Calling All Reservists: Do you have what it takes to be a military training instructor?

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Sarah Hanson
  • Air Force Reserve Command
Citizen Airman/June 2015 --   Imagine getting up at the crack of dawn. You stretch, you yawn, then you get dressed and head to work. You tiptoe into your office. Reveille plays over the speaker system, which signals you to begin your first task: getting 40 basic trainees out of bed.

This is just one of the many things military training instructors are responsible for as they mold tomorrow's Airmen. Do you have it in you to join them?

The 433rd Training Squadron at Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, is looking for responsible NCOs to take the challenge of becoming an MTI.
"We are looking for responsible, mature people; people with self-control, who have initiative and portray a professional image," said Chief Master Sgt. Jesse Gomez, 433rd TRS superintendent. "We want someone who can follow rules and doesn't have a hidden agenda aside from coming to train and develop tomorrow's Air Force."

The 433rd maintains a cadre of MTIs who augment the Air Education and Training Command. They support the 737th Training Group and seven basic training squadrons. The squadron is the only unit made up of Reserve MTIs.

"I've been here since 1999; we have other members who have been here longer," Gomez said. "Our members have an average of five years of experience, which has a lot of value and adds continuity [to the group]."

Members of the 433rd can serve as line MTIs, who work with the basic military trainees, or they can be assigned to support functions like basic expeditionary Airmen skills training, war skills military studies or MTI school.

"Our unit is built on two categories: operational and strategic," Gomez said. "To satisfy the operational piece, we have a full-time staff of air reserve technicians and active Guard and Reserve members. These members are embedded with different units serving in different positions, which gives the MTIs opportunities to grow."

Before Reservists can step into one of these positions, they first have to ask themselves: Is this right for me?

To help answer that question, the 433rd offers any and all Reserve members who might be interested in becoming an MTI the chance to join their Shadow Program.

"They'll see the meat and potatoes of the training," said Master Sgt. Jose Rodriguez, 433rd instructor supervisor and recruiting team member. "They'll be placed with a trainer or seasoned instructor and observe a zero week flight. I highly recommend this to anyone who is thinking about becoming an MTI because it will really help you make your determination."

Rodriguez and his team go on recruiting trips to help get more Reserve members to take the challenge and become MTIs. They even created a Facebook page to help increase their numbers.

When the recruiting team gets an interested member, they start working with that individual to complete an application package. Some items needed in the package are a member's latest physical training test scores and last three Enlisted Performance Reports.

Rodriguez said one of the challenges with traditional Reservists is their EPRs. Some members just don't have enough or any at all. If that is the case, Rodriguez and his team can accept a Letter of Evaluation.

Another challenge with getting a member through the application process is the assessment of the candidate's work performance by peers and subordinates. This step is time consuming and poses as a unique challenge for Reserve members since they are not always in the office.

Once the application is completed, it is routed up the chain of command. When a member is approved, the process of becoming a MTI begins.

When new members arrive at the 433rd, they not only get enrolled in MTI school, but they get additional training prior to their first day of class.

"What we do differently here is we give people training prior to MTI school to help them be more successful," said Tech. Sgt. Raymond Santiago, 433rd TRS unit training manager. "We go over different things like what a command voice is. Because of this initial training prior to attending MTI school, we've had at least one award winner in every [graduating class]."

Staff Sgt. Amanda MacFarlane, 433rd MTI, recently graduated the school and is now in the task qualification process, which is a 90 days long. Once she completes the process, she will be fully certified and ready to be on her own as an MTI.

"It's on-the-job training, so I'm assigned to a flight with a trainer who helps me learn how to lead a flight," MacFarlane said. "It's been a really great experience so far. I'm really enjoying it."

A day in the life of an MTI is filled with numerous appointments and a schedule that is so tight it leaves little room for error.

"Everything in basic military training is a matter of minutes," said Tech. Sgt. James MacKay, 433rd MTI. "We start our day at 0530; we do PT, eat chow; we have classes, then after lunch you hand off your flight to your 'tap out,' which is basically your support. It's a two-man team. You both are responsible for ensuring everything that has to happen that day happens."

BMT is eight weeks long, which means MTIs have two months to "transform civilians into motivated, disciplined warrior Airmen with the foundation to serve the world's greatest Air Force".

"I've only been with a flight for about a week and a half now, but I can already see a change in the trainees," MacFarlane said. "I can see they are starting to understand what it means to become an Airman, and seeing that transformation is fascinating and really rewarding."

"At graduation, you see that the parents can't even recognize their own kids because of the difference in the way they stand, their sense of pride now that they have joined the Air Force," said Rodriguez about the transformation of trainees. "I gave them a foundation. I was able to mentor and mold them and get them on the right path to start their Air Force career."

"If you want to challenge yourself and make an impact, call us. Seek out this opportunity," Gomez said. "This is the best-kept secret in the Air Force Reserve Command, maybe even the entire Air Force. We need people who really want to do this."

The 433rd TRS currently has about 25 vacancies -- both full-time and traditional Reservist positions. For information, call (210) 671-2410 or DSN 473-2410, or send an email to 433trs.recruiting@us.af.mil.