PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- There is never one clear path to take when it comes to a person’s career. However, good mentorship can help Airmen develop and move toward their goals.
Members of the 302nd Airlift Wing had an opportunity to receive guidance and advice from wing leaders during a speed mentoring session at the Peterson Air Force Base Argon Dining Facility today.
During this session, senior noncommissioned and previously enlisted commissioned officers were stationed at different tables in the room. Mentees rotated throughout the session to ask questions and get perspectives from mentors.
Chief Master Sgt. Lawrence Prieto, the 302nd Logistics Readiness Squadron superintendent, said he and the other chiefs wanted to organize the speed mentoring session to provide the wing’s enlisted Airmen an opportunity to ask questions and discuss military and civilian career aspirations.
Participants discussed topics including how to commission through the Deserving Airman Commissioning program, balancing training and readiness requirements with getting more involved in the wing, and how to create and achieve short, medium and long-term goals.
Senior Master Sgt. Robert Gage, 39th Aerial Port Squadron cargo noncommissioned officer in charge, said that mentorship is important because the airmen and NCOs are the future of the Air Force and it’s important that good mentorship is available to continue positive leadership moving forward.
“It helps people get to goals they’d like and to know what else is out there that they’d like to attain,” said Senior Master Sgt. Nattessa Gilbert, the 731st Airlift Squadron loadmaster NCO in charge.
Senior Airman Vincent Padilla with the 302nd LRS travel management office, said that his biggest takeaway from the event was that anyone can be a mentor to anyone by taking what they learn and passing it on to others.
“There are a lot of people to go to,” Padilla said. “Always be in constant communication with people, they have knowledge and experience that’s very valuable.”
Prieto also said the group hopes to hold events like this periodically as the wing’s schedule allows to provide Airmen with information and advice about career progression and development that they might not have known about otherwise.