{"id":30949,"date":"2019-09-23T19:58:21","date_gmt":"2019-09-23T19:58:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/uncategorized\/2019\/09\/23\/step-forward-airmen-can-once-again-volunteer-to-be-first-sergeants\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T20:58:42","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T20:58:42","slug":"step-forward-airmen-can-once-again-volunteer-to-be-first-sergeants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/news\/your-air-force\/2019\/09\/23\/step-forward-airmen-can-once-again-volunteer-to-be-first-sergeants\/","title":{"rendered":"Step forward: Airmen can once again volunteer to be first sergeants"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Air Force this fall is moving to a new system for hiring first sergeants in which airmen can volunteer to serve as one of the most important enlisted airmen in a unit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Until now, a move to first sergeant has been a Developmental Special Duty assignment<\/a> and candidates have been nominated by their supervisors<\/a> to be considered for that job. But beginning with this fall\u2019s assignment cycle, first sergeant candidates will be chosen for their initial assignments through both a volunteer and nomination process, the Air Force Personnel Center announced in a Sept. 19 news release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First sergeant assignments have also been removed from the list of Developmental Special Duties<\/a>. The hiring process is now called the First Sergeants Assignments Program. Master Sgt. Shannon Tabor, the first sergeant functional assignment manager for AFPC, said in the release that leadership teams \u2014 including the unit\u2019s commander, superintendent and first sergeant \u2014 will screen and nominate highly qualified master sergeants to serve as first sergeants. The teams will also help interested airmen volunteer for these jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First sergeants, who are also sometimes referred to as \u201cfirst shirts\u201d and wear distinctive diamonds on their rank insignia, are senior noncommissioned officers who serve as a liaison between commanders and their units. It is a demanding job in which airmen are on-call around the clock as they look out for the health, morale, mentoring and recognition of airmen in their assigned unit.<\/p>\n\n\n\t