGE
REFLECTION
Statue of CMAF (Ret.) Thomas N.
Barnes