The USAF First Sergeant Academy (FSA), a CCAF affiliated course, consists of 115 hours of blended facilitated distance and resident learning. The USAF FSA mission is to develop, through education and training, selected senior noncommissioned officers to serve as advisors to commanders on issues that impact our Airmen in successfully accomplishing the Air Force mission. The FSA is a total force academy. The academy’s curriculum is made up of six separate course curriculum plans through a blended learning concept. Distance learning prerequisite courses are active duty, Air Force Reserve (AFRES), and Air National Guard (ANG). The resident courses are active duty, Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC), and ANG. The courses are validated by the CCAF and have been accredited for six semester hours in human resource management, maintenance of discipline, and readiness. Upon graduation, students are awarded special duty identifier (SDI) 8F000.
The blended learning course consists of 25 hours of facilitated distance learning (FDL) and is divided into four weeks of demanding component-specific (active duty, ANG, AFRC) curriculum. Once students complete the FDL, they attend 90 hours of resident study at the FSA at Maxwell AFB–Gunter Annex, Montgomery, Alabama.
In addition, each component has a non-CCAF-accredited first sergeant additional duty seminar, overseen by the FSA through Blackboard, ensuring each installation imparts the exact same curriculum. The areas of study are human resource management, maintenance of discipline, and readiness.
Learning Outcomes. The FSA graduate will be able to
- advise and assist commanders with all matters affecting health, morale, discipline, welfare, and legal issues (Uniform Code of Military Justice, nonjudicial punishment, federal, and state);
- identify and react to quality force indicators to lead and mentor the enlisted force to support the USAF mission;
- support their units in regard to drill and ceremony;
- be effective in the deployed environment;
- epitomize the core values; and
- be effective in written and oral communication.
Faculty. All personnel selected as FSA faculty must carry the first sergeant SDI. FSA faculty members are required to have an associate’s degree and must complete the Academic Instructor Course (or equivalent) after arrival. Within the first year of teaching, the faculty must complete 120 hours of student contact internship and 30 hours of curriculum development.
Duration. The course length is 28 academic days FDL and 10 academic days in residence, and the facility can support up to 88 students per resident class. There are four FDL classes, subsequently broken into eight resident courses offered each fiscal year.
Eligibility. The USAF FSA course enrolls master sergeants from active duty, ANG, and AFRES. Refer to AFI 36-2113, The First Sergeant, and the special duty catalog (SPECAT) guide for the application, training, and selection process for first sergeant duty in each of the three components.
Reference the ETCA website at https://etca.randolph.af.mil for additional information.