926th Group member selected for 2011 Air Force fellowship Published Feb. 24, 2011 By Capt. Jessica Martin 926th Group public affairs NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. -- An Air Force reservist with the 926th Group recently received the distinct honor of becoming an Air Force fellow. Maj. Alexis Kellett, 926th Force Support Squadron commander, was notified of her fellowship selection by the Reserve Developmental Education Designation Board in December 2010. "This is an amazing opportunity," Major Kellett said. "I look forward to representing the Air Force, and more specifically, the Air Force Reserve in such a unique capacity. It's an honor to be among those selected to witness and participate in the legislative process at a hands-on level." The application package to the RDEDB consisted of evaluations, a personal statement, commander recommendation and physical fitness scores. After the board met, Major Kellett was informed that she was among five finalists to interview for a position. The fellowship is a Total Force program consisting annually of 21 selectees from the regular Air Force, two from the Air National Guard and two from the Air Force Reserve. Major Kellett flew to D.C. in mid-November to interview, and was notified of her official selection the following month. "Major Kellett's selection as an Air Force fellow is a direct reflection of her superior ability and performance," said Col. Herman Brunke, 926th Group commander. "The 926th is fortunate to have a wealth of future Air Force Reserve Command leaders; Major Kellett stands in the front of this group and will no doubt continue to excel in this new opportunity." The fellowship program is 18 months in its entirety. It begins with a six-month developmental rotation where the selectee is assigned to an agency such as Air or Joint Staff, the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Department of State, or a D.C.-area Think Tank. This phase of the fellowship is primarily designed to be an observation and learning period during which the member familiarizes themselves with the legislative process. At the conclusion of the observation period, Major Kellett is assigned to a congressional office for a yearlong assignment on Capitol Hill. "The Department of Defense, and specifically the Air Force, tries to target congressional members with military affiliations for fellows' assignments, but I won't find out until this December which member of congress I'll be working with," Major Kellett said. Simultaneous to the fellowship, members attend classes at Georgetown University, Washington D.C., and prepare a research paper for potential publishing.