5/6 Organization: Leaders helping leaders

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Joe Rivera
  • 5th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  As Minot Airmen enter the NCO corps or advance further in rank, many find networking and development opportunities within a group of fellow leaders.

The 5/6 org is a non-profit organization designed to enhance the NCO corps. All staff sergeants selects, staff sergeants, technical sergeant selects and technical sergeants are encouraged to attend the meetings.

"We all, as NCOs, should be a part of the 5/6 org in some way," said Tech. Sgt. Dave Mangual, 5/6 Organization president. "This is such a great opportunity for both experienced and inexperienced NCOs to get together and talk about all the problems within the different workshops and get advice on how to correct them."

The 5/6 org is an open forum. The forum is held to discuss certain topics and concerns the base is having. It also provides a chance for supervisors to get together and talk about leadership issues they are having with their Airmen and get advice from their peers on how to deal with the issues. At the meetings the 5/6 org will bring in subject matter experts on the specific topics they will be discussing e.g. writing enlisted performance reports.

"This is such a great chance for the younger NCOs to learn from the other more experience NCOs," said Sergeant Mangual. "These meetings are a wonderful time to get together and learn better ways of sculpting the future leaders of today's Air Force."

NCOs are not required to attend the meetings to be a member of the 5/6 organization, but it is highly encouraged. Each squadron on base has a representative that will discuss topics that have been brought up during the meetings and the representative can also bring up the issues NCOs are having in their squadrons.

According to Sergeant Mangual, another benefit of being a part of the 5/6 organization is networking. He said Getting together in an open forum like this gives Airmen the opportunity to mingle with peers from different career field and establishes friendships that will not only help them perform better at their jobs, but help them guide their subordinates through any issues they are having.

"There are NCOs from the different agencies on base that attend the 5/6 meetings who may have information that is very useful to you in supervising Airmen," said Sergeant Mangual. "To give you an idea, the Area Defense Council is an agency that one of your Airmen may have to use at sometime in their career and you will have the opportunity to bring up a topic with first-hand knowledge readily available to you," Sergeant Mangual said.

The 5/6 organization is supported by many of the other organizations on base including the Chiefs Group, First Sergeant's Council and many others. "Becoming an active member will give you a chance to become a leader amongst your peers and help you guide other NCOs to strive to become better mentors." said by Sergeant Mangual.

The 5/6 Org is also actively involved with both the on and off base community. Members help support different events such as Muscular Sclerosis walk, Habitat for Humanity, and Northern Neighbors Day. The 5/6 organization also hosts events that focus on active duty personnel. "One of our biggest fund-raising events is the state fair." He said "We are in charge of the management of all trams for the state fair and are currently looking for volunteers of any rank who are willing to help out. "

The meetings are held every third Thursday of the month at the Top of the Rock lounge at J.R. Rockers. For more information or questions about the 5/6 Organization call 723-2569.