Air Force Officer Training School
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Officer Training School is a United States Air Force commissioning program held at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. It is a part of Air Force Officer Accession and Training Schools which falls under Air University. Air University, in turn, falls under the MAJCOM Air Education and Training Command. AFOATS also in charge of Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps and Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps. The current Commander, Air Force Officer Accession & Training Schools (AFOATS/CC) is Brig Gen Alfred K. Flowers. The current OTS Commander is Colonel Matthew P. Donovan.
OTS is usually the second largest commissioning source in the USAF, coming in under ROTC and above the United States Air Force Academy.
OTS is divided in to Basic Officer Training (BOT) and Commissioned Officer Training (COT).
Interested applicants typically contact Air Force recruiters. Recruiters will provide application details; they will also schedule applicants for the Air Force Officer Qualifying Test (AFOQT). The test covers numerous batteries, assessing math, verbal, and analytical skills, as well as measuring pilot and navigator potential. To have a reasonable chance at acceptance, either AFOQT scores, college GPA, or previous pilot skills must be noteworthy. Applicants will be given an opportunity to apply for Air Force career fields that correspond with the applicants' expertise or desires. Applicants will be interviewed by active Air Force officers and will receive a medical examination. Applicants will be notified of acceptance or rejection by their recruiter. Applicants will enlist via the Delayed Enlistment Program, and will be assigned a class date. BOT is very competitive, with recent boards having selection rates in the teens (percentage). It is the commissioning source which is used to balance out officer manning as deemed necessary by the Air Force.
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[edit] Basic Officer Training
BOT is a 12-week course for college graduates pursuing a commission in the USAF. BOT classes are staggered to start approximately every six weeks. During this overlap, the Upper Class officer trainees (OT) are responsible for much of the in-processing and administration of the Lower Class OTs. The class is organized into the OT Wing, OT Squadrons (currently there are three: the Gold Hawks, Hoyas, and Tigers), and OT Flights (one or more per squadron depending on class size). BOT classes are designated by the fiscal year of their graduation (e.g., 04-08 was the eighth BOT class to graduate in fiscal year 2004; 05-01 was the first BOT class to graduate in fiscal year 2005). Trainees are given ranks from OT 2nd Lieutenant to OT Colonel.
Typically, personnel applying to BOT have baccalaureate level degrees in either technical or non-technical fields. Technical fields may include Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, and other fields in high demand by the Air Force. Non-technical degrees are more common, and therefore applying with a degree in such a field is very competitive. Applicants can apply for rated or non-rated positions. Rated positions are flying related -- Pilot, Navigator, or Air Battle Manager. Non-rated fall into 2 categories: non-rated ops, such as Intelligence or Weather, and non-rated support, such as Maintenance, Logistics, or Communications.
Areas of instruction include military customs and courtesies, military history, leadership, officership, field exercises, drill and ceremonies, and small arms training.
The first six weeks of training are geared toward orienting the OT with Air Force standards. The focus is on physical training, drill and ceremonies, and standardization. OTs will be expected to work with their fellow flight and squadron members to accomplish specific tasks as required by their Flight Commander and OT upperclassmen. They will attend classes in an academic environment. During these six weeks a trainee is called an underclassman.
The final six weeks of training focus on developing the upperclassmen as leaders and mentors for a new group of underclassmen. During the final weeks of training the trainees attend field training exercises, projects, small arms training, and building team skills by overcoming challenges in a simulated deployment environment.
To graduate, OTs must exceed physical standards (OTs track and train to these standards), academic standards, and military bearing standards. Military bearing includes the ability to write and brief, lead the flight, and perform duties within the OT Wing.
Upon graduation, graduates become Second Lieutenants (O-1) in the United States Air Force.
[edit] Commissioned Officer Training
COT is a 4-week course for professionals who have received a direct commission. Typically, these officers have advanced degrees, such as M.Div., M.D. or J.D. in the case of chaplains, doctors and lawyers, respectively. They often enter at an advanced rank, such as First Lieutenant (O-2) and sometimes as Captain (O-3) in compensation for their high level of education, and in some cases, experience. Officers can be commissioned up to the rank of Colonel (O-6) if they possess the level of experience necessary.
Chaplains, lawyers, and medical personnel go through COT.
Commissioned Officer Training (COT) is responsible for developing medical, legal, and chaplain personnel into professional officers by instilling character, knowledge, and motivation essential to serve in the United States Air Force. The 23d Training Squadron (23 TRS) provides a 23-training day Commissioned Officer Training course to instill leadership and officership skills in newly commissioned medical officers, judge advocates, and chaplains. The 23 TRS also conducts a 13-training day Reserve Commissioned Officer Training (RCOT) program for hard-to-recruit medical officers in the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard.
[edit] Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard Officer Training
Those with no-prior service may enter the Air National Guard or Air Force Reserve via officer training at the McGhee-Tyson ANG Academy of Military Science. Because a majority of officer candidates in the Guard and Reserves are former noncommissioned officers and therefore are quite familiar with the customs, courtesies and traditions of the U.S. Air Force, the course is 6 weeks in length as opposed to the longer active duty OTS which is designed (as mentioned above) to teach many of these things to officer candidates who have not previously served in the Air Force. Graduates of AMS receive the same commission as their OTS counterparts in the Reserve or Guard. However, before one can even attempt the AMS program, he or she must first go through an application process with the National Guard Bureau if joining the ANG, or with Air Force Reserve Command if joining the Reserve. The only time one would be allowed to attend OTS as a reservist is if the applicant is applying for a rated position, such as: Pilot, Navigator and Air Battle Manager.
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[edit] The History of OTS
Officer Candidates School (OCS), was established by the U.S. Army in 1942 in Miami Beach, Fla., and its mission was to train and commission members from the enlisted ranks. OCS moved to Lackland AFB in 1944 and gained the additional mission of training officers directly from civilian status in September 1951. OCS closed its doors with its last graduation in June 1963. OTS then became the sole organization for training officers at Lackland AFB.
OTS was organized at Medina Annex, Lackland AFB, Texas, in 1959. The first OTS class was composed of 89 trainees, including 11 women. The number of OTS graduates has varied over the years, from 323 the first year to a high of 7,894 officers in 1967. See external links for the complete U.S. Air Force OTS Fact Sheet prepared by the Air University, Dec 2006.
On July 1, 1993, Air Training Command merged with Air University to form Air Education and Training Command. Air University became a direct reporting unit under Air Education and Training Command, and Air Force ROTC realigned under Air University. In February 1997, in an effort to reduce duplication of effort and streamline administrative and reporting procedures within Air University, Air Force ROTC and Officer Training School realigned under the newly created umbrella organization, Air Force Officer Accession and Training Schools. This restructuring placed oversight for three-quarters of Air Force officer production under one command, the AFOATS commander—a brigadier general.
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In the 1960s, USAF Officer Training School (OTS) at Lackland AFB, TX provided a 90 day program for college graduates to obtain a commission in the Air Force. All participants had enlisted in the Air Force, or were members of the Air Force Reserve or National Guard. The OTS program consisted of physical, academic, and military training. The OTS program went through many organizational and program changes. For example, OTS from Jan to Mar 1964 consisted of 3 groups; Group 1 at the Medina Annex, and Groups 2 and 3 at Lackland AFB. Each OTS class overlapped with 2 others. During the first half of the program, members of class 64-E provided the leadership. During the second half, members of class 64-F led class 64-G. OTS was expanded halfway through Class 64-F when the number of Squadrons per Group was increased from 4 to 6. In addition, the training shifted from lectures to seminars with from 10 to 15 per seminar group. The permanent party members of OTS were Officers and Non-commissioned Officers (NCOs) that administered and conducted the training. Graduates of OTS went on to their initial units or to additional schools for training as pilots, navigators, or communications-electronics officers. All graduates were commissioned as Second Lieutenants in the Air Force Reserve. Distinguished graduates became part of the Regular Air Force within a year. Other AF commissioning programs at this time included the Air Force Academy and ROTC. OTS is now located at Maxwell AFB, AL.
[edit] OTS as compared to the Academy and ROTC
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There are three ways to become an officer in the United States Air Force which are The Air Force Academy, Reserve Officer Training Corps, or Officer Training School.
Officer Training School is the most expedient way to become an officer in the Air Force. It is challenging, physically and mentally demanding, and is typically the route that enlisted personnel follow in order to become commissioned. Graduates are nicknamed "12-week wonders." By nature of its flexibility, OTS best allows the Air Force to control the number of officer accessions.
The Air Force Academy is this most intense and in-depth training officer candidates can pursue. There are a few ways to obtain a nomination, the most common of which is from a member of the House or a Senator, although this is typically a formality. While at the academy, cadets are immersed into the Air Force way of life: field training exercises, flight training, and sports keep the cadets occupied. Graduates earn a Bachelor of Science degree in their chosen major. They are nicknamed "zoomies."
The Reserve Officer Training Corps is active at many universities, colleges, and military academies. The prospective officer attends a civilian college with their choice of major, but takes military history and military science classes throughout the four years. Physical conditioning and military exercises are required; cadets also participate in a 4 to 6-week encampent called Field Training, which usually takes place between the sophomore and junior year. There are many types of scholarships of all amounts, including some for full tuition. Some universities will even waive some or all of the room and board fees for ROTC Cadets. After contracting, regardless of scholarship status, cadets are also offered a monthly stipend based on their year in school. Upon completion of the program and receipt of their Bachelor's degree, they are commissioned.
Each commissioning source produces a 2nd Lieutenant.
