Kadena sends first US Airman to Singaporean Leadership School

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Angelique Perez
  • 18th Wing Public Affairs
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan --  A Kadena Air Base senior NCO recently made history, becoming the first U.S. Airman to attend the advanced leadership program at Singapore's Armed Forces Warrant Officer School. 

Senior Master Sgt. David Duncan, director of operations at Kadena's Erwin Professional Military Education Center, is not only the lone Airman and the lone American, but also the only international student in the three-week program. 

The Singapore program is designed for warrant officers who have been wearing the rank for two years and is similar to the Air Force's Senior NCO Academy. 

While Master Sgt. Duncan is attending as a student, he is also auditing the program - in search of valuable insights to add to U.S. Air Force professional military education. 

The Erwin PME Center's leadership hopes to build a lasting partnership with the Singaporean school. 

"The faculty and students here are extremely open and very curious to [learn] how the USAF enlisted corps is trained and developed," said Sergeant Duncan. "We are hoping to bring two Singaporean staff sergeants through our Kadena NCOA this summer." 

While in Singapore, Sergeant Duncan is experiencing a wide-ranging curriculum focused on leadership, teambuilding and technology. In addition, he is taking courses on field exercises, mentoring, United Nations peacekeeping, media relations and new developments in air, land and sea warfare. 

In turn, the Singaporean students are learning the American and U.S. Air Force perspective, courtesy of Sergeant Duncan. 

According to the Kadena PME director, there are many similarities between the U.S. and Singaporean militaries.

"The discussions we have in class are very similar to those I have had as a student at all levels in the U.S. Air Force," said Sergeant Duncan, adding that the diversity of Singapore and its military is impressive.

"The people are shy, but very friendly," he said. "They have been nothing but fantastic hosts to me since I've been here."