“Future Learning” Gen. Edward A. Rice Jr., Commander, Air Force Education Command

General Rice declared that education, training, and experiences are the 3 legs of the force development stool. The importance of training is in the focus on standardizing outcomes in order to make sure people can complete tasks consistently. Education makes training relevant and adaptable depending on the details of each experience.

Technology provides a range of tools we didn’t have in the past, which offer new opportunities for development. These continuously updating training processes allow our current airmen to adapt to challenges we have not faced in the past, and those we are bound to face in the future. Today’s Airmen are comfortable in the cyberspace world, and are extremely capable of multitasking—something we should recognize and take advantage of in training. By adapting the learning process we will allow this new generation of Airmen to reach their highest potential.

General Rice points out that this is our smallest Air Force since its inception in 1947, which means each airman is responsible for a wider range of abilities than airmen of the past. The increased number of missions the Air Force deals with today requires current airmen to have a variety of skills that allow them to multitask efficiently.