Civilians graduate with lessons in military culture

Published Nov. 18, 2008
By Carl Bergquist
Air University Public Affairs

MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. (AFNS) -- The first class of the Civilian Acculturation and Leadership Training program graduated recently here giving the 25 attendees a better understanding of what the active-duty Air Force does.

The course, designed to acquaint civilian employees with military culture, included lessons on Air Force core values, communications, leadership, and team building.

Exercises at the Project-X training facility, a war game and presentations by senior Air Force leadership rounded out the course curriculum.

Air University was originally tasked to develop a civilian training program with an OTS-type curriculum, said Dr. Charles Nath, the Holm Center director of curriculum.

"All indications are the training is going very well," Dr. Nath said. "We started out with high expectations, and it appears it is going better than we expected. The students seem to recognize the importance of what they are learning at CALT and the importance of continuing civilian education for their careers."

During a presentation to CALT students, Lt. Gen. Allen G. Peck, the Air University commander, told students they were a "beta-test" for a program designed to educate them in a format other than on-the-job training.

"You are part of about 40,000 resident students who come to Air University every year to learn to be better leaders," he said. "Leadership requires balance, and to be a good leader you have to go where you are not comfortable. The point is, if you stay where you are comfortable, you are missing out."

He told attendees the Air Force is unique in that it grooms leaders to promote from within rather than hiring from the outside. The general also presented a list of ineffective leadership traits to include not adhering to Air Force core values, bad attitudes, failure to provide vision, and not accepting responsibility.

Joseph M. McDade Jr., the director of Force Development for the deputy chief of staff for Manpower and Personnel at the Pentagon, visited the CALT course on its final day of class and observed the war game exercise.

"Civilian force development is a top priority among senior leaders, and CALT is an example of that," he said. "The program ensures a balanced portfolio of leadership development for all Airmen. Here we have potential civilian leaders who are saying they want to be a part of the Air Force team, and the Air Force is at an historic crossroads with regard to our civilians."

Jim Wiggins, the chief of Curriculum Development for the Reserve Officer Training Corps and OTS said the students have praised the program's content, and all of the feedback he has received is positive.

"Also, across the board, the amount of work that has gone into this training has been phenomenal. Staff members received the task as an additional duty but have treated it as if it were their primary jobs," he said. "We have three more classes scheduled for the first parts of December, February and March, and it is a developmental process. We will tweak the course as we go along and adapt as needed."

The program is great because it brings civilians into the military's world, said Valeria Murray, a CALT student from the 754th Electronic Systems Group at Gunter Annex, Ala.

"CALT is perfectly designed to make you a better leader, and that's what the Air Force is all about," she said. "I've enjoyed the instructors because they are very knowledgeable and bring a lot of experience to the table."

"We are all Air Force, but in reality, military members and the civilians don't really know each other very well," said Capt. Paul Yuzapavik, a senior instructor and chief of the war game. "Hopefully, CALT remedies that to a certain extent. I know for me this has been great because it gave me an opportunity to sit down and talk with these civilians and get their perspective."

The students came to CALT knowing it was an Air Force familiarization program, but Captain Yuzapavik said he doesn't think they realized the leadership and managerial expectations of the curriculum. When they were confronted with the war game aspect of the course, it became a real eye-opener for many of the future leaders.

The students completed the war game successfully, and received diplomas from Mr. McDade. He told the group he was honored and humbled to stand before the first graduating class of CALT.

"Our enemies can steal our technology, but they can't steal the experience and training these civilians are getting in this course," Mr. McDade said. "I would like to see the students go through the course many times so when they come up against an adversary, they will be able to out-think them."