APRIL 26, 2022 – It is critical to equip Airmen with accessible tools and resources, and to cultivate an environment for deliberate development, so Airmen remain the strongest competitive advantage for the Air Force to outpace emerging threats, according to Air Force leaders.
The Air Force released The Blueprint April 21. It serves as a foundational document to link enlisted development — from entry to departure. This new document is one of 28 Enlisted Force Development Action Plan (EFD-AP) objectives focused on developing tomorrow’s enlisted Airmen … today.
“We need Airmen who understand the complexity of the strategic environment, think critically through challenges, and provide real-time solutions across the air, land, sea, space, cyber and information domains,” said Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force JoAnne S. Bass. “The Blueprint consolidates resources otherwise populated in various electronic locations to highlight pathways, resources and opportunities for all Airmen to be successful during their career.”
The 32-page document was created with the assistance of subject matter experts, diverse ranks and specialties – with representation from across the Total Force – and captures concepts in a visually appealing way. Importantly, it will help Airmen better understand how they fit into the bigger picture and allows them to appreciate what other wingmen bring to the fight.
It falls under the EFD-AP Front-Line Leader Development focus area, which is dedicated to creating deliberate leadership development for Airmen as they take on increased responsibilities supervising others at the tactical edge.
It also serves as a guide for open dialog among supervisors and peers and may be used during feedback sessions, professional development, goal setting and career planning.
“Front-line supervisors play a crucial part in developing the Airmen that will replace them,” Bass said. “New supervisors deserve proactive coaching, mentorship, and quality resources to support the growth of both them and their people.
In addition to The Blueprint, the Air Force is developing a validation process for new supervisors, creating a modern toolkit for front-line leaders and creating a standardized Air Force writing guide – all of which are scheduled to be accomplished by December 2023.
The Blueprint will evolve and be updated when needed; the living document can be found here.
Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs