Airmen Leadership School returns to Korean peninsula Published Nov. 16, 2011 By Tech. Sgt. Chad Thompson 51st Fighter Wing Public Affairs OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea -- Airman Leadership School is a Professional Military Education requirement needed for any Airman who is sewing on the rank of staff sergeant. Previously, many Airmen stationed at Osan and Kunsan have had to get waiver letters or wait to sew on their rank due to the lack of availability for the supervisory school - until now. Thirty one students will be meeting this requirement when they graduated from the new pen-wide ALS class Nov. 9, 2011. Master Sgt. Thomas Parmley, is the ALS commandant for the school and he said this is the first class to graduate from Osan since 2007. The new class will support a total of 32 students per class and be offered four times a year at Osan and three times a year at Kunsan, he said. "The class gives maintainers, support, and all other Airmen here the same supervisory skills needed to meet the requirements to sew on staff sergeant," he said. "Hopefully this will eliminate the waivers many Airmen here have needed due to the lack of school." Parmley said re-implementing ALS in Korea was a big push from Gen. Gary North, Pacific Air Forces Commander, in order to help normalize the bases and reduce the long waits to sew on staff sergeant for some Airmen. The next class started Nov. 14. at Kunsan Air Base.