2AF commander visits Goodfellow

Published May 15, 2024
By Senior Airman Sarah Williams
17th Training Wing Public Affairs

GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --

The 17th Training Wing demonstrated the significant strides it has taken to advance Technical Training Transformation to the commander of Second Air Force, Maj. Gen. Michele Edmondson, during her visit here May 7-8.

2AF commander visits Goodfellow

U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Michele Edmondson, Second Air Force commander, talks with a student during the Basic Military Training welcome brief at Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas, May 7, 2024. Edmondson emphasized to new Airmen the critical significance of their roles within the Air Force, as understanding this fosters a culture of dedication and excellence and instills a sense of purpose, responsibility and commitment essential for mission success. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Sarah Williams)

“Tech. Training Transformation is all about capitalizing on how today’s Airmen and Guardians learn to build enduring advantages to better optimize and exploit the weapon systems they will operate,” said Edmondson. “Today’s recruits are digital natives; they have had a device in their hands since kindergarten, we can’t expect to optimize their performance if we put them in the same kind of learning environment my generation grew up in. We have to build on their learning ability and give them an environment to maximize their potential.”

2AF commander visits Goodfellow

U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Michele Edmondson, Second Air Force commander, watches a demonstration of virtual reality gear used for training at Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas, May 7, 2024. The VR headset is utilized to place trainees in specific real-life scenarios, boosting motivation and eagerness to learn the details of their jobs. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Sarah Williams)

Second Air Force has developed a deliberate plan defining eight key training imperatives to achieve its vision of a sixth-generation learning environment. These eight key training imperatives address classroom modernization, relevant learning modalities, updating infrastructure to support new technology, proliferating connectivity for on-demand learning, investing in faculty development, updating resourcing models to support the change, as well as all aspects of human performance optimization to maximize an Airman’s potential.

Edmonson’s visit started by welcoming the newest arrivals from Basic Military Training for both the intelligence and firefighter courses taught here. As the tour progressed, she immersed herself in the 312th Training Squadron, exploring enhancements in the Special Instruments Training course. Edmondson also received a briefing on the advancements made to the Joint All-Domain Expeditionary Forward Operations Readiness Generation Exercise. JADE FORGE is a sixth-generation intelligence training initiative that provides joint service intelligence warriors assigned to the 17th Training Group the opportunity to battle a formidable enemy in the Pacific theater, coordinate the employment of high-tech weaponry, and apply their skills in a realistic scenario much like a real-world military operation. In this course, students operate in an austere environment and access high-tech software with specially configured hardware.

2AF commander visits Goodfellow

U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Michele Edmondson, Second Air Force commander, talks with U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Ricardo Davis, 344th Military Intelligence Battalion instructor, during a brief at JADE FORGE, Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas, May 7, 2024. Second Air Force developed a deliberate plan defining eight key training imperatives to achieve its vision of a sixth-generation learning environment. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Sarah Williams)

They gather and integrate critical intelligence used to brief aircrews to target key military assets and provide valuable logistics support to forward-deployed coalition forces.

After leaving JADE FORGE, Edmondson visited the 17th Training Support Squadron, where she gained insight into the technical training initiatives made in the Instructional Technology Unit.

“In the end, it’s about optimizing how each Airman and Guardian performs in all aspects of their life: how they best learn, how and what they eat, how they sleep, how they exercise, how they relate to and interact with others,” stated Edmondson. “If we do all those things right, then we build a strong foundation in all Airmen and Guardians as they head off to their first assignment.”