Military Officer - February 2007 - (Page 59)

bers can reach out to NNOA board members with speciﬁc questions.” Instructional opportunities also are provided at the NNOA’s annual national conferences. At the most recent conference, for example, sessions addressed career progression and development for O3s and below and O4s and above, Jackson says. “We also challenge our chapters to go out and expose the community to the sea services,” Jackson says. chess match holding chess pieces instead of checkers. My mentor helped me understand the culture and the nature of the naval ofﬁcer wardroom, which was something that many of us from diverse backgrounds don’t get in any other forum.” The sky’s the limit AFCOMAP was founded in June 1989 as a means to prepare Air Force cadets coming out of col- “ As the people I mentor become mentors, the whole Air Force gets better. I enjoy that success, too. — Brig. Gen. Ronnie Hawkins, USAF “One way we do that is by having the chapters provide scholarships to high school students who want to go to college. The scholarships aren’t necessarily tied to them going into the military — we also offer scholarships to young people who have demonstrated [a] strong academic performance.” Lt. Col. Dawn Harrison, G1 Operations ofﬁcer for Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., and the Marine Corps service representative to the NNOA, says joining the organization proved to be a wise move for her professionally. Today, she “pays it forward” by mentoring junior ofﬁcers and encouraging them to join. “I tell them that they don’t have to come to every NNOA meeting or participate in every event,” she says, “but if they stay connected, it will beneﬁt them in the long run and beneﬁt the other Marines who work with them.” Capt. Anthony Barnes, director of diversity at the Navy Recruiting Command in Millington, Tenn., and Navy service representative to the NNOA, agrees. “The [NNOA] provides mentors who understand the rules of the game,” he says. “[Being a member] gave me the ability to come to the lege for active duty. Its mission: To strengthen future Air Force leaders through mentorship. “At the college level, we mentor cadets about what it’s going to take not only to become successful ofﬁcers but also successful professionals,” says AFCOMAP National President Brig. Gen. Ronnie Hawkins, commander, Air Force Ofﬁcer Accession and Training schools, Maxwell AFB, Ala. “We offer advice regarding their ﬁnances and their personal life — what they need to do on the professional side. Once they go on active duty, the focus shifts to the company grade ofﬁcers and what it’s going to take for them to become ﬁeld grade ofﬁcers or career airmen ofﬁcers. We then start tailoring our program on a monthly basis to topics that are important for their success in the Air Force.” It’s a program with a proven track record. “If you were to approach many African-American colonels right now, they would tell you that it’s because of the [AFCOMAP] back when they were captains that they’re sitting where they are right now,” Hawkins says. AFCOMAP has 12 active chapters at U.S. Air [CONTINUES ON PAGE 77] ” NNOA’s Quantico Chapter President Lt. Col. Robert Clements, USMC, right, greets then-Commandant Gen. Michael Hagee, USMC. AFCOMAP National President Brig. Gen. Ronnie Hawkins, USAF, has been a member since 1991. PHOTOS: RIGHT, COURTESY USAF; TOP, COURTESY SGT. CHRISTOPHER M. TIRADO, USMC FEBRUARY 2007 MILITARY OFFICER 59

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Military Officer - February 2007

Military Officer - February 2007 Contents From the Editor From the President Your Views MOAA Directory Rapid Fire Washington Scene Financial Forum Ask the Doctor Chapter Activities Cover Story: Building Stability Reaching Out, Reaching Up 5 Tax-Season Strategies A Capital Event MOAA Member Services Pages of History Information Exchange Advertising Index Member Books Sounding Taps MOAA Calendar Encore

Military Officer - February 2007

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