NCOA will be missed by base and local communities Published May 16, 2008 By Holly Birchfield 78 ABW/PA Robins Air Force Base, Ga. -- Not long after celebrating its 50th anniversary, the Robins NCO Academy will close it's doors permanently. The school inactivates Tuesday, one of several academies that has closed or is closing as part of the Air Force's cost-cutting measures. Although the base will mourn the school's inactivation, it is perhaps the community that will suffer most. "Ever since we found out that we're going to be closing, we've learned how the closure affects people you wouldn't even imagine," said Master Sgt. Aaron Rogusky, director of education at Robins NCOA who has been on staff for about five years. Sergeant Rogusky said people both on and off base are sad about the closure. "From civilians downtown to different people on base, they don't want to see it close," he said. "It surprised me of how many people that we actually touched in the local community. They know about us, they respect us and they don't want to see us close." Traditionally, staff and students of the academy have taken many opportunities to make a difference in the base and Middle Georgia communities, especially with the Junior ROTC. Each July, Georgia area JROTC programs hold a summer camp at the academy, supported by staff members support. "Our staff members participate in terms of administrative as well as instructional duties," said Master Sgt. Jeffrey Sandru, director of evaluations and training at the Academy. "The ALS also participates. (It's) not just the NCO academy, but PME itself giving to the community." Sergeant Sandru said the RNCOA staff has also helped with the area JROTC programs's drill competitions statewide. The academy's lessons in leadership have touched the Middle Georgia community through the school's participation in the Warner Robins Area Chamber of Commerce's annual training program which is intended to help area business and civic leaders network and share ideas. "They've used our facilities and we've facilitated classes with them, passing on some of the same leadership and management techniques that we've been passing on to our students," Sergeant Sandru said. "What we're having is an integration of leadership across the board between military and civilian leaders." In addition to the many blood drives, soup kitchens, and other community-based activities the school has helped with, Sergeant Sandru said the school's students and staff have made a difference by helping Network56, the Chiefs Group, Top 3 and other organizations with their events. Despite the closure, Sergeant Sandru said the school's legacy will survive. "I think we've set an example that even though the institution is going to be gone, the legacy of that institution is going to live on," he said. "I think people are going to remember that and they're going to try to match it and live up to it and keep that kind of legacy going for years." He hopes other base organizations continue to get involved with the local community to help fill the void left by the NCO Academy's closure.