The Eastern New Mexico News - Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities

link U.S. Air Force photo: Senior Airman Alexxis Pons Abascal

U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Yvonne Thomas, 27th Special Operations Force Support Squadron career assistance advisor, acts as the principal advisor to base leadership on a wide range of personnel issues at Cannon Air Force Base.

27th Special Operations Wing Public Affairs

If questions or concerns have ever arisen regarding things like re-enlistment, re-training, retention or other significant benchmarks pertaining to an Air Force career, one of the most critical appointments Air Commandos at Cannon Air Force Base should make is with the wing’s career assistance advisor.

The primary concerns of Master Sgt. Yvonne Thomas, 27th Special Operations Force Support Squadron CAA, are career and professional progression for all airmen assigned to the 27th Special Operations Wing.

Base CAAs act as the principal advisor to base leadership on a wide range of personnel issues. The CAA program is designed to assist supervisors when talking to subordinates regarding the overarching benefits of an Air Force career.

Thomas advises separating service members on Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard program benefits and opportunities, provides insight into career progression and long-term planning, monitors mandatory pay and benefits briefing programs, and provides reports and statistics to help commanders assess retention trends.

Additionally, Thomas oversees Cannon’s First Term Airman Center, ensuring day-to-day operations and programs meet standards set forth by the Department of the Air Force.

Comprehensive professional enhancement seminars and courses are conducted for company grade officers, senior noncommissioned officers, NCOs and airmen routinely through the Professional Enhancement Center. Members are able to access the most current listing, as well as register, through the PEC SharePoint site.

This listing ranges from Informed Decision briefs, which are mandatory for first and second term airmen who are within 12-15 months of their Date of Separation, to Leadership Styles, which teaches troops how to identify individual leader styles and adjust for various personality types.

“We’ve had a lot of success with the John C. Maxwell 360 Degree Leadership seminar — teaching our airmen how to be leaders from anywhere in their organizations,” Thomas stated. “It’s more than just the classes we offer though; I want our Airmen to know they aren’t alone when it comes to their careers.”

“We have so many resources available to us that oftentimes troops are simply unaware of or don’t know how to go about obtaining,” she continued. “It’s my job to equip our members with different avenues, and resources when they hit information roadblocks.”

Another component of Thomas’ responsibility is the NCO and SNCO Professional Enhancement Seminars.

“The NCOPES is geared toward staff and technical sergeants who have not attended any formal PME

within the past two or three years, while the SNCOPES is for newly selected master sergeants,” Thomas elaborated. “Both serve as refreshers to augment and reinforce information typically gained through a combination of Basic Military Training, technical training, and job experience.”

“We are always open to suggestions for courses to offer and feedback to improve what we are doing here at the PEC,” she said. “I want to continue doing what works in the best interest of our airmen.”

For more information regarding upcoming classes or to make an appointment with the CAA, visit the PEC Facebook page or call 575-784-7041.