Professional Development Center offers new facility for Airmen

  • Published
  • By Diane Kofoed
  • 88th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
WRIGHT PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio --  Students in the Airman Leadership School (ALS) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base have access to a much more convenient location now that the facility has been relocated to the Professional Development Center (PDC) in Bldg. 1226, Area A.

The PDC, which also houses the Independent Learning Center and the First Term Airman's Center, held its grand opening ceremony June 23. The ALS had been located in Bldg. 50A, Area B.

The new facility offers ALS students a drill pad and computer resource center. Both resources were unavailable in ALS's previous location, according to Master Sgt. Jason Goodspeed, ALS commandant, 88 Force Support Squadron.

The new Area A location offers more convenience for ALS students, with its proximity to Airmen dorms and gym facilities, Goodspeed said.

At the grand opening ceremony, Col. Cassie Barlow, 88 Air Base Wing commander, expressed her excitement that ALS students are able to benefit from the new facility and gratitude to the 88 Civil Engineer Directorate for its vision in making the new facility a reality.
"This is a sign of our times in looking for like missions and placing them into one area to better serve their purpose," said Barlow.

Tech Sgt. Melanie Dufresene who serves as an ALS flight instructor, expressed her excitement of being located in Area A, citing the previous location's issues of limited parking and proximity to the more civilian-oriented Area B.

Senior Airmen Jennifer Fitzgerald and Katie Perry expressed their excitement at being able to have laptop computers more readily available and to have more space to better fit their learning needs.

Chief Master Sgt. Charles Hoffman, 88 Air Base Wing command chief, stated, "The opening of the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Professional Development Center is an amazing step forward for all our Airmen ... that serves as an infrastructure upgrade for Airman Leadership School and the First Term Airman's Center and more efficient use of space for the benefit of the Wright-Patterson AFB community."

The need for the new facility is due to both the combination of the three missions into one facility and the increase in the number of students. The planning for development of Bldg. 1226 began approximately in early 2013, according to Goodspeed.

Bldg. 1226 is roughly 7,000 square feet with the ALS utilizing about 4,000 square feet within the building. ALS classes began in Bldg. 1226 on June 19.