Happy Hooligans, Warriors of the North make ALS history

by Staff Sgt. Luis Loza Gutierrez
319th Air Force Base Public Affairs

7/7/2014 - GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- History was made during a recent graduation by Airmen completing their Airman Leadership School course.

The course is designed to prepare junior enlisted members for leadership and supervisory roles as they make the transition to the non-commissioned officer level.

Class 14-Echo began making ALS history with the makeup of their class by itself.

The class was made up by two groups of students more commonly referred to in the Air Force as flights. One flight consisted of 12 active-duty Airmen completing their in-residence course at the Chief Master Sgt. Richard L. Etchberger Airman Leadership School here, while the other flight was made up of a dozen Air National Guard Airmen from the 119th Wing attending an in-residence ALS course at the North Dakota ANG base in Fargo, North Dakota.

Both of the flights were simultaneously taught by Air Force active-duty instructors from the Etchberger ALS. This new approach on training was the first of its kind according to officials from the 119th Wing and the 319th Air Base Wing.

"When I talked to the training people at the National Guard Bureau, they said they have not heard of another Air National Guard base doing it this way," said Senior Master Sgt. Jeff Miller, 119th Wing non-commissioned officer in charge of training.

The concept of having one active-duty instructor travel to the Air National Guard Base in Fargo to teach a course rather than having several Air National Guard Airmen travel to the Grand Forks AFB, and stay there to attend the course arose from discussions between Miller and the Etchberger ALS commandant, Master Sgt. Aaron Holmes.

The benefits became apparent to the pair of senior NCOs as they discussed the financial savings for the U.S. government as well as the job satisfaction of contributing to the improvement of leadership training for the Air National Guard members and the total force concept.

The historic undertaking between the Happy Hooligans and the Warriors of the North was sealed when the students completed the five-week long joint-venture by coming together for a formal graduation ceremony at the Northern Lights Club here.

"I wasn't looking to be part of history," said Tech. Sgt. James Richey, the active-duty ALS instructor assigned to teach the flight of Air National Guard students in Fargo. "My intentions as an ALS instructor have always been to prepare the [student] Airmen to be the best supervisors and leaders they can be. The real credit should go to Sergeants Miller and Holmes. They're the ones that worked behind the scenes to make this happen. I'm just grateful to have had the opportunity."

Richey wasn't the only one grateful for the opportunity.

"This entire experience has been great. I loved it." said Staff Sgt. Todd Hillukka, the class leader for the Air National Guard student flight.

Hillukka said he had completed the U.S. Army Warrior Leader Course before he'd made the switch from the Army National Guard to the Air National Guard approximately 5 years ago.

"I was very glad to jump at the opportunity to see how the Army's WLC compared to ALS," said the 13-year veteran from Dent, Minn. "ALS is extremely more in depth in comparison to the Warrior Leader Course. It was easy to be the class leader of this flight because everyone was so good, and knowing that I'm part of something that hasn't been done before is very humbling."

The experience was also a one for Senior Justin Haley, the class leader for the active-duty flight.

"I was excited about being part of this class because I think many Airmen don't usually get to experience the total force concept until much later in their careers or if they get deployed overseas, so having gone through the experience state side makes this pretty special," said the Seattle native. "I enjoyed the camaraderie that our two flights created and I hope a class like ours happens again."

Haley wasn't the only one with hopes for a repeat of another class like 14-E.

Col. Kent Olson, 119th Wing commander, said he believes this new total force approach for ALS has become a new way of closing the gap to the 90-mile stretch of highway on Interstate 29 that separates the Happy Hooligans and Warriors of the North.

"This is something I believe will continue to benefit our Airmen and your Airmen," said Olson to Col. Paul Bauman, 319th Air Base Wing commander during the closing remarks portion of the evening. "Hopefully this partnership and new approach will become a new tradition."

Bauman agreed with his fellow wing commander.

"This graduation is a sign of what the Air Force is moving towards, and where we need be, when we refer to ourselves as a total force," said Bauman. "As we approach the 4th of July holiday, I think it is fitting to point out that nearly 238 years ago our nation's militia force joined up with the continental army to fight for our nation's freedom. Interestingly enough, tonight we have come together just a few days from our Independence Day to celebrate the ongoing successful partnership of our active and guard components, both dedicated to the common goal of protecting and preserving that very same independence."

(Article by Senior Master Sgt. David H. Lipp, 119th Wing Public Affairs, contributed to this story)