2008-2009 Catalog - United States Air Force Academy

further enhancing their own leadership styles. Attendees are exposed to various leadership styles and qualities in the
form of movie clips and discussions with active duty or retired officers and senior NCOs. They are then challenged to
form their own opinions on how they will apply appropriate character and leadership traits, both here at the Academy
and with the greater Air Force.
Third-class cadets complete the Respect and Responsibility (R&R) seminar. This eight-hour seminar/outdoor adventure
program is designed to take the cadets out of their normal environment while helping them discover valuable information
about themselves, others and the interpersonal interactions that foster a healthy command environment. Students
attempt a graduated series of activities, involving both emotional and physical risk, designed around human relations
and diversity issues. The goals and benefits of the R&R program are for participants to acknowledge differences and
similarities in their own and others’ leadership behaviors; appreciate the impact of respect, cooperation, and trust on
problem solving, decision making, and leadership effectiveness; develop skills that foster and encourage open and honest
communications; and to challenge views and biases that undermine a positive and productive work environment.
Second-class cadets will take part in the Leaders In Flight Today (LIFT) seminar. The LIFT program is an intensive eighthour
seminar for second class cadets conducted at the Association of Graduates (AOG) building. LIFT attendees focus
on high performance, dynamic team building with an emphasis on becoming “Servants of the Nation.” Team building
topics emphasize servant leadership, trust, loyalty, moral courage, NCO perspectives, being a part of something larger
than oneself, and interpersonal skills development. The seminar stresses character and leadership development using a
variety of teaching tools and techniques, including experiential learning activities, case study analysis and small group
facilitation with active duty and retired officers and NCOs. The day culminates with an exercise that provides cadets with
an opportunity to field test LIFT’s major insights within their squadron. This commitment to follow-up and follow-through
encourages cadets to build their own high performance teams.
The cadets’ mandatory character and leadership development journey culminates in our first-class, program—the
Academy Character Enrichment Seminar (ACES). The ACES capstone program is a dynamic eight-hour offsite seminar
designed to focus attendees on the character and ethical demands placed on Air Force officers. It is tied to the
organization level of the ODS PITO model (personal, interpersonal, team and organizational). There is also an added
focus on ensuring that cadets have a sound, fundamental process for evaluating and making moral and ethical decisions.
Attendees are exposed to a myriad of discussions, issues, concepts, and experiences designed to convey the importance
of character and leadership development in self and others and the difference between being an “effective” and being
a “truly good” leader. Participants engage in dialogue throughout the day with active duty and retired officer and NCO
facilitators, guest lecturers, and their fellow cadets that highlight examples of significant, challenging ethical dilemmas
they might encounter in their first-class year and in their military careers. Finally, there is an emphasis on the critical
role that first-class cadets play in teaching and developing character traits in others; particularly their subordinate three
classes (i.e. fourth class, third class, and second class cadets).
The end-goal is to inspire and excite cadets about their future roles as officers and leaders in the world’s best Air Force,
and ensure that Academy character programs not only make a positive difference in cadet development, but contribute
directly to the Air Force and Department of Defense goal of having officers of character leading our nation’s military.
Our final character development program involves optional cadet participation at the Adventure Based Learning Facility
(ABL). The ABL involves a series of high and low ropes course elements, which help students develop trust, solve
problems, build team unity, and enhance effective communication. Participants receive a bold, discovery oriented growth
opportunity that illustrates the staggering potential of collaborative effort, team-learning, and organizational synergy.
The third division is the Excellence Division. Its focus is to provide cadets opportunities for practical application of
their character and leadership education. This is accomplished primarily through our four largest programs. The National
Character and Leadership Symposium (NCLS) held in February, brings 40 speakers who have distinguished themselves
in political, military, economic, or sports fields to offer their perspectives on character and leadership together with
the cadet wing and visiting university students and faculty from around the globe. The purpose of NCLS is to share
knowledge, expertise, and to continue a scholarly dialogue between these distinguished speakers, cadets and civilian
university students. The Excellence Division also sponsors the semi-annual Falcon Heritage Forum, which links a
distinguished veteran with each cadet squadron for the two-day forum. The veterans attend classes, share their military
service with the cadets, and attend athletic events. Cadets are inspired to a greater commitment to integrity, service,
and excellence as they are challenged by the experiences and accomplishments of these veterans. The event culminates
with a formal dinner and keynote address from the veterans. Cadet Service Learning allows cadets the opportunity
to take their character and leadership education into the community by participating in an on-going program like Big
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