JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas -- More than 60 members of the Department of Defense Executive Leadership Development Program visited the 433rd Airlift Wing here May 14.
The ELDP provides DOD personnel with leadership training and gives participants a greater understanding of the overall DOD mission and culture, according to Vanessa Glascoe, ELDP manager.
"I brought the group here to get a good understanding of the joint base concept," stated Glascoe. "This is important for DOD as a whole. It gets people out of their seats and into the field in order to experience how their work impacts war fighters."
The EDLP requires a 10-month commitment from applicants. A deployment is scheduled each month to areas in and outside of the continental United States. Deployments for this current group included stops at the United States Pacific Command in Hawaii and the United States Forces-Korea.
Scott Bauer, a Pentagon financial specialist, feels the field experience is important to him for planning purposes.
"We have been to many places and spent time with each of the branches," Bauer said. "I've been really impressed with the visit to JBSA-Lackland because of the many missions that are executed here. Also the role of the Guard and Reserve in the total force concept has increased and I needed to see that to help in planning back at the Pentagon."
Another ELDP participant from the US State Department, Emma Atkinson, was thrilled at the opportunity to be up close to an Air Force Reserve Command C-5A aircraft.
"It's awesome! How many times do you get to walk around the C-5?" asked Atkinson. "I am really surprised at the role of USAF Reserve units, specifically the 433rd Airlift Wing, and how closely aligned they are with active duty units."