Hi everyone, I’m Kyndle and my husband is a 2017 USAFA graduate and commissioned as a Force Support Officer (38F), previously called “Personnel Officer”. We are currently stationed at our first duty station at Sheppard AFB in North Texas.
Force Support Squadron (FSS) consists of nine flights. Resource Management, Force Development, Sustainment Services, Community Services, Child & Youth Services, Airman & Family Readiness, Manpower & Organization, Civilian Personnel, and Military Personnel. Force Support is a catchall squadron that supports the entire base. From the fun events on base, promotions and retirements, to childcare and much more. FSS is about taking care of the people on base and their daily lives to support families so that the maintainers, pilots, security forces, etc get the job done.
At some time during the first year (*typically*… my husband went a few months into being at our first duty station) they will go to Basic Force Support Officer Course (BFSOC). This is an 8-10 week in house training at Keesler AFB in Biloxi, Mississippi. 1-hr from New Orleans. Class is all day during the week with tests and assignments. However, he says the best thing to do is to make connections with the fellow 38Fs because when they switch jobs, they might be able to phone a friend for advice because they are or were in that position. This is an unaccompanied TDY but spouses/families could go; however, it would be a 10-week hotel stay and no reimbursement for the spouses/families.
After the classroom portion, they take a bus to Tyndall AFB in Florida. However, this is no beach trip and no spouses/families allowed. This is Officer Field Training that teaches them the basics of a deployment. It is an introductory course with just officers so it is watered down. It is a week in the “woods” of Florida. After this, BFSOC is complete and they go back to their base just a tab bit smarter than they were before.
As a young lieutenant force support officer, it is very common to have a different job every six months. Since Force Support is so broad, it’s important for career development to learn as many aspects that the squadron has to offer MPF, Community Services, Fitness, etc.
My husband has had jobs as the Command Support Staff (CSS) Section Commander Wing Level, Fitness Assessment Cell (FAC) Manager, Deputy Community Service Flight, and Executive Officer for Mission Support Group Commander which is his current job. As he ranks up, the jobs will become 1-2 year positions. Luckily, all the jobs so far have been relatively “8 to 5” positions with 90% of the time he is able to come home for lunch and is always home for dinner. TDYs are non-existent for now but “short” ones will become more common later in the years. A six-month deployment or two are expected but we will cross that bridge when we get to it. We will be PCSing about every three years and could really go anywhere because every base needs some aspect of Force Support. We have been at Sheppard for almost 2 ½ years and will be moving the summer cycle of 2020 and are hoping for somewhere near a beach since we are California natives.
As for me, I work from home as an independent contractor for two jobs. I spend my days mostly working and taking care of our two fur babies. It is great having my husband home for almost every lunch and every dinner. He doesn’t work on the weekends, so we try to travel and see as much of the area as possible.
Overall, for someone who is extremely extroverted, enjoys interacting with all sorts of people, and loves learning new things constantly being a Force Support Officer is the perfect fit.
MEET KYNDLE
