Young Airmen pave way for change

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Joseph E. Bridge
  • 911th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
PITTSBURGH IAP ARS --   Standing in front of a room full of people, notebook in hand with an agenda of items being discussed one-by-one, Senior Airman Vanessa M.  Bartoe, leads a group of Airmen as the President of the 911th Airlift Wing's Airmen's Council.  The Airmen's Council represents the largest group by rank at the 911th with nearly 450; Senior Airmen and below, that make up the junior enlisted force structure.

The Airmen's Council is an organization that gives a voice to the junior enlisted Airmen tier, which encompasses Airman Basic, Airman, Airman First Class, and Senior Airman, while also forming bonds with other Airmen, developing leadership skills and participation in a professional organization.

"The idea behind starting the Airmen's Council was to raise morale of the junior enlisted, create networking opportunities, promote leadership, and also be a resume builder," said Bartoe a personnel specialist at the 911th. "We just wanted people to have a forum to meet and discuss issues on base and help each other with whatever Airmen needed."

The council has regularly scheduled meetings for the Sunday of every Unit Training Assembly to discuss issues and also plan events for upcoming UTA's.
Airmen's night out was the first event that the council had organized.  It was a night out at a Pittsburgh Pirate's baseball game that went sold out and was a success.
Community service is the next event that the council is working on.
 
For the upcoming holiday season the council is organizing an Angel Tree that would be housed wherever troop feedings would happen.  The tree would have names of local veterans on it that are in retirement homes around the local area. Names would be picked off the tree by members of the 911th.  The member would then purchase the item needed by that veteran for a nominal cost and then taken to the retirement home the Sunday of the December UTA.

With one of the pillars of focus on building bridge's with fellow Airmen, another pillar of the council is to help establish the future leaders within the junior enlisted ranks.

The council has guest speakers during meetings such as the wing commander, Col. Jeffrey A. Van Dootingh; Command Chief Master Sgt. Brian L. Zator, as well as a number of Chiefs and First Sergeant's around the base.

"Ultimately change is what I see when I go to speak at the Airmen's Council," said Zator. "By the numbers alone the junior enlisted have the power and influence to set up the wing for success in the future, and by having this council they certainly are getting off on the right foot by learning how to run their organization and better run the Air Force in the future."

With guest speakers that can help guide the leaders of tomorrows Air Force, the "getting your hands dirty" experience that Airmen receive, and the connections that are being made every time the council meets, the council is off to a solid start. "The support of leadership on base truly has been a big help in getting this organization started and continuing to help it grow," said Bartoe. "The council wants to get every Airman that is E-4 and below involved and grow this organization organically so that it truly is the Airmen's Council."