USAF Reserve Wing hosts Additional Duty First Sergeant Symposium

  • Published
  • 310th Space Wing

The 310th Space Wing’s First Sergeant Council hosted an Additional Duty First Sergeant Symposium last week for noncommissioned and senior NCOs interested in the role.

The four-day event focused on teaching possibly the most important job of a first sergeant—taking care of people. The class had nine Reserve Citizen Airmen from the 310th SW 926th Wing, and 302nd Airlift Wing, Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado.

“The role of being a full-time additional duty first sergeant is critical for us in the Reserve because our part time members don’t have part time challenges,” said Senior Master Sgt. Bruce Pascucci, the 310th SW first sergeant. “Most of our additional duty first sergeants are full-timers and often provide immediate care to members until their first sergeant is available.”

The curriculum is provided by the First Sergeant Academy at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, and covers counseling, conflict and communication; base and community resources, legal aspects and resiliency. Attendees also spoke with leadership panels consisting of commanders and chief master sergeants.

“While we give the students a lot of information, I believe it is the lessons from actual stories and experiences we share that provide the most value,” said Pascucci. “No two situations ever seem to be the same and we all respond to things differently. Our instructors learn just as much from the students as the students learn from the instructors.”