Military Writing 101: Airman Tier

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Jessica Weissman
  • Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs
MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  The Top 3 Association, in coordination with the Total Force Development Committee, recently hosted a professional development course for junior enlisted Airmen.
Military Writing 101: Airman Tier is a professional development course created for Airman Basic through Senior Airman to teach what they need to know about military writing and bullet writing.
The course was taught by Senior Master Sgt. Joshua Wiener, the quality assurance superintendent assigned to the 5th Maintenance Group and the vice president of the Top 3.
“We developed this class to make sure Airmen are preparing themselves properly and to know what goes into a bullet,” said Wiener. “The course isn’t so much about getting them to write a bullet, but getting Airmen Basic to Senior Airmen to know what goes into effectively writing a bullet.”
Airmen were instructed that thinking ahead and preparing themselves by keeping a personal log of their accomplishments and volunteer opportunities throughout their reporting period can drastically help their supervisor write an effective enlisted performance report.
“I like the fact that Sgt. Wiener pointed out to everyone that it’s up to us as Airmen to write down everything we do, both on the job and off, to improve the bullets we can get,” said Staff Sgt. Shelby Gowler, assistant installation Personnel Reliability Assurance Program monitor assigned to the 5th Bomb Wing, “I only wish someone had told me that when I was a brand new Airman.”
Airmen were reminded that feedback sessions with supervisors are important, and if they haven’t received one they are encouraged, and allowed, to ask for one.
“As an MXG guy, and there were a few MXG Airmen who attended the course, I enjoy seeing Airmen now coming in and initiating their feedback sessions if they never received one initially,” said Wiener.
The course did not only discuss bullet writing and feedback, but talked about filling out Air Force forms, Officer Training School packages and civilian resumes.
While this class focuses on junior enlisted Airmen, there will be classes offered to NCOs and Senior NCOs.
“We have taught a 201 course that reaches to NCOs and we’re planning a 301 to reach senior NCOs,” said Wiener. “We started with a general writing course, but decided to break it down to the individual tiers to reach the proper targeted audience.”
As an NCO, Gowler decided to take this course to encourage her troops and other Airmen to take professional development courses like it.
“I feel that I am comfortable having my Airmen take this course to better prepare themselves, and I’m better able to answer any questions they may have coming out of it,” she said.
The whole prospect of the course is to teach Airmen what is recommended for EPRs, and how to be successful as an Airmen as it relates to military writing, said Wiener.
“No one takes care of you like you.”