LLAB 20 - 23 Feb 10

This week, the cadets broke into 4 groups and went to different stations, learning a skill at each that they will use at an upcoming LLAB including camouflage, clearing rooms of hostiles in a fireteam, and land navigation.

The cadets refer to their Airman's Manual

AEF, or Aerospace Expeditionary Force, refers to the deployment cycle that the Air Force has used since 2000. In this 21st century Air Force, airmen no longer are limited in their duties to what has been traditional jobs for airmen. In fact, because the Army and Marine Corps are stretched so thin in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere, the Air Force has been performing duties that has traditionally been Army and Marine Corps jobs.

The cadets learn proper face camouflage techniques.

At Field Training, a large portion is dedicated to exercises similar to the duties they may one day need to perform in a deployed environment, such as convoy security.

NCLS (National Character and Leadership Symposium)

For many years now the United States Air Force Academy has been putting on a character and leadership symposium in Colorado Springs, Col. The purpose of the symposium is to allow cadets, midshipmen, and civilians to learn and grow in the aspects of character and leadership.

The United States Air Force Academy

This year I had the amazing opportunity to attend the symposium from 17 Feb – 20 Feb. I was hosted by cadets on campus at Academy, and had the pleasure of witnessing the day to day activities first hand. A typical day would consist of a 0630 hrs (6:30am) wakeup, followed by a quick shower and breakfast before the morning speakers, which would each last about an hour or so. Following the morning round of speakers we would have lunch at the mess hall, or “Mitch’s”, as it was known to the cadets. After lunch there would generally be two speakers, and then we would be given the rest of the afternoon off. Around 1700 hrs (5pm) we would grab a quick bite to eat, and then off to the final round of speakers, which typically lasted until about 2000 hrs. After the final speaker we had the night to ourselves.


The speakers that came to USAFA had all different types of backgrounds. Some were in business, while others were involved in coaching and others in medicine. Of course there were those who were in the military, which I found to be hands down the most interesting (probably a little biased). The opportunity to listen to these individuals who have had firsthand experience with some of the most challenging decisions in the world was a great experience for me. Over the last three years I have traveled numerous places for various reasons for ROTC, and I am grateful that they have provided me with not only the proper training to become a qualified USAF Officer, but the opportunities to learn and grow in the areas of character and leadership from some of the greatest men and women in this country.

For more information about the NCLS, please visit http://www.usafa.edu/Commandant/cwc/cwcx/ncls/?catname=ncls


Cadet First Lieutenant Steve Sellers

FTP impressions: Cadet Maloney

I am a Sophomore at University of Central Missouri and in Air Force ROTC. I am part of Detachment 440 at Mizzou, I am a cross town cadet so I travel one day a week, with a some other cadets, to Mizzou and participate in ROTC activities.

Since I am a sophomore and have been in the program for four semesters I am currently going through my Field Training Preparation (FTP) training. There are many activities that other FTP cadet and I are participating in to help us learn leadership skills.

Recently we had AEF which gets us out of the classroom and allows FTP cadets to lead cadets to complete missions and learn basic skills such as room clearing, radio communication and land navigation.

FTP cadets practice "room clearing", entering and eliminating hostiles who may be barricaded.

All sophomores are considered FTP and are training for the upcoming summer at Field Training. For the majority of cadets, Field Training is in the summer between their sophomore and junior year. Field Training is four weeks at Maxwell AFB in Alabama and cadets for their junior and senior years as POC and soon after a commissioned officer in the United States Air Force.

Cadet Third Class Maloney

Operation Air Force PDT 2009

Each summer AFROTC offers Professional Development Training (PDT) to cadets in the AFROTC program. This training is conducted all over the world. Professional Development Training is a group of summer training programs designed to: Help cadets gain knowledge of the management challenges in leadership and human relations encountered by a junior Air Force officer, Provide a general orientation in Air Force specialties, and Motivate cadets toward an Air Force career.

Operation Air Force PDT 2009

From 23 June 2009 to 9 July 2009, I participated in the Operation Air Force PDT at Goodfellow AFB near San Angelo, TX. I was assigned to shadow a couple 1st Lieutenants from the medical wing and contracting, as well as the CMSgt at the base HQ. This PDT provided me the opportunity to see and learn about contracting, occupations in clinics and hospitals on bases, and the duties of officers and enlisted personnel who work in the base Headquarters. I was also given the chance to view a SSgt/TSgt promotion ceremony, spend time with the base’s canine unit, welcome Airmen arriving from basic training, ride in a C-130 from Dyess AFB, and be a part of a small teleconference with Major General Anthony F. Przybyslawski, Vice Commander of the AETC MAJCOM (Air Education and Training Command, the Major Command which Air Force ROTC falls under). Each of these experiences was extremely exciting, but I must say that the teleconference was overwhelmingly amazing. The only people in attendance were 5 members of the Key Staff and me!

Cadet Wolfe and the rest of her PDT group.

This PDT has provided me with much motivation to become and Air Force Officer. After completing this training, there is no doubt in my mind that this is what I want to do with my life. From observing people around me, I learned several very valuable lessons. I was able to see how officers interact with enlisted personnel and civilian workers: giving respect subsequently gaining respect. Secondly, I learned much about life on base and how a base operates. Through observation and advice I was offered, I discovered that although mistakes are not encouraged, it is understood that everyone makes them. They are used as one of the greatest learning techniques. The biggest lesson learned was that you should never miss an opportunity to thank someone. It is not hard to do, and so many people are deserving of it.

I strongly encourage any cadet to seek the opportunity to participate in PDT. I had a great time, met some amazing people, learned valuable lessons, and made some incredible memories.

More information on PDTs can be found at http://www.afrotc.com/college-life/summer-programs/


Cadet 3rd Class Bailey A. Wolfe

Motivations for joining the USAF: Cadet Sean Sellers

Who are you?

I'll start with the basics. My name is Sean P. Sellers. I'm 22 and a sophomore here at the University of Missouri. My major is Information Technology. I enjoy flying, sports, movies, hanging with friends, video games, AFROTC and anything that is challenging. Quick history of myself: I was raised in the Philippines because my family were missionaries there. Because of the war we moved back to the US and I enrolled in Civil Air Patrol (CAP). I had always enjoyed airplanes and CAP was a great experience in learning about the history of airplanes and the Air Force. Shortly after, I joined the Air National Guard to help pay for school and serve my country. I trained for 6 months on how to be a Tactical Aircraft Maintainer (AKA Crew Chief). I started to drill in the St. Louis guard with the F-15s but then transitioned to Whiteman AFB, MO where I am drilling now as a crew chief for the B-2 stealth bomber.

Why the Air Force?

I started going to school here at Mizzou and attending AFROTC because, until i joined the Guard, I didn't realize the pride, joy and benefits that come in being in the world's greatest Air Force. Now, I am determined to do my best so I can continue to be a member of such a fulfilling team. Because I've always loved airplanes, my dream job, as an Air Force officer, is to be a F-15 pilot in Hawaii (although I'm flexible about the Hawaii part).

Cadet Sellers and other FTP cadets sitting "at attention". They will be "locked on" for most of Field Training, this summer.

What are you doing in AFROTC?

Right now we (AFROTC sophomore cadets) are in the middle of our second FTP (Field Training Preparation) semester. That means we are being pushed to work harder, smarter, and more efficient. As FTP you are expected to excel at everything you do. Anything short of excellence is not enough. Whether writing emails, memorizing, leading Physical Training sessions, greeting officers, cleaning the cadet office, motivating each other, or standing at the position of attention, we get it done through sweat, blood, tears, and teamwork. That's why I love AFROTC, because we are a family growing together for a greater cause than ourselves. No one claims to be perfect, but through team work, training, and practice, we slowly become the best of the best. I look forward to continuing my AFROTC training at Mizzou and hope I can contribute in some way to the world's greatest Air Force.

Cadet 3rd Class Sean Sellers

LLAB 19 - 16 Feb 10

Today during LLAB, the freshman and sophomores were split up.

While the freshman were instructed on proper uniform wear and command voice, the sophomores were instructed on information they will need for Field Training this summer. At Field Training, proper dorm maintenance as directed in the Field Training Manual must be maintained. The bed must be made a very specific way, the clothes in their drawers must be folded and aligned a very specific way, the clothes in their closets must hang a very specific way.

As an example, here's how the 2009 Field Training Manual describes how the t-shirts shall be arranged in the drawer:

(3) T-shirts. All T-shirts are folded the same way. Lay the T-shirt flatwith neck down and to the right. Fold each sleeve toward center, squaring the shirt. Keeping the neck centered, start with side closest to you and fold each side toward the center, until it is approximately six inches wide. Fold T-shirt in half from left to right twice. Stack and size T-shirts with the neck up and facing the front of drawer single fold to the front of drawer. Ground the brown/sand T-shirts to the front and right side of the drawer. The white T-shirts will be grounded to the front of drawer and to the brown/sand T-shirts. White T-shirts are mandatory for both male and female cadets and are to be folded the same as the brown/sand T-shirts.

And let me tell you, 6 inches means 6 inches. If it's 6 1/8 inches, the cadet will be penalized on his or her inspection.

In addition, the sophomores practiced dining hall procedures. Cadets don't even get a break from marching at Field Training during lunch. They must be at attention the entire time and must move through the chow line in a choreographed manner.

LLAB 18 - 9 Feb 10

LLAB was canceled today due to bad weather.

LLAB 17 - 2 Feb 10

Today, we moved LLAB down the street to Columbia College. Detachment 440 is located at the University of Missouri-Columbia, but includes 6 crosstown colleges and universities from which cadets commute from on Tuesdays. Later in the semester, we plan on holding LLAB and class at one crosstown school, the University of Central Missouri, nearly 100 miles away in Warrensburg, MO. Before we make that complicated move, we had a "trial version" at Columbia College, which is just down the street from MU.

After the squadron commanders established accountability and insured that everyone had made the journey, the freshman and sophomores broke up to practice drill.

The freshmen practice drill manuevers involving the guidon, the symbol of each flight. The Guidon-bearer marches in front of their flight, allowing the flight to be identified. The guidon is a source of pride for a unit, a military tradition possibly going back as far as 5,000 years ago.

For more information on guidons and colors, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colours,_standards_and_guidons

The sophomores practiced marching through traffic, crossing an imaginary intersection. To avoid being hit by drivers who are texting on their cell phones, flight commanders march using road guards. When a flight approaches an intersection, they halt and the flight commander stops traffic. They deploy cadets to be road guards, who keep traffic halted while the flight commander focuses on marching his or her flight across the street. It is a somewhat complicated process that is very important to get the hang of before attending Field Training, as the chaotic nature of Field Training puts cadets in a stressful environment. Adding traffic to the situation only increases the stress and proper road guard procedures insure the safety of the flight and the cadets marching in it.

The flight commander enters the intersection of a road first to stop traffic, before deploying his or her road guards. With the road guards in place, the flight commander marches his or her flight through the intersection.

Afterwards, the cadets split up into their squadrons and practiced Group Leadership Project, or GLPs. These are scenerios in which a problem must be solved. A cadet is chosen as a leader, and is evaluated on his or her's performance, leading the group. Afterwards, the evaluator lists what the leader did well and what needs to be improved upon.

GLPs are a good leadership exercise that lets cadets learn from the mistakes from others and gives cadets experience in leading a group to solve a problem.