Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. -- Here at the home of Air University, continuing education is at the core of what we do, with Squadron Office School, Air Command and Staff College, and Air War College on the academic circle here, and the enlisted school across town at Gunter Annex. These schools exist to ensure that our military is the best trained force on the planet.
But those schools aren’t just for airmen. It’s commonplace for them to host sister service members, international students, and government civilians. One government civilian recently attended the Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, and made his presence felt by being the first civilian in the school’s history to be recognized as a distinguished graduate.
Mr. John E. Bailey is the Assistant Fire Chief of Health and Safety with the 42nd Civil Engineer Squadron Fire and Emergency Services. In his position, he is responsible for managing the fire department’s health and safety program in compliance with Air Force regulations, and National Fire Protection Association standards, as well as overseeing fire ground safety during emergency operations. Bailey began SNCOA July 10th, 2024, and graduated Aug.13th, 2024.
Bailey was motivated to take the SNCOA course after reading an article about the first civilian graduate, Assistant Fire Chief Christopher "Dallas" Cocke, who had helped him tremendously when he first became a Health and Safety Officer.
“Motivated by his success, I approached my supervisor about applying. A conversation with a good family friend convinced me to accept the opportunity, reminding me that it would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for both networking and personal growth,” said Bailey.
As the only civilian in a student body of 266, and wearing a firefighter uniform instead of camouflage, Bailey did stick out visually, but his presence was welcomed by his classmates and his instructors who would frequently ask for his perspective as a civilian, showing genuine interest in how someone outside the military viewed the SNCOA experience. The interest of peers and instructors led Bailey to feel that his presence was valued and encouraged him to fully embrace the course.
“I approached the course with the mindset that, although I wear a different uniform, I’m no different from anyone else. This attitude led me to participate fully, including in the physical training sessions,” said Bailey.
Overall, the course has equipped Bailey with invaluable leadership knowledge, including critical thinking, ethical decision-making, and re-framing techniques, as well as a deeper understanding of the National Defense Strategy, National Security Strategy and Joint Planning Process.
“These concepts are essential for my role as a DoD Civilian working directly with airmen and younger NCOs. It has also enhanced my ability to focus on the military’s evolving roles, such as mission-ready airmen, Air Force Generation model, and Joint Task Forces, and how these changes will impact both their careers and our mission here at home,” said Bailey.
While Bailey appreciates the professional skills gained at the SNCOA, and is humbled to be recognized as distinguished graduate, he also highly values the connections and friendships he made while attending the course.
“Graduating from SNCOA and being the first civilian to win Distinguished Graduate was a huge honor for me, more important than the award were the friendships and connections I made across the Air Force,” said Bailey.