AFA Announces of Winner of Grantham Scholarship

In September, The Air Force Association announced that Lieutenant Colonel Guy Fritchman (Ret) was the winner of a full 4-year scholarship to Grantham University. Lt. Col. Fritchman is currently a course instructor at the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT). His colleagues credit him with the ability to continuously “update curriculum to accommodate the constantly changing acquisition and logistics needs of the Air Force and Department of Defense (DoD) workforce,” which is certainly not an easy task.

Lt. Col. Fritchman received his Master of Science Degree in Logistics Management just over twenty years ago and is now in pursuit of a Master of Business Administration degree. With the Grantham scholarship, he plans to pursue an MBA with an emphasis in project management since much of the coursework he currently teaches is related to project management. He feels that an MBA will sharpen his skills and make him an extremely knowledgeable educator for his students.

“Grantham University’s online program is perfect for my situation, because online courses allow me greater flexibility in scheduling and completing lessons,” said Lt. Col. Fritchman. “I have been reluctant to take traditional classroom courses recently, as my own work takes me out of town quite often, and I don’t like to miss class.”

Lt. Col. Fritchman not only serves as President of AFIT’s School of Systems and Logistics Faculty, but also serves on standing and ad hoc committees dedicated to the development of the school, their courses and the faculty. It is clear that he is counted on by his colleagues to fulfill any obligations and takes the initiative to do so.

In addition to educating over 800 Air Force and DoD professionals annually through courses, seminars and workshops, he has also been a guest lecturer at the Air War College. He has co-authored several professional papers related to logistics and other topics that have been published in professional journals.

The AFA is a 501(c) (3) organization that educates the public about the critical role of aerospace power in the defense of our nation, advocates aerospace power and a strong national defense, and supports the United States Air Force. AFA has more than 230 chapters nationally and internationally representing more than 130,000 members. Visit AFA on the Internet at www.afa.org.

Student Spotlight Larry Stelck U.S. Air Force Master Sergeant Larry Stelck (Ret.) enrolled at Grantham University in November 2002 for a variety of reasons.  One, he wanted to enhance his promotion potential and build on the education that he had already received with the goal of advancing further in his current career path or venturing into a new career.  Two, he wanted to be an example to his three sons and earn his bachelor’s degree before his oldest son received his.  Mr. Stelck joined the USAF on December 30th, 1980, at the age of 22, and finished basic training at Lackland AFB in Texas.  Over the years, he gradually made his way through the ranks and was stationed in West Germany, New Mexico and Florida.  In March 1995, Mr. Stelck graduated as a Distinguished graduate from the Noncommissioned Officer’s Academy at Keesler AFB and received his Associates degree in Avionics Systems from the Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) that same year. After becoming a Master Sergeant in October 1996, Mr. Stelck was selected for involuntary retraining.  As a result, he graduated from programmer school at Keesler AFB and was assigned to the 53rd Wing at Eglin AFB in Florida.  In 1997, Mr. Stelck earned a second associates degree from the CCAF in Computer Science.  Just before retiring from active duty on January 1, 2001, after 20 years of serving his country, Mr. Stelck served as a Computer Systems Squadron Superintendent.  During his career with the Air Force, Mr. Stelck held many positions, received numerous medals and awards and served in the Gulf War.  After retiring, he and his family decided to stay in Florida because they had begun to establish roots there and his oldest son was ranked as the top student in his high school senior class at Niceville, Florida.  He began working as a Level II Field Engineer for Raytheon and was then hired back by the 53rd Wing as a Civil Service GS-11 Computer Specialist.  He was then promoted to a GS-12 Computer Programmer in December 2004. Mr. Stelck earned his Bachelor’s degree in Engineering Management on March 23, 2006.  And yes, he beat his son by 44 days!  Mr. Stelck chose the engineering management program because he felt that it complimented and diversified his existing academic background.  He has since enrolled in Grantham’s Master of Science Information Technology degree program. “Grantham has afforded me with the opportunity to do what I wanted to do and needed to do for my career and with the flexibility that no other educational institution can offer,” said Mr. Stelck.  “In today’s business world, the bar keeps getting raised higher and higher.  With Grantham, that bar doesn’t seem quite so high!”

Civilian Career Opportunities - Department of the Navy Acquisition Intern Program

The Department of the Navy (DON) is more than ships, airplanes and sailors; it has over 176,000 civilian employees at Navy and Marine Corps commands, bases, stations and facilities throughout the U.S. and around the world. Over 37,000 acquisition professionals perform “cradle to grave” management of highly technical systems, equipment, facilities, supplies and services.

The DON Acquisition Intern Program (NAIP) is designed for recent college graduates and provides a structured management-training program including formal education, diverse rotational assignments, extensive on-the-job training, and graduate tuition assistance. Individuals will be placed in a training and education program for up to three years, tailored to various acquisition career fields. Upon successful completion of the NAIP, the individual will become a regular civil service employee. For more information on this program, visit: www.atrrs.army.mil/channels/NAIPInfo.

Naval Facilities Engineering Command Midwest (NAVFAC MW), located at the Naval Station Great Lakes, in Great Lakes, IL, is currently seeking applications for potential Contract Specialist vacancies in the Department of the Navy Acquisition Intern Program. Contract Specialists at NAVFAC MW buy construction and services for the Navy and Marine Corps. To make such purchases, these professionals analyze markets and market conditions, develop contracts, solicit proposals from private and public sectors, analyze proposed costs and prices, negotiate contract terms and conditions, and award and administer the contracts. The anticipated timeframe for hiring this position is December 2006.

Benefits:

• Entry-level salary at GS-7 [$37,810 (Chicago locality)] with annual increases
• Full performance level of GS-12 ($67,069) after three years in the program
• 13-26 paid vacation days a year
• 10 paid annual holidays
• 13 days sick leave annually
• Retirement plan including employer-matched funds
• Choice of health plans and life insurance
• College tuition assistance
• Flexible, family friendly work schedules

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited institution (degree must be achieved by December 2006)
• GPA of 2.95 or better on a 4.0 scale
• At least 24 semester credit hours in business (includes accounting, business finance, law, contracts, purchasing, economics, industrial management, marketing, quantitative methods, and organization and management). Please advise if still taking classes to fulfill this requirement.
• U.S. Citizenship
• Be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance

How to Apply: If you are interested in applying, please provide your resume and a copy of your transcripts to Ms. Sally Merritt at 201 Decatur Avenue, Great Lakes, Illinois 60088, or fax to 847-688-6567. Resumes (with transcripts) must be received by October 31, 2006. For questions, please contact Sally Merritt, Director of Acquisition, NAVFAC Midwest via telephone at 847-688-2600 X102 or e-mail sally.merritt@navy.mil.

Mark your Calendars:

AUSA Annual Meeting & Exposition – October 9th-11th, Washington, DC – As the provider of online education to the Association of the United States Army (AUSA), Grantham University will be participating in their 2006 Annual Meeting at the Washington Convention Center. The AUSA Annual Meeting is known as “the free world’s largest land warfare forum and exposition” and will attract over 32,000 attendees including members of the AUSA, defense industry executives, U.S. soldiers and U.S. and foreign military leaders. This year’s meeting will kick-off on Sunday, October 8th, with the 22nd running of the Army Ten-Miler. Exhibits will open at 9 a.m. on Monday, October 9th, and will span halls A, B and C of the convention center. Exhibits are open to anyone having a definable relationship with the U.S. military or AUSA to include all AUSA members, employees of sustaining member companies, all U.S. military (active, retired, National Guard, Reserve, etc.) and their spouses and children who also hold an ID card, and DoD civilians. Be sure to visit Grantham University’s booth in the AUSA Pavilion, Hall A. Inaugural WV National Guard College & Career Fair – October 24th, Martinsburg, WV – Please plan to visit Grantham University at the WV National Guard College & Career Fair. The fair is being held at the Martinsburg Mall in Martinsburg, WV from 3:00 pm until 9:00 pm and is open to anyone who would like to attend. Attendees will have the opportunity to find part-time career employment as well as explore options with college, universities and trade schools from around the nation. The fair is being coordinated with the West Virginia College Day Committee, Service Members Opportunity Colleges, Workforce WV, the Martinsburg Mall and the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce. Andrew’s AFB Monthly Visit – October 26th, Education Center - On the 4th Thursday of each month, from 11 am until 2 pm, representatives from Grantham University will be available in the lobby of the education center to assist current and prospective students with any questions they might have. Our next visit is scheduled for Thursday, October 26th. Come out and see us – we would love to meet you!

Mind Your Stress - On the Job

By the National Mental Health Association Most of us have felt “stressed out” at one time or another. When this feeling persists day after day, stress becomes chronic. Chronic stress can take a toll on our careers, on our quality of life and on our bodies, making us susceptible to a host of illnesses. In fact, what many of us don’t realize — and what medical researchers are confirming in study after study — is that our stress levels are directly linked to our physical well-being. Seventy-five percent of our visits to the doctor’s office concern stress-related ailments. Common Sources of Stress For many of us, stress is at an all-time high level. Some common sources of stress include financial worries, concerns about job security, heavy workloads and responsibility, job burnout, personality conflicts at work, the demands of work and family, troubled relationships, as well as caregiving for a sick loved one or an aging parent. How Stress Affects Us at Work We all know that stress affects us at work. In fact, one in four people say they’ve missed work due to work-related stress. When we are under chronic stress, we often have trouble meeting deadlines, concentrating and making decisions. Our productivity and performance decrease as our stress levels increase. We also may become easily irritated and overwhelmed, and have relationship problems with colleagues. Many people who are over-stressed at work are unable to leave their job-related issues behind at night or they feel immobilized on the job. Stress can also mean more headaches, backaches and colds — and more sick days. How Stress Affects Our Health and Wellness Almost half of us suffer physically due to stress. Chronic stress can affect the body in a number of ways: It weakens the immune system, which can cause fatigue and make us more susceptible to colds and flu. It can also trigger a variety of ailments from gum disease to osteoporosis; cause premature aging; and lead to life-threatening illnesses like diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Strategies for Managing Stress Whether the stress originates at the office or at home — or a little of both — we take it with us wherever we go. The good news is that we now know that caring for our minds as well as our bodies can keep us healthier, happier and more productive in all aspects of life. Here are some strategies you can use to better manage stress. These tips may seem like common sense, but few of us apply them to our daily lives. They will help if you use them. Treat your body right. Eating right and exercising can increase your tolerance to stress. Set realistic goals. Do what’s possible and carry on. Set and re-set your priorities. Take care of important and difficult tasks first, and eliminate unessential tasks. Take one task at a time. Divide large projects into smaller tasks, and make “to do” lists. Take five. Taking a short break can help slow down your mind long enough to improve your ability to deal with stress later. Learn to relax or meditate. Studies show that just 10 to 20 minutes of quiet reflection or meditation a day can bring relief from chronic stress and increase your tolerance to it. Give yourself a break. No one is perfect. Striving to be the best in everything will lead to worry, anxiety and failure. Learn to say “no.” Slow down and be honest about what you can comfortably do. Be flexible. Make allowances for other people’s opinions and be prepared to compromise. Avoid excessive competition. Excessive competition can be dangerous emotionally and physically — not to mention damaging to your job. Go easy on criticism. You may expect too much of yourself or others. Try not to feel let down or frustrated when your expectations aren’t met. Manage your anger. Retreat before you lose control. Allow time for you both to cool down. You’ll both be better equipped to handle the problem constructively later. Be honest with colleagues. Make it plain you feel you’re in a bind. Chances are others feel the same. Don’t just complain — make practical suggestions for improvement. Talk it out with a loved one. Talking it out can help you see things more clearly, release negative feelings and get emotional support.

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