EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla – A new training event is available to first term enlisted strives to help on and off duty.
APEX, a three-day extension of the First Term Enlisted Course, is designed to equip Airmen and Guardians with the confidence, resilience, and essential life skills needed for lasting personal and professional success.
“When an Airman is dealing with the repercussions of a failed fitness test, a dirty dorm room, or the stress of an unexpected car issue like a flat tire or dead battery, they are not fully ready, physically, mentally, spiritually, or socially to be effective in their work center,” said Master Sgt. Aimee Inman, 96th Force Support Squadron member. “By building these life skills early, we’re not just helping Airmen succeed, we’re preserving mission readiness and strengthening the entire force.”
The course components include mental and physical training. The mental components focus on SMART goals for growth and accountability. A self-defense portion aims to boost confidence and personal safety, healthy relationships and effective communication in professional and personal settings. The physical components include a cooking and nutrition course to support healthy living, and a base auto-hobby shop tour to learn car maintenance and preventative care.
Those components push to empower young Airmen and Guardians to succeed through a positive mindset, self-reflection, connection and teamwork.
“This is how we’re taking care of our Airmen. We want them to see how we’re thinking of their growth and success in every way we can and say I want to be a part of that,” said Chief Master Sgt. Adam Guest, 96th Test Wing command chief, who helped develop the new course.
APEX provides clear guidance on how to maintain a squared-away appearance and living space, helping them build daily habits that foster pride and professionalism, according to Inman.
“As a result, their confidence grows, and their mental energy shifts away from constantly worrying about everyday responsibilities,” she said.
Attendees remarked about the information most impactful to them and what they would take away from the course.
“Being here has been a little difficult to learn cooking skills and figure out recipes,” said Airman 1st Class Kandyce Anderson, 96th Medical Group member, praising the cooking 101 and basic nutrition class. “This provided me with a base model to start cooking, and to have good food options that are also healthy.”
APEX will be offered monthly, integrated with the FTEC, to continue laying the groundwork for success both on and off duty.
“Your goal in life and in this career whenever you wear this uniform should be perfection,” said Guest. “We all know nothing is perfect and that we’ll never get there, but your goal should be at that level because otherwise what are you aiming for? Shoot for perfection.”