Kirtland Noncommissioned Officer Academy deactivates

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Tracy Boucher and Master Sgt. Jeri Anderson
  • Flight Instructors
KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, New Mexico --  The Kirtland Noncommissioned Officer Academy celebrated the graduation of its 418th and final class July 10. Events included Col. Charles W. Johnson, Barnes Center for Enlisted Education commander, officiating at a full pass-in-review parade at noon on the drill pad located behind the academy.

The Kirtland NCOA has a rich history that is traced backed to the Air Research and Development Command, which founded the school in 1955. This academy has operated continuously since it opened its doors to the first class, Class 55-A Feb. 1, 1955, under the direction of the first Commandant, Lt. Col. Woodrow Wilson. After 54 years of service, the oldest continuously operated noncommissioned officer academy in the Air Force closed its doors July 31 here.

The first staff of the academy consisted of the commandant, director of training and 11 instructors. The instructors delivered 172 hours of instruction on NCO responsibilities including leadership, management and communication skills. Even in the early days of the academy, students did not solely focus on academics; they were required to participate in physical training, drill and ceremony and uniform inspections. The final graduation of the 1950s, Class 59-F, marked the graduation of 2,425 NCOs.

On April 1, 1961, ARDC was redesignated the Air Force Systems Command, and the school became known as the AFSC NCO Academy.

Although every student attending the academy is significant and critical to the success of our Air Force, one graduate in particular stands out, our 8th Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, Sam E. Parrish. Chief Parrish was the Honor Graduate for class 64-D and was also presented with a certificate of achievement for superior performance.

In 1969, of the eight academies operating in the Air Force, the AFSC Academy was the first to have females among its ranks. The first four Women of the Air Force, or WAF, graduated in class 70-1 during a ceremony held Aug. 14, 1969.

Under AFSC, the academy expanded with the addition of a Leadership School, offering leadership training to Airmen 1st Class. The first class of 78 A1Cs arrived in January 1974, and five weeks later graduated from the only program of this type.

The celebration of the Kirtland NCOA's 20th anniversary in February 1975 also marked the graduation of 11,564 Airmen since opening its doors. On Aug. 31, 1977, AFSC NCO Academy was awarded its third Air Force Outstanding Unit Award.

On July 11, 1980, after having 10 officer commandants, a reorganization led to the most significant leadership change in academy history when our first enlisted commandant, Chief Master Sgt. Larry D. Lane took command of the Air Force Systems Command NCO Academy and Leadership School.

The caliber of staff available to support the first enlisted commandant was evident in the recognition they received during the 1980s. AFSC NCO Academy staff collected seven base-level awards, three command-level awards and one "12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year" award. In addition to individual awards, they also earned the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award in 1983 and again in 1989.

On Sept. 26, 1991, with the restructuring of Professional Military Education, the last Leadership School class graduated. Then, July 1, 1992, Air Force Systems Command and Air Force Logistics Command combined to form a single organization. The new command would be known as Air Force Material Command.

Another significant realignment came about on Nov. 1, 1993. The academy became part of Air Education and Training Command under the guidelines set by HQ USAF that all education and training functions fall under one command. The College for Enlisted Professional Military Education was established Dec. 15 of that same year under Air University; all CONUS NCO academies were aligned under one command. The staff stepped up to the challenge and continued to make their mark on the Air Force by earning the Organizational Excellence Award in 1996, 1997, and again in 1999.

The final decade of our academy's history was as eventful as the first four and a half. In September of 2002 the two-year legacy project for the "CMSAF Sam E. Parish Presentation Center" began. This was not to be the only major construction project, as the 19,250 square foot drill pad was completed in July of 2004. While staff and students were busy on the home front, two of our staff members deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

All of these accomplishments were added to when, in an effort to get back to the basics, the Kirtland NCO Academy rekindled the long standing tradition of conducting a pass-in-review parade as part of our graduation day activities. During this time we also added another first to our collection. Class 08-7 started Sept. 22, 2008, and for the first time in KTNCOA history, the flights were instructed by an all-female cadre. Although our final staff consists of just eight members, we have continued to provide the challenges and guidance required to inspire and develop enlisted leaders with the moral framework of Integrity, Service and Excellence.