How do you spell success?
MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. -- Career Development: R-ODP, R-EDP, RSSB, CCAF, PME, ALS, NCOA, SNCOA, OTS, SOC, IDE, SDE, and LLT. That's the new alphabet soup floating around not only this wing but has been making itself known Air Force-wide.
If you don't know what these are, you need to understand these are programs, schools and development plans that are a necessary springboard to personal career development and future opportunities in today's military service.
For service members, not accomplishing them or taking them seriously can be the difference between getting promoted or staying stagnant. Our work environment gears us to working a specific occupation. We were sent to technical schools, school houses geared for specific AFSCs (i.e., Flight schools), on-the-job training, etc. to advance our training.
As you completed your job competencies and training cycles, you advanced your knowledge of your career choice...but is that all there is? The answer is a resounding "NO!"
As you've advanced in your career, you may have noticed your career aspirations and goals have changed. This makes it necessary to manage your career, not just training in your AFSC and doing your job, but by developing the "whole" person concept. This is what the R-ODP and the R-EDP is about. They are the Reserve Officers Development Plan and the Reserve Enlisted Development Plan, put in place by our Air Force leadership to help the Air Force help you.
For our enlisted corps, the past few months have brought incredible changes and requirements to your career pathways. By filling out the R-EDP, you will find you are able to plan for the changes that have occurred. These development plans allow you to map out your career by increments including short-term and long-term goals.
You can do this in one, three and five year increments. Your plans are then sent to a development board that looks at your reviews it and offers guidance on your next career move.
You than will have a snapshot of what it will take to meet your career goals. Take it from someone who knows - go to the vPC website - fill out your R-ODP or R-EDP and give yourself a road map to a rewarding Air Force career!
Career Alphabetics
ALS - Airman Leadership School
CCAF - Community College of the Air Force
IDE - Intermediate Developmental Education,
Air Command and Staff College
LTT - Leadership Today and Tomorrow
NCOA - Non-Commissioned Officer's Academy
OTS - Officer Training School
PME - Professional Military Education
R-EDP - Reserve Enlisted Development Plan
R-ODP - Reserve Officer Development Plan
RSSB - Reserve School Selection Board
SDE - Senior Developmental Education, Air War College
SNCO - Senior Non-Commissioned Officer's Academy
SOC - Squadron Officer College