JAG Airman gets spot in NECP

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Luther Mitchell Jr.
  • 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  She enlisted in the Air Force at age 18, cross-trained later in her career and now she is earning a commission in the Nursing Enlisted Commissioning Program.

Tech Sgt. Tiffany Ebueng, 56th Fighter Wing Staff Judge Advocate NCO-in-charge of military justice, has worked hard to get where she is. She always wanted to be a nurse and now she can hardly hold back her excitement.

"I cried," Ebueng said. "I couldn't believe it. All my hard work paid off. I waited a month and a half to find out I was accepted. It was so stressful, but the waiting is over. I'm excited."

Ebueng has been in the Air Force for 10 years and spent the last two working toward getting a commission through NECP. The program offers active-duty enlisted members the opportunity to earn a bachelor's degree in a high-demand academic major. Those selected for the program attend college full time at an accredited university while remaining on active duty.

"This program is one of the best out there for getting your commission," Ebueng said. "Being in the medical field and being a nurse is something I really wanted to do all my life. This program will pay for my tuition and books, so it's a good deal."

The NECP is a very competitive program, and Ebueng was selected from hundreds of applicants. She credits being accepted to the support she received from her leaders and Air Force core values.

"To be competitive you have to do well in your current career field, on and off duty," Ebueng said. "You have to make sure your enlisted performance reports and your grade point average are good. Everything you do has to reflect the whole Airman concept. You have to establish that to be competitive."

Ebueng balanced classes and work to get her package in this year. She said it was hard, but she stayed focused.

"It was a lot of stress," Ebueng said. "As a paralegal, I sometimes work 60-hour weeks, and I was taking two or three classes. There was a lot of studying but not a lot of going out. You have to stay focused. You have to do what you can to accomplish all the stuff you need to get accepted. If it's really something you want to do, nothing can stop you."

Second Lt. John Houseman, 56th Medical Group information chief, recently received a commission in the medical field too. He commissioned after serving as an enlisted communications Airman.

"The selection process was long and strenuous, but earning a commission was always my dream," he said. "I wanted to be in a position to lead Airmen in accomplishing the mission."

Ebueng's advice to people wanting to earn a commission is to do their research ahead of time.

"There are guidelines people can use," Ebueng said. "There is also additional information on sites like Facebook that can help a person prepare."