“Life-long learning” is a creed of many academic institutions to include the Air Force Institute of Technology’s Civil Engineer and Services School. CESS serves its customers from their accession into the Air Force with the basic skills courses, through to the pinnacle of their career with the squadron command courses. The Civil Engineer Commander Course is the largest two-week investment of all the school’s career-field courses. As a result, over the last three years the school has produced 90 mission-ready base civil engineer commanders Air-Force wide.

Not your typical MAJCOM commander’s seminar, this course targets base civil engineer-specific issues. Topics include such technical concerns as shop-rate accounting, environmental management, wage-grade career management, fire protection, construction contracting, housing issues, explosive ordnance disposal, and base master planning. Even general topics such as AEF management, officer mentorship, enlisted training and leadership, and civilian personnel involve the unique challenges faced by the base civil engineer. With 32 guest speakers and eight distinguished visitors, the course boasts broad support from across the Air Force community. This year, CESS hosted two wing commanders, the commanders of two Air Staff agencies, and Maj. Gen. Del Eulberg, The Civil Engineer at A7C.

This year marks the third year CESS has integrated the Incident Management Course (IMC; formerly On-Scene Commander’s Course) into the Civil Engineer Commander Course in a “one-stop shopping” opportunity. Hosting the Maxwell IMC team, CESS reduced TDY expenditures approximately $30K per year AF-wide and minimized the time away from home station for these already over-tasked field-grade officers. The IMC certifies these commanders for oversight of the first responders under their command. The integration has been so successful that the school is investigating integrating the General Officer’s Quarters Course (another mandatory requirement for the commanders) as well.

Course evaluations have been overwhelmingly positive with many students citing the targeted subject matter as critical to their future success. In the face of manpower and budget cuts, with an increase in base civil engineer commands at home and abroad, the Civil Engineer Commander Course ensures the future commanders are primed to lead officers across nine technical disciplines, enlisted across 13 AFSCs, and civilians from the union wage grade through the GS-15/YF-3 ranks. It’s just another way that “Civil Engineers Lead the Way.”

Please direct questions on MGT-400, CE Commander/Deputy Course, to Lt. Col. Tom Glardon, AFIT/CEM, DSN 785-5654 ext 3505.