Special Pass program gives incentives for professional development

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Chandler Baker
  • Kirtland Public Affairs

Team Kirtland members have a new incentive to take leadership courses. As of July 12, Col. Richard Gibbs, 377 Air Base Wing commander, instituted a special pass program attached to the Leadership Pathways program and other courses.

The memorandum states that “Commanders are encouraged to give 1 or 2 day special passes to Airmen at Kirtland Air Force Base who complete either the ‘Dads: The Basics’ parenting class, or who receive 200 or 500 points in the Kirtland AFB Leadership Pathways Program.”

The first program, the “Dads: The Basics” parenting course, is a course established by the Department of Defense. Participants of the course must be expecting the birth of their child within the next three months, immediately following the birth of their child, or who may be adopting a new child into their family. Airmen who attended this class reported being better equipped to handle challenges of taking care of their child.

The second program is the Kirtland Leadership Pathways program. Leadership Pathways encourages airmen to attend classes offered by helping agencies around the base. The classes address a variety of professional and personal topics, to include communication, personal finances, conflict management, and resiliency.

10 points may be earned for each hour of instruction or event participation. At 200 points, one is eligible for a Leadership Pathways coin and Certificate of Accomplishment. At 500 points, members may be eligible for and Air Force Achievement Medal.

For more information on Leadership Pathways, contact Teresa Reinhard, the community support coordinator, at 505-846-6427.