HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. -- Twelve trainees were formally welcomed into the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center workforce during a graduation ceremony here Feb. 19.
During his welcoming remarks, the logistics co-chair for the Hanscom AFB Trainee Council, Samson LeBlanc, congratulated graduates on completing the challenging program.
“It has not been an easy or straightforward path for any of you here today,” he said. “Each program required you to balance a rigorous training plan and demonstrate the ability to quickly learn and perform your specific functions on the job.”
The 2026 acquisition graduates are from the logistics career field.
Upon completing their respective training programs, graduates of the PALACE Acquire and developmental programs were outplaced into a business management and technical management professional career path, or NH-03 position, within their respective functional areas.
LeBlanc noted that the training programs the graduates completed were demanding and evolving.
“The Air Force depends on its trainees to ramp up quickly, and each of you has made significant contributions to your programs and the Air Force mission,” he said.
During their two- and three-year training programs, graduates received on-the-job experience supporting various AFLCMC missions, as well as additional virtual and in-person training.
Guest speaker Steve LaFleur, logistics organizational senior functional for the Command, Control, Communications Intelligence and Networks Directorate, said the graduates have gained crucial skills and a deep understanding of government acquisition through real-world projects, supervisor mentorship, and challenging experiences.
“Critical thinking, leadership, communication skills and problem-solving are some of the critical attributes that we need as logisticians and as professionals in this environment,” he said. “People who can ensure that we are at the right place, at the right time, with the right equipment to do the mission.”
LaFleur also shared with graduates the important role civil servants play in accomplishing the Air Force mission.
“One of the things that makes us the greatest Air Force in the world is our logisticians,” he said. “They are the Air Force’s backbone. Whatever we need to do to make a mission a success, we wouldn’t get that done without our civilian logisticians.”
Lea Kirkwood, program executive officer for the Electronic Systems Directorate, also highlighted the value of the civilian workforce.
“There are a lot of different ways you can be a logistician in today’s Air Force.” she said. “Most of what we do at Hanscom is the planning aspects, but you’re also going to be supporting real-time ops.”
Kirkwood explained that many logisticians work directly with warfighters in the field to better understand the end users’ needs.
“What is paramount is understanding how you are connected to operational outcomes and understanding how your role contributes to the Air Force mission.”
The 2026 graduates will continue supporting programs in AFLCMC’s C3I and Networks Directorate, the Cyber & Networks Directorate, and the Aerial Networks Division here.
To learn more about Air Force Civilian Service’s training programs, visit https://afciviliancareers.com/recentgraduates/.