By: Brian Blankenship, AFIT CES (Services) Course Instructor

I was reflecting on the Civil Engineer and Services School’s many and varied professional continuing education courses, and I realized that we have a completely unheralded and unfunded effort – a specialized program demonstrating an unusual collaboration between the Air Staff Services, the AF Services Agency in San Antonio, and the Services Career Program. Basically, these elements have joined forces and created a training program that is done nowhere else in the Air Force. Its title is a mouthful: The Palace Acquire Intern and Non-Appropriated Fund Civilian Management Trainee Program, or "MT Course" as it is commonly known.

Little known outside of Services circles is the fact that there is a completely separate civilian employment system. Folks that don’t work in the standard NSPS or General Schedule (GS) system - where employees are paid with Appropriated or taxpayer dollars - are paid from the money derived from dues, fees, and profits made within services activities, commonly called "Non-Appropriated Fund", or NAF dollars.

Each year, Services activities around the globe recruit, train, and employ tens of thousands of NAF employees in this system, and do all the things that Civilian Personnel does – pay benefits, plan for retirement, process promotions, handle disciplinary actions, and so forth. They also sponsor a program aimed at recruiting qualified college graduates into a Management Trainee Program, preparing them for positions of responsibility in NAF activities, such as the base club system, the golf course, and child care. For the past several years, AFIT has played an integral role in the training these new-to-the-AF employees receive.

Through the Civil Engineer and Services School, working in combination with the AF Services Agency in San Antonio, and the AF Services Career Program office, a program was put together to take some of the best education and training from other AFIT courses. The objective is to make sure that both they and their Appropriated Fund Counterparts (Palace Acquire Interns) are properly steeped in customs and courtesies, Services Doctrine and Procedures, Accounting, Leadership, Counseling, and a wide variety of other topics new Services leaders need to know. Initially, this training was conducted in San Antonio, Texas, home of the AF Services agency, with a few AFIT instructors involved. Due to the efforts of the CESS faculty, the case was made for the school to come to Ohio and AFIT each year. For the past five years, the course has taken place at AFIT, and 30-35 young leaders each year have been through, learning everything from leadership to balancing a financial statement.

"The program is a total success," says Bobbie Nugent, the AF Services Career Program Officer in charge of the MT Program. Her responsibility is to recruit and train the new MTs each year. "AFIT is the perfect place to hold a course such as this – the facilities are unsurpassed, and the faculty is fantastic – so willing to take on the additional responsibility of putting on a course with no additional resources or manpower." Nugent adds, "Every year we think it cannot possibly be better than last year, but each time they find a way to do it. It is the highlight of my year to come up and work with this energetic and motivated group of students, and the incredibly gifted faculty."

Services professionals from around the AF hail the success of the program, but the best feedback of all is from the students themselves. Said one student, "This program was an outstanding week with a wealth of information offered. The enthusiasm and energy of the presenters made this the best conference I have ever attended." Faculty members noted that the course has evolved from just a few days in San Antonio to a full week here at AFIT – and many would like even more time.  However, given reduced funding, we are likely to keep it at one week.

Dr. Jared Astin, Associate Dean of the Civil Engineer and Services School, said that his team was proud to host this annual event, and is delighted at the favorable comments and the strong feedback received over the years. "It is a program that just keeps getting better," he said.