22nd Air Force hosts Georgia technical college delegates

  • Published
  • By Sam Grizzle
  • 22nd Air Force Public Affairs
DOBBINS AIR RESERVE BASE, Ga. --  Twenty-second Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. John P. Stokes welcomed educators from the Technical College System of Georgia to Dobbins Air Reserve Base May 22, 2017 for a tour and partnership meeting.

The group, which included representatives from Chattahoochee Technical College, learned about Air Force Reserve training programs that potentially align with TCSG programs. David Connell, President and CEO of the Cobb Chamber of Commerce and Pam Younker, Community Development Officer for Children’s Health Care of Atlanta, accompanied the educators. Younker also serves nationally on the U.S. Air Force Civic Leader Council.

“Our goal in hosting this visit today is to further develop our relationship with the Technical College System of Georgia and explore potential opportunities that would mutually benefit the Air Force Reserve and the state of Georgia,” Stokes said in his welcoming remarks to the delegation.

Air Force Reserve leaders from three training centers located on Dobbins ARB briefed the visiting delegation on the programs of study associated with their specific centers.

Chief Master Sgt. David Mullinax, chief of the Transportation Proficiency Center, described how students attending his school receive technical training on a variety of skills related to Aerial Port operations and logistics. Senior Master Sgt. Byron Godwin, support flight chief, Force Support Silver Flag, explained his center trained Force Support personnel from all Air Force components in services associated with contingency and humanitarian operations. Master Sgt. Alexes Abrams, site superintendent, Expeditionary Combat Support Training & Certification Center, focused on the in-depth individual skills training his center provides to enable Civil Engineers to successfully support contingency operations around the world.

Following the briefings, the delegation visited all three training centers where they toured classroom environments, met course instructors and students, and observed ongoing training activities.

“Dobbins Air Reserve Base does an excellent job providing training for their forces and the knowledge base that’s out here is very impressive,” said Robert Keown, executive director, Georgia Virtual Technical Connection and director of Military Affairs for TCSG. “I’m also encouraged about the vision that Maj. Gen. Stokes is bringing to the forefront in that this is going to be something that is beneficial to the state of Georgia – to those individuals who are most of the time civilians but they’re also part of the Air Force Reserve workforce.

“At the Technical College System of Georgia, we’re all about workforce development so we’re looking for that person who can benefit the employer and in this instance, who’s also benefiting the country through service in the Air Force Reserve,” Keown added.

Dr. Ron Newcomb, Chattahoochee Technical College president, said he was impressed with what he observed and learned about the training centers. “It opened my eyes to the fact that these centers are doing training in so many areas that parallel some of the things we do at the college. If Airmen are learning competencies here and we’re teaching some of the same competencies at the technical college, let’s compare and see how we can get credit for what happens in each respective shop.”

Stokes summed up the event with his thoughts about a win-win solution. “We have a great pool of Airmen, fresh out of Air Force technical training who, as Traditional Reservists, work part time in the Air Force Reserve and full-time in a job somewhere in the civilian sector,” he said. “Why not help these young Airmen get a college education and a technical degree that would support their job in the military and also give them a pathway to a career in the civilian sector. We would see great benefit to our Airmen and the state of Georgia.”

The visiting delegation of educators and Dobbins military leaders agreed to meet again in the near future to advance the discussion about working together for mutual benefit to Georgia and the Air Force Reserve.