Officer PME: Training today’s leaders every step of the way

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Yasemin Randall
  • 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
A lot of training goes into an officer to make them a great leader. Like Vince Lombardi said, "Leaders aren't born they are made. And they are made just like anything else, through hard work."

Professional Military Education is an integral part of an officer's military career, and it is this training that molds an officer into a leader. Officer PME teaches management and leadership skills at every level of the officer's career. Each PME program is designed to build upon the previous PME course and is tailored to the rank and level of responsibility of the officer, focusing on the skills they need at that stage of their military career.

The PME system not only makes the officer more promotable, but also provides them with the opportunity to better the Air Force.

"The officer PME program is essential for personal and professional development of the officer," said Col. "Tip" Stinnette, 39th Air Base Wing commander. "Each level of PME provides key skills necessary for effective leadership and a stronger Air Force."

The first level of officer PME instruction is the Air and Space Basic Course. ASBC is a six-week training course that concentrates on the fundamentals of Air Force doctrine, core values, teamwork and officership. The course teaches newly commissioned officers their role as Airmen and understanding how air, space and cyberspace power fit into joint war planning.

The Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Gen. T. Michael Moseley, intends for all second lieutenants to attend ASBC within the first 12 months of their active duty date to provide a common foundation among all new officers. To ensure this foundation, ASBC covers lessons in profession of arms, leadership and management, military studies, communication and international studies. The sixth week of the course is combined operations where lieutenants from ASBC and Senior Non-Commissioned Officers from the SNCO Academy are merged in flights for team building, leadership and mentorship exercises.

The second level of officer PME is the Squadron Officer School. The SOS program is offered both in residence at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., and by correspondence through the non-resident online course. Captains with at least four and less than seven years of total active commissioned service, who are not in a failed or deferred promotion status, are eligible for SOS selection. SOS students learn leadership competencies and their roles as Air Force officers in air and space power and joint operations.

The in-residence SOS course is a five-week program that covers, in more detail, the five areas of study covered in the first five weeks of ASBC through classroom discussion, seminars and field exercises. Students at SOS work together to apply lessons learned from class discussions and seminars in complex, team-building exercises throughout the five-week program.

"SOS was my first exposure to the officer PME system," said Capt. Leon Essig, 39th Air Base Wing protocol officer. "The curriculum at SOS was very interesting in that it taught us different perspectives on the philosophy of leadership. The team-building exercises were the most beneficial part of SOS. I enjoyed the opportunity to network with other officers from other AFSCs."

Captain Essig added that officers from the Air War College spoke with the SOS flights, giving the students a chance to learn about how the Air Force's role in global airpower and warfighting tied in with the roles of other service branches.

The next level of officer PME is the Air Command and Staff College. ACSC is the intermediate PME course for selected officers in the major and major-select ranks. The 40-week course focuses on challenges of leadership and command, national and international security, strategy and war, expeditionary air and space power, joint forces, planning joint operations, and joint air operations. The curriculum prepares officers to think critically and analytically about joint operations and strategy of war. Upon completion of the 34-semester hour course, students can obtain a Master of Military Operational Art and Science Degree.

Because of the competitive selection process of ACSC, approximately 85 percent of majors and major-selects complete their intermediate PME program through the non-resident program. The non-resident curriculum of ACSC is offered by correspondence (self-study) or in a seminar setting (consisting usually of groups of five to 18 students).

The senior-level officer PME is the Air War College (AWC). AWC is also a 40-week graduate-level program and is offered to selected colonels and lieutenant colonels. Although the AWC is open to international military officers and officers of other service branches, only U.S. students attending the senior-level PME are dually enrolled in the Air University Master of Strategic Studies degree program. The AWC curriculum consists of four areas of study: leadership and ethics, international security studies, national and military strategy, and joint/coalition military operations. The course focuses on coalition warfighting and national security issues. Upon completion of AWC, U.S. students obtain a Master of Strategic Studies degree through the Air University.

Additionally, the AWC offers the only open enrollment non-resident senior PME program in the Department of Defense. The non-resident curriculum consists of three terms and students are allowed six months to complete each term.

For more information on the officer PME system and admission process, please visit http://www.au.af.mil/au/index.asp.