POSITIVE ROLE MODELS

Today I want to talk about the importance of positive role models.

Officers in the USAF are first and foremost leaders. It doesn't matter what you want to be in terms of your job, you must first learn to lead. When you join ROTC, you become a student of leadership.

In a recent study (http://www.ccl.org/leadership/pdf/research/LearningLeadershipMilitary.pdf), some senior military officers participated in a survey about their leadership development. They were asked which elements impacted their leadership learning most. What do you think was at the top of the list?

Here you can see that positive role models was first. Not only that, but negative role models was second.


In your ROTC career, you will quickly find yourself influenced by your leaders. Other GMC, POC, and your cadre will have a large impact in your development.


You will find yourself wanting to be like certain leaders; and others, you will want to forget. These positive and negative role models will impact you dramatically.

I'd like to talk about one such role model in my life. When I joined ROTC, I got involved with the rifle drill team. The drill team commander at the time was an outstanding POC cadet. He quickly became a role model. His took his role as a POC seriously, and treated us with respect. He knew what he wanted, and was striving to be the best that he could. He took time to mentor me, provide me with feedback, and help me find success. He helped me find my personal vision. I could tell that he actually cared about my success. His example was very impactful in my development. I wanted to be just like this guy.

This 2d LT recently graduated from Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT) and is on his way to accomplishing his dreams. I look to him often as an example.

When you start ROTC, find a positive role model; a mentor who can show you how to succeed. Learn all you can. When you become a POC, become a positive role model. Don't let yourself be the negative role model.

The PFA - Pushing Past Your Limits

The physical fitness assessment accounts for 15 percent of your Order of Merit.

FIFTEEN PERCENT!

If you were to take a test in a class worth 15 percent of your final grade--would you want to do well? Of course you would. You would want to do perfectly well.

The PFA consists of 1 minute of pushups, 1 minute of sit ups, and a 1 1/2 mile run. Also, your abdominal circumference is measured. You are given points in each category, and the total is computed out of 100.

In ROTC, you will take this test once a semester.

For some cadets, the PFA is very daunting. For others, it is easy to get 100. Your fitness level will determine how easily you perform on this test. You need to keep in mind that the Air Force--and the military in general--demands a lifestyle of fitness. If you come from a background of poor health habits, now is the time to change.

Most detachments meet twice a week to conduct physical training for one hour. Guess what--this is not nearly enough exercise to get a perfect score on the PFA. Heck, working out twice a week is not nearly enough exercise to be healthy! If you really want to excel, you need to exercise on your own, daily. At least, you need to do 4 to 5 times a week.

I could spend hours talking about different training methods. Some cadets like the gym; others, running. Some do Crossfit, or triathlons. And some simply like to run. It matters a lot less what you do, as long as you are doing something every day. Again, you need to understand that you are joining an organization where being fit is a way of life. If you are determined to do well, you will find the right training tools. Look to those who are consistently succeeding, find out what they do, and build your own active lifestyle.

And lastly, remember that a military job will require a lot of you. It will push you mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Being able to take your body to a threshold of discomfort will pay huge dividends when it really counts. Someone's life may depend on your ability to push through the stress. In my experience, the PFA is more of a mental toughness test than an actual physical test. Learn to find your limits, and then--blow past them.



(below is a link to the PFA score charts)

http://www.afpc.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-110804-054.pdf

The First Milestone: Getting Into FT

Once you've decided that the Air Force is your path, there's something you need to understand very well. That is, your main short-term objective is to get selected to go to Field Training (FT). You will compete during your Sophomore (AS 200 / 250) for a FT slot, and your competitiveness is determined by your Order of Merit, shown here:

The POC Selection Process (PSP) determines your eligibility based on your Order of Merit. Put plainly, if you don't do your best to maximize the pieces of this pie, you may not make it FT, and therefore will not be able to continue towards a commission. 

Let's talk about the Order of Merit criteria. 

First, SAT-E refers to your best score from either the SAT, ACT, or AFOQT (Air Force Officer Qualifying Test) converted to an SAT-Equivalent score. This is 15 percent of your Order of Merit. If you did well on your ACT or SAT in high school, don't worry too much about this category. If you were like me, however, you will want to improve your score! 

That's where the AFOQT comes into play. 

The AFOQT is a standardized test that you will have to take before the end of December during your AS200 year. There are several study materials out there to help you do well on the AFOQT. I bought a few books to study from; they had actual practice tests in them, which prepared me well. 

KEEP IN MIND: you are only allowed to take this test twice, and there must be six months between each time you take it. What does this mean? Well--if you are absolutely banking on this test, make sure you give yourself enough time to retake it, if the need arises. PSP applications are submitted in January during your AS200 (Sophomore) year--so as an easy rule--just make sure you take it before JULY the previous summer. Again, this is only if you believe you might need two chances. Otherwise, just get the test done before January.

Next, comes GPA. I wrote an entire post on this already. Bottom line: GPA is very important. Get straight A's. Why not? You have complete control over your GPA. 

Now for the Fitness category. This refers to your Physical Fitness Assessment (PFA). I will write about this in detail next week, but for now--you want to do your very best on the PFA. It consists of a 1.5m run, 1 min pushups, and 1 min sit-ups. In my experience, those who set their mind to it, and are determined, can get a perfect 100. Again, with few exceptions, you have complete control over this, so--why not max it?

Last, we have your Commander's Ranking. This refers to where you are ranked among your peers, as determined by your Detachment Commander. The score you receive depends on the number of people in your class. So, for example, a cadet ranked 2/25 may do just as well as a cadet ranked 1/5. I'm out of time for today, so I will also discuss this in more detail in another post. For now, here are two import things to remember about Commander's Ranking:

1. Be yourself - don't fall into the trap of trying to be somebody you're not. The most successful cadets are those that learn to lead how they lead. You each have your own personality. Don't try to imitate someone else just because you think the Commander likes that type of person. I promise you--by striving to be the best version of YOU, you will become a much better leader. 

2. Do well in the other areas, and you'll likely do well in Commander's Ranking - If you are doing well in the areas of GPA, Fitness, and AFOQT, you will likely be doing just fine in your Commander's Ranking. 

3. Get involved - At my detachment, Honor Guard was a huge deal. I got on the Drill Team, and dedicated a lot of time to it. Arnold Air Society, Cadet Choir, Color Guard, and other auxiliary organizations are great ways to increase your visibility. You want to make sure you are known. If you don't put yourself out there--even though it may be a daunting task--you will likely get a low CC Ranking. Get out of your comfort zone! It is ok to make mistakes in ROTC.

The Basics: The Timeline of AFROTC

Ok, so let's go over some basics:

Air Force ROTC is typically a three- or four-year program, depending on how many years you have until graduation. Some majors require five years, and cadets can go into "extended status" for their final year of college. For most of you, it will be the full four years. The following chart shows essentially how AFROTC works:

During your freshman and sophomore years, you will be part of the General Military Course (GMC). After your sophomore year, you will attend Field Training (FT) during the summer. FT is a 3-4 week training that tests your ability to lead, ultimately determining whether you can move on to the Professional Officer Course (POC). As a POC cadet, you assume much more responsibility. In fact, ROTC is basically a cadet-run program, designed to be a sort of microcosm of active duty. The GMC cadets are trained principally by the POC cadets.

This structure gives cadets a chance to learn--among other things--military discipline, order, and proactivity as a GMC, followed by mentorship, effective training skills, and leadership as a POC. 

Despite much criticism, I truly believe in the ROTC program. I have grown immensely as I've gone through it. If you put your heart into it, you will be amazed at the person you will become. You will become a true student of leadership--and as a future officer, that must be your main objective. 

In the next post, I will talk about how to be a successful GMC. I'll go into more details about your first big milestone: getting selected for Field Training.