Sheppard graduates first 9-level Aircraft Armament course Published Sept. 23, 2011 By Capt. Brittany Martin 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- The 363rd Training Squadron graduated its first class of nine-level Aircraft Armament Systems senior non-commissioned officers Sept. 23 at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas. The two-week course is focused on teaching career maintainers how to become managers. While initial armament systems training is aircraft platform specific, the nine-level course combines Airmen from all airframes in the same classroom. The fifteen master sergeants who attended the course averaged 14 years since they completed their seven-level upgrade training, also held here at Sheppard. The aircraft armament is the third Air Force career field to require a course to complete nine-level certification. Traditionally, nine-level certification is obtained through on-the-job training. "Because of the drawdown in manpower, there is not enough overlap," said 363rd TRS Aircraft Armament Training Manager Beverley Fisher. She explained that sergeants were finding that as they tried to obtain their nine-level, there was no one to ask questions. Consequently, a nine-level course was created. Aircraft Armament Career Field Manager Chief Master Sgt. Michael Lucchesi visited Sheppard last week during the course's first training days. The first meeting to establish the course at Sheppard occurred in May 2010, so he was excited to see the course get off the ground. The first class has successfully graduated 15 students, but the real test of the course's success is yet to be seen. Fisher explained that the desired result is to increase the efficiency in the process of creating an effective nine-level aircraft armament NCO. Sheppard AFB is scheduled to hold four of these courses a year; the number might increase to five a year in the future.