PETERSON SPACE FORCE BASE, Colo. -- The 302nd Airlift Wing First Sergeant Council hosted a speed mentoring session during the unit training assembly Apr. 3, 2022, at Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado.
Airmen sat with different mentors in 10-minute intervals over a three-hour period to discuss their career goals, past experiences and what their next step is.
Master Sgt. Kimberlee Tucker, 302nd Aeromedical Staging Squadron first sergeant, helped organize the event alongside Master Sgt. Terry Meyer, 302 ASTS aeromedical technician, and Master Sgt. Cassandra Hanak, Airman & Family Readiness Center Transition Assistance Program counselor.
“It’s a chance for people to connect with others and find potential mentors,” said Tucker. “Even if it isn’t the person they’re sitting across from, they have the option to connect with someone else because the mentors are good at networking. They may know somebody who could offer better support for that Airman.”
Maj. Gen Bret Larson, 22nd Air Force commander, and Chief Master Sgt. Chin Cox, 22 AF command chief, both attended the event as mentors for Airmen in the wing.
“Mentorship isn’t always about a 20-year relationship,” Cox said. “Sometimes it’s going to be a flash-type mentorship that goes on and this is one example of that. I’ve had mentors come in and out of my life and some were only there for five minutes, but some were just as impactful as mentors I’ve had throughout my whole 30-year career.”
The 302 AW First Sergeant Council plans to host a similar speed mentoring session on a quarterly basis. The format of the event is subject to change each time it’s hosted. Some events may be in-person and Airmen will sit down with their mentor of choice. Other events will be virtual where they’re assigned a mentor based on feedback the organizers receive.
“One of our lines of effort is to develop our Airmen,” Larson said. “This is part of that effort, and I love the innovative way the wing has introduced this event to get Airmen on the track to where they want to be.”
Tucker said that, although this event was wing-wide, similar events can be held at a lower level to give Airmen opportunities to find mentors within their squadron or group.