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TSgt Bernadette Van Ness: “Treat others how you expect to be treated”

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Alex Mercer
  • 27th Special Operations Wing Public Affairs
CANNON AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  Tech. Sgt. Bernadette Van Ness, 27th Special Operations Force Support Squadron Airman Leadership School instructor, is responsible for enlisted professional military education instruction as outlined in Air Force directives; preparing for instruction through group review and self-study; maintaining lesson plans; supervising, counseling, evaluating and advising students; administering examinations; maintaining student records and documents student actions.

She also coordinates and conducts panels, exercises and other ceremonial duties to enhance student learning, and assists with in-and out-processing and graduation tasks. All of this might seem like a huge task to take on for someone who was not always comfortable with public speaking, yet she does it all with a positive attitude and warm smile on her face.


Tell me a little about yourself...
I am not good at talking about myself… I am a new ALS instructor, an independent duty medical technician by trade. I have served 13 years in the Air Force and have a 7-year-old daughter.

When did you first arrive at Cannon?
Last February.

And what is your overall impression of the 27th Special Operations Wing?
I love it here! It almost feels like an overseas location because of how everyone here takes care of each other. I live in Portales, New Mexico, and I love the school district there and the small-town feel; I grew up in San Antonio, Texas, so this is a nice change.

Tell me more about your traditional career field…
IDMTs are trained to deploy, and provide medical and dental care in austere environments. We also train to do food and public facility inspections, water sampling and bioenvironmental shop visits.

That sounds like exciting work! What made you decide to take a break from that and become an ALS instructor?
It was not by choice, I was actually selected through the developmental special duty program.

So this is not something you applied for... I would imagine that says a lot about you as an Airman and the faith your leadership has in your ability…
More than anything, I just hope I live up to the expectations my leaders have of me. I want to take what others see in me and project that to my students here.

Is teaching something you have always been passionate about?
Originally no; I was very nervous about public speaking. However, being in a small class environment and getting to know these airmen has helped me grow so much.

Is it intimidating at all? Being in a room full of senior airmen waiting to become NCOs who are just staring you down...
They look at me as a 13 year technical sergeant... I let them know my experience is there, but that I am not the subject matter expert in in everything. My students really could know more than I do in select areas and we embrace that. We are here to help each other grow and to learn from each other.

Do you ever feel as if they are waiting for you to slip up or make a mistake?
No. We talk openly and if anything needs correcting, they know I am not trying to belittle or shame them. ALS instructing is about communication both ways and respectful dialogue, we are not here to point out everyone’s flaws.

What is one of the biggest changes from your traditional AFSC to becoming an instructor?
I am used to working with staff sergeants and higher-ranking Airmen within my career field. I enjoy being at a point where I can set these airmen up on the right path and groom them to become supervisors. I am more available to airmen and feel as though I can have impact on young, impressionable minds.




What about the greatest challenge?
I only have six weeks with them; sometimes patterns of learned behavior are difficult to alter or groom. I really wish I had more time to truly inspire them.

If you had to pick right now, what is the most rewarding thing you have experienced while teaching here so far?
When classes collectively understand a concept. We did one exercise where our students really saw how to modify their temperaments for communication to more effectively accomplish the mission in various work centers. Seeing that ‘ah-ha’ moment was very rewarding for me.

Let's say you and I are sitting here in this same place a year from now celebrating your first year in this position, what would you want to be celebrating?
I would like to eventually get airmen who are future troops of the classes I have now, and find out those previous students I had, have been using what they learned here to become effective leaders and supervisors. That would make me feel incredibly accomplished!

So let's talk more about you... tell me about the woman behind the uniform. When you are not working, how do you spend your time?
With my daughter at home; we go do girly stuff at the salon and take our new dog on walks. I also prepare for the next week of lectures... mellow things really.

Do you have a role model in your life, someone truly inspiring?
I have a former coworker who had superior integrity - just always did what she was supposed to do as a SNCO, always had our backs and held us as accountable as she held herself; she really set me on the right path.

If you could pick any superpower, what would it be?
Teleportation; I just wish I could see my family back home more quickly.

Tell me about a time things did not go exactly as you wanted them to...
Prior to me attending the noncommissioned officer academy, I was very jaded with my organization. Going in with the instructors and peers I was fortunate enough to have at NCOA, my vision and perspective of the Air Force was completely changed for the better. I learned I had low commitment and professionalism at the time, but my instructors and peers motivated me and reinvigorated my drive for what I still love doing.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would that be?
I would love to be slightly more organized; this job is already helping me with that!

If I asked you to sum up Cannon in a few words, what would you want people to know about this base?
That is really is not as bad as everyone thinks it is. There are so many opportunities here to hike or snowboard, to travel and sightsee; and the people stationed here are so welcoming! It really is a family-friendly community and environment… people just have to be open-minded.

What is something you deeply believe in?
I believe in treating others how you expect to be treated; I look at these airmen as someone's child... I will not belittle them or treat them inappropriately because they are someone else’s child. I treat people how I would want my own daughter to be treated.

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