Service members achieving success through BELDT courses

Published Sept. 28, 2011
By Airman Nigel R. Sims
460th Space Wing Public Affairs

BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- Service members at Team Buckley have been taking their scholastic achievements to another level by taking the opportunity to enroll and complete the Buckley Education and Leadership Development Training courses taught here by senior non-commissioned officers.

The BELDT program is professional development training that is comprised of four core courses that focus on different things such as mentorship, performance, and education.

"Any additional professional military education that you can take is always beneficial," said Tech. Sgt. John Cunningham, 460th Communications Squadron NCOIC of Network Infrastructure. "The enlisted evaluation BELDT course is amazing for refreshing your memory on what to do when giving feedbacks and enlisted performance reports."

"I really enjoyed the enlisted force structure BELDT course as well," said Cunningham. "It reiterates and clears up what you need to do at your level in the Air Force. It is essential for service members to know what's expected of them and when they need to do it, and in the long run it helps service members to become better supervisors."

Service members ranking between E1-E6 that are under 24 months of service and also have achieved their Community College of the Air Force degree must take the four core professional development courses along with two additional professional development courses in order to successfully complete this program. However, service members E6-E8 with over 24 months in service have to have obtained their Community College of the Air Force degree along with the successful completion of the Senior Non-commissioned Officer Joint Professional Military Education Course, Course 14 and completion of the four professional development courses.

"Taking these classes is not required," said Tech. Sgt. Eugene Budnik, 460th Communications Squadron assistant NCOIC of Network Infrastructure. "But service members don't have anything to lose whatsoever by attending them, they are also easy to go to because they are during lunch, and at lunch service members can always break away. If service members gain one good tip out of an hour class that they can keep with them their whole career, that is golden."

Contact Master Sgt. Christopher Hart In order to sign up for courses at 720-847-6933.