944th gains career advisory recognition, will receive additional support

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Tyler Bolken
  • 944th Fighter Wing
Air Force Reserve Command recently announced 39 new full-time career assistance advisor positions command-wide. To empower these new advisors, they will be equipped with the tools and training to best support Airmen as it relates to incentives, career counseling, and professional enhancement programs.

The 944th Fighter Wing’s new career advisor is slated to start at the end of May, said Chief Master Sgt. Michelle Harvey, 944th Force Support Squadron superintendent.

“As it relates to enlistments, extensions, training, and bonuses, it can be difficult for Reserve Airmen who are only here two days a month, which is equally difficult for us advisors in the same boat,” said Master Sgt. Burton Piper, 944th Mission Support Group career advisor. “This new position will expedite the processes for important needs, and allow more time for Airmen to address and take care of these needs.”

These programs and resources have been a priority for the 944th Fighter Wing and its leadership for some time. In 2016, the wing hosted a collective training for all the career advisors allowing them to better network with one another and learn and grow from each other’s respective experience and expertise within career assistance. The wing’s goal with this alignment strategy was to strengthen cohesiveness, improve retention, and to support the overall connection with Airmen in the wing as a whole.

“A lot of us had never even met each other before that training,” said Piper. “During these past couple of years, we have really been able to reach out and help one another after training together and meeting face to face.”

This alignment and networking strategy implemented by the wing has continued on and was recently recognized and recommended by Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command as a best practice during a three-day working group hosted to help improve career advisory support across the command.

For more information regarding career advisory support, send an email to michelle.harvey.1@us.af.mil.