Air Force Enlisted Professional Military Education is created and provided through the Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education, named after the service's fourth Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, Thomas N. Barnes, the first African American to attain the highest enlisted position in any branch of the U.S. Armed Forces.
The principal instructional method for all Air Force enlisted PME is guided discussion, in which students share ideas, experiences, and work together to achieve various educational objectives. Formative evaluations are an integral part of the curriculum and serve as feedback tools for the student and instructor. Summative objective and performance evaluations are used to determine whether the educational requirements outlined in the course are met. Enlisted PME courses include fitness and drill and ceremony components as well as formal lectures and academic research projects.
Air Force enlisted PME courses have been approved for college credit in the leadership, management and military science discipline of the service's Community College of the Air Force Associate in Applied Science degree programs.
Mission
Develop enlisted warfighters through education
Vision
Unrivaled center to develop airminded, mission-ready enlisted across the Airmanship Continuum, to win the next joint all-domain fight.
Schools, Courses and Programs
Airman Leadership School is an education program held at base level to prepare Senior Airmen for positions of greater responsibility. This course teaches leadership skills required of supervisors and reporting officials throughout the Air and Space Forces. ALS enhances the development of Senior Airmen by strengthening their ability to lead, follow, and manage while they gain a broader understanding of the military profession. ALS is attended by Senior Airmen and is required for promotion to Staff Sergeant.
The Noncommissioned Officer Academy is the second level of enlisted PME and prepares Technical Sergeants to be professional, war-fighting Airmen and Guardians who can manage and lead units in the employment of air and space power.
The Air Force Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy is the third level of enlisted PME. The AFSNCOA prepares senior NCOs to lead the enlisted force in the employment of airpower in support of U.S. national security objectives. There is a single resident AFSNCOA located at Maxwell AFB–Gunter Annex.
The Chief Master Sergeant Leadership Course is the capstone and pinnacle level of enlisted PME. The CLC provides Chief Master Sergeants the education to bridge strategic vision into tactical and operational execution. Throughout the program, the CLC emphasizes critical thinking and an enterprise-level view in order to educate, inspire, and develop Chief Master Sergeants into strategic-level leaders who effectively lead, manage and mentor lethal and ready organizations.
The Enlisted Professional Military Education Instructor Course strives to produce enlisted Airmen and Guardians who can teach and lead effectively in and out of the classroom. The curriculum is designed to heighten students’ appreciation for and understanding of classroom fundamentals and essentials; technical skills associated with enlisted PME classrooms, and the typical day-to-day performance expected of enlisted PME professionals. EPMEIC teaches methodologies that are very specific to enlisted PME and is considered the “gateway” for an enlisted PME instructor.
The Community College of the Air Force is a federally chartered academic institution that serves the U.S. Air Force's enlisted total force. We partner with 112 affiliated Air Force schools and 300 education service offices located worldwide to serve approximately 270,000 active, guard, and reserve enlisted personnel, making CCAF the world's largest community college system.
The Barnes Center is also home to the Air Force Enlisted Heritage Research Institute. The institute is dedicated to preserving the rich and dramatic heritage and tradition of the enlisted corps of the U.S. Air Force dating back to the U.S. Army Aeronautical Division, Army Air Service, Army Air Corps and Army Air Forces.