MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. -- Officer Training School flight commander and instructor Capt. Abigail Bowles will take over AETC’s Instagram account to give a behind-the-scenes look at her day-to-day life shaping OTS officer trainees into warrior-minded leaders of character, April 7, 2023.
Bowles is an Indianapolis, Indiana, native and public affairs officer selected to train new officers at OTS as part of the Officer, Instructor and Recruiter Special Duty program.
“I’m excited to share my experiences and give other Air Force officers thinking about their next assignment a chance to learn about my job,” Bowles said. “As a proud graduate of OTS Class 19-01, I’m looking forward to this opportunity to pay it forward and show others how meaningful the experience really is.”
Bowles’ favorite aspect of being an OTS flight commander is getting a chance to hone her leadership skills.
“We push multiple flights a year, so I have six to eight weeks at a time to really put theoretical leadership ideas into practice, make adjustments, and do it again,” Bowles said. “Some of the most rewarding moments are when trainees come back to me at the end of the class to tell me they put feedback I gave them into practice, and it resulted in a good outcome. Knowing that you have a real impact on them means a lot.”
Bowles will also answer questions and talk about work-life balance as an instructor. She plans to feature other instructors and show what life is like for trainees as well.