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624th RSG launches The Well, a development and mentorship program for Airmen

  • Published
  • By Kelly Owens
  • 624th Regional Support Group

Last fall, more than 50 Reserve Citizen Airmen from the 624th Regional Support Group in Guam gathered for the inaugural session of a professional and personal development program, The Well. A few weeks later, Hawaii-side Airmen had the same opportunity to participate in this new quarterly training and mentorship program designed specifically for Airmen and non-commissioned officers (NCO), E1 through E6.

Launched under the leadership of Chief Master Sgt. Andrea Young, 624 RSG’s senior enlisted leader, The Well provides networking and mentorship opportunities and skills enhancement training for those who participate. Each day-long session invites mentors and facilitators to communicate vision, instill purpose and passion for the mission, and deliberately develop the next generation of Air Force leaders.

“We want to posture our Airmen to be the best leaders, teammates and subject matter experts in their fields,” said Young. “To that end, each session is organically tailored to include education and information that will serve our Airmen, whether it’s teaching them best practices for completing EPRs, delivering Airman Comprehensive Assessments or navigating difficult conversations. Through facilitated discussions and interactive workshops, our Airmen are better situated to be mission-ready, resilient and empowered to enable our Total Force to fly, fight and win.”

In these first two sessions, The Well welcomed 35 mentors and facilitators, which included Senior Master Sgt. Maria Tailo; Master Sgt. Jerry Pagaduan; Master Sgt. Kassy Costales; Senior Master Sgt. Tammy Castro; Senior Master Sgt. Antonio Gumataotao; and Master Sgt. Yolanda Esparza, as well as 624 RSG chiefs and first sergeants.

Tech. Sgt. Stephen Novak, a medical logistician with the 624 Aeromedical Staging Squadron, signed up for the February session of The Well because he wanted to learn how to write effective EPR bullets.

“The Well was way more than I expected,” he said. “We learned about how being able to write effective EPR bullets, awards and using MyVector not only helps promote Airmen, but also creates a cycle of good leadership. It was awesome.”

Preparations for the fifth installment of The Well are currently underway on both islands, with plans to extend attendance numbers now that COVID restrictions have been loosened and Airmen have been vaccinated. Hawaii-side, the next iteration will take place on May 16; on Guam, the program is slated for June 13.

“As we put together the agenda for each session, we are focusing on providing information that we’ve heard our Airmen want more of,” said Castro. “And everything we do is centered around the Whole Airman Concept, which focuses on leadership and job performance, self-improvement and base or community involvement.”

The goal is to increase proficiency for everyone involved, equipping individuals to seamlessly transition into roles of greater responsibility.

“Self-development is not for the faint-of-heart,” said Young. “It takes a lot of introspective thinking, self-awareness and vulnerability to grow as a leader no matter what rank you wear on your chest. I am thrilled for and proud of the airmen who are taking advantage of this opportunity to be the best versions of themselves – and rest assured knowing the future of our force is in their hands.”

To view more images from the first session of The Well, click here.

 

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VIDEO | 00:49 | The Well