Whiteman hosts First Sergeant symposium

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Joel Pfiester
  • 509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. --  More than 50 members of Team Whiteman graduated from the First Sergeants' Symposium at the Professional Development Center April 18.

The four-day course provided first sergeant hopefuls insight into the duties and expectations for an Air Force first sergeant.

"The First Sergeant Symposium is there to instruct other members that are either thinking about becoming a first sergeant or going to be stepping into the world of a first sergeant as an additional duty if their first sergeant is on leave or absent for any reason," said Master Sgt. Trapper Otto, 509th Security Forces Squadron first sergeant. "We instruct them on 23 different topics within the realms of the Air Force Instructions and give them a little bit of insight into the world that we dive into on a daily basis."

First sergeants are responsible for health, morale and quality-of-life issues within their particular organization.

In order to be an effective first sergeant, one must be mentally prepared to face the challenges that occur within the job, said Master Sgt. Carrieann Pogue, 509th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron first sergeant.

"I would recommend to anyone that's going to be a first sergeant to make sure they have everything in order," Pogue said. "They need support from everybody that is a part of their life to do this job. They need to make sure they are ready to take on some challenges, and are mentally prepared to take on those challenges that come along with this job."

Along with being mentally prepared to face challenges, you must also be a people-person, Otto said.

"I became a first sergeant because I see myself as a people-person," Otto said. "I've had a positive influence with one of the first sergeants in my past and I want to be able to have that effect on the members that I would have the opportunity to do that for."

Despite the job's challenges, the opportunity to help fellow airman can be very rewarding, Otto said.

"It's the most rewarding job I've ever even thought about having in any profession that I've ever done," Otto said. "It's rewarding whenever you are able to help that one Airman through a troubling time and see the positive impact it has on them."