Members may attend this course after completing 48 months in the service and re-enlisting or if they have been selected for promotion to staff sergeant. The in-residence course lasts six weeks. Course slots are allocated to the wings according to an organization's size. Pa. Each site is allowed a maximum of 15 students, with two seats available for reservists. Seminars last approximately five months.
Students attend classes at a home site two nights a week for three hours each night.
Tenn. Air Force reservists who want to participate in one of these seminars must apply through their unit training manager. Completion of the NCO Academy is a requirement for promotion to master sergeant. Its goal is to provide education necessary for senior NCOs to become more effective leaders and managers. Reserve command receives approximately 80 slots each fiscal year. The board looks for people who present an outstanding professional image and who have a good chance of successfully completing the work.