Smarter, Not Harder: A New Era for Training

  • Published
  • By Lisa M. Riley
  • 88th Air Base Wing
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE - Ohio --  

Many members of the Wright-Patt workforce have leaned on My ETMS as their primary online training platform for more than 20 years. It held links to all online training as well as being a repository for completion certificates. The official sunset of My ETMS on Sept. 29, 2025, may have gone unnoticed in the midst of the Oct. 1 lapse in appropriations, but as Wright-Patterson Air Force Base employees return to work and address needed training requirements it is gaining more attention.

So where do you go for your training?

My Vector is identified as the new home for all training needs Air Force wide, however that transition is still in process according to Peggy Cottrell, unit training manager for the 88th Comptroller Squadron.

While we await the full integration into My Vector, the DAF E-Learning platform is the go-to location for most training requirements, including your Total Force Awareness Training – commonly known as TFAT. This includes the annual Cyber Awareness Challenge, Controlled Unclassified Information, and OPSEC Awareness Training, to name a few.

Users of DAF E-Learning should be aware that the system has not always generated the ever-important completion certificate to validate their efforts. But there is a work-around.

“I would screenshot your completions if it's not providing you a certificate,” said Cottrell. “You can submit that screenshot directly to your unit training manager for them to upload to your training record - and always keep a copy for yourself.”

Another site to check your training progress is MyBiz+. This site captures your training record, but provides the added benefit of allowing users to self-report training courses that may be taken in person or on other platforms.

Users should be aware that there may be additional changes to training requirements in the future. On Sept. 30, 2025, the Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, published a memorandum titled “Reduction of Mandatory Training Requirements to Restore Mission Focus.” The memorandum discussed relaxing, consolidating and even eliminating some training requirements.  

The intent, according to the memo, is to enable warfighters to focus on the core mission of fighting and winning our nation’s wars without distraction.

Cottrell indicated that we should not yet remove these requirements from our to-do list as implementation guidance has not filtered down to training managers.

As new training platforms and guidance are rolled out, the best approach to take is to exercise patience and work with your unit training manager to address any questions or to ensure the accuracy of your training record, according to Cottrell.

“Keep track of your training, make sure you get your training done, and keep copies of your certificates or course completion,” she advised. “Keeping your own records is important at this point while we are in transition.”

Your unit training manager should be able to answer any questions about training requirements or how to access them. In the event that you do not know who your unit training manager is, your supervisor should be able to connect you.