Civilian force development<br>Professional military education offered to civilians Published July 28, 2010 By Ann Owens 333rd Training Squadron KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- On the first day we solved riddles, figured out how to get from one side of a board to the other without falling off and ran two miles -- all before lunch. Sounds like a typical morning for a kid -- guess again. I was attending Squadron Officer School and I had a blast. Along with learning how to work cohesively with a team of 14, I also learned how to lead effectively. In today's Air Force, civilians serve alongside their military counterparts, so professional military education is more important than ever. Commanding officers typically make final decisions regarding civilian reassignments and promotions. They've completed their PME and expect their civilian counterparts to have done so as well. Be ready -- develop your arsenal of skills by completing the PME appropriate to your grade level If you're new to the military environment, begin by completing the online New Employee Orientation course at https://afkm.wpafb.af.mil/AF-Orientation . Consider applying for Civilian Acculturation and Leadership Training. CALT is a two-week in-residence "bluing" program for civilians with bachelor's degrees, two to five years of continuous federal service and no prior military service. The program instills a greater understanding of Air Force heritage, culture, core values, organizational structure and missions. It's one of the new programs targeting civilian force development aimed at ensuring potential senior leaders have a firm understanding of the Air Force early on. CALT is modeled after Officer Training School and taught at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. Those selected live under the same rules and Spartan conditions as OTS candidates. Physical fitness is stressed. Civilians with a bachelor's degree or above may qualify for Squadron Officer School or for graduate degree programs offered by the Air Command and Staff College or Air War College. Air University provides these courses in residence at Maxwell and through distance-learning courses. Physical fitness is an important component of resident curricula. To qualify for SOS, ACSC or AWC in residence, civilians must have two or more years of continuous federal civil service and be in good physical condition. If you're interested in attending a resident course, look for the call for applications in the spring. Civilians in grades GS 09-12 may qualify to attend the five-week SOS program at Maxwell. This course is physically and academically challenging, but well worth it. Captains and civilians step out of their specialties to focus on essential leadership competencies such as problem solving, core values and the Air Force as an institution in the profession of arms. Students strengthen their leadership techniques and apply what they learn in classroom discussions and field exercises. They have an opportunity to see how their leadership skills influence team success and to experience followership in support of other student leaders. The SOS distance-learning course is a good alternative to the in-residence course. It includes three units: ethical leadership, decision making and building teams and coalition. Students have 18 months to complete the program. ACSC prepares majors and GS-12 and GS-13 civilians to assume positions of higher responsibility within the military and other agencies. Geared toward the skills necessary for air and space operations in support of a joint campaign, ACSC prepares, shapes and molds tomorrow's leaders and commanders. The college's academic environment stimulates and encourages free expression of ideas as well as independent, analytical, and creative thinking. Students may attend the 10-month course at Maxwell or take the distance-learning course which must be completed within 18 months. The ACSC online master's program is a highly competitive 24-month program in which graduates earn PME credit and a master's degree. It consists of seven courses: challenges of leadership and command, national security, strategy and war, expeditionary air and space power, joint forces, planning joint operations and joint air operations. AWC prepares lieutenant colonels and GS-14-15s to lead in a joint environment at the strategic level across the range of military operations; develop cross-domain mastery of joint air, space and cyberspace power and its strategic contributions to national security; and advance innovative thought on national security, Department of Defense and Air Force issues. Students may attend the course from July through May at Maxwell or take the distance-learning course which must be completed within 36 months. Air Force leaders increasingly rely on civilian Airmen as part of the total force. Developing all Airmen is an Air Force priority.