Thunderbolt invents PDG study tool

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Melanie Holochwost
  • 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  Enlisted servicemembers with promotion testing in their near future can take advantage of a free and convenient flashcard study tool recently developed by one of Luke Air Force Base's own.

First Lt. Brian Reese, 56th Mission Support Group Commander's Action Group chief, is the cofounder of TestSoup, a Web site and mobile application devoted to helping individuals prepare for standardized tests.

Although the Web site charges a small fee for civilians ($9.95 for GMAT, GRE, or ACCUPLACER flashcards), Lieutenant Reese said the Air Force Professional Development Guide flashcards are free for Airmen.

"Airmen have enough things to worry about at work, home and while deployed," Lieutenant Reese said. "Ibelieve they should have a better way to study."

Lieutenant Reese thought of the idea to create this tool when he was studying for the GMAT.

"I was very frustrated with the other systems on the market because I needed to review important core concepts" he said. "I wanted something quick, easy and convenient that didn't cost a lot of money -- TestSoup is the answer."

Airmen interested in using this tool can either register with TestSoup.com directly or connect with Facebook account usernames and passwords to save time, Lieutenant Reese said.

"Once Airmen log in, they will have access to more than 2,500 flashcards," he said. "The system is userfriendly with options to study by chapter, skip to different chapters of the PDG, and flag cards for review. Page numbers appear after the question so Airmen can find the underlying concept in the PDG textbook."

Charles Dittell, 56th Force Support Squadron flight chief, previously an educational service officer, said he is really excited about TestSoup.com.

"Not only will this Web site give Airmen an excellent, free tool to use for Weighted Airman Promotion System testing, but it can also help them when they decide to start college or begin preparing for a graduate program," Mr. Dittell said. "I can definitely see this concept catching on with K-12s, universities, Air Force and Defense Department -- especially since people can study both online and on-the-go."

Lieutenant Reese said promotion flashcards for senior NCOs and mobile applications for iPhone and Android should be available by late summer. The Blackberry application is already up and running.

To try out the program, click the following link: www.testsoup.com