U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo. -- Lt. Gen. Michelle Johnson, the Academy’s Superintendent, recently held an “All-Call” to update permanent party members on modernization efforts and upcoming changes at the Academy.
The superintendent said the Air Force strategic master plan states the Air Force wants innovative, agile Airmen for the future and the Academy is focusing on preparing cadets for a complex world.
“The modern profession of arms is networked, joint, and global, Johnson said. “It’s not platform-based the way it was in the Cold War when I graduated in 1981. It’s a different time, the threats are different. They are linked through cyber and space.”
Changes at the Academy are not limited to additional facilities, but also include changes to curriculum and the way people operate.
When she took command three years ago she said she was tasked with making the Academy program relevant for this generation and for this time in the modern profession of arms. She explained as programs are adjusted they must be integrated and work together because everything each person does affects everyone else.
Johnson explained that the efforts are starting to pay off. She said the first year was turbulent, but by maintaining a positive attitude, “we started to climb.” Her second year was focused on creating strategic documents and unifying internally to work together as a team. Year three was time for implementation, execution and unifying externally.
Johnson also highlighted that all members play a vital role in making the Academy the elite institution it is.
"You are part of an elite institution and I want you to feel it every day when you're trying to help us be excellent and not just settle for what's comfortable," she said. "This isn't easy, it's a grind for the cadets. No one single thing we ask them to do is impossible, but we ask them to do everything. Likewise for us, the wheels keep turning, the academic year keeps starting and it's hard to stay ahead of that sometimes, to really be excellent at it and not just keep up."
During the All-Call every mission element commander took the stage to speak about their individual missions and how they support the other MEs. The ME leads each touched on the common theme that everything accomplished on the installation is a result of teamwork.
Dean of Faculty
“We have faculty members who are involved throughout the mission areas and this is something we think makes the immersive experience so special for the cadets,” said Brig. Gen. Andy Armacost, Academy dean of faculty. “They see their faculty members involved throughout cadet life.”
The mission of the Air Force Academy is to develop leaders of character, who will one day become Air Force officers, and one of the ways that is accomplished is through training, both academic and military. According to Armacost, there is no better way to integrate across the mission elements than through the establishment of educational and developmental outcomes.
Those outcomes numbered 19 and were recently refined to the following nine: Critical thinking; clear communication; application of engineering fundamentals; scientific reasoning and the principles of science; the human condition, cultures and societies; leadership, teamwork and organizational management; ethics and respect for human dignity; national security of the American republic; and warrior ethos.
“Many of them are academic, but many of them sound like there are probably contributions from across the other mission elements,” he said. “So the purpose of the outcome is to help us describe the system of officer development that we have here at USAFA in very tangible ways and to make sure that all the activities we have the cadets involved with point to those developmental outcomes. Reinforcing these outcomes with cadets is important to the institution.”
Professional Development
The All-Call was wrapped up by Dr. David LaRivee, Center for Character and Leadership Development acting director, who outlined a professional development program for Academy permanent party members.
“We are trying to bring all the pieces of the teams together so that we can operate at a higher level at the Academy,” LaRivee said. “Every time you talk about an investment you talk about the return and I’m pretty confident we can give you a fairly high return.”
LaRivee gave examples of people who have skeptically attended the professional development courses, but by the end were lining up to find out how to sign up for more classes. Many courses have changed at CCLD in order to help people do their mission better.
“We want to increase the toolkit you have, this advancing of the knowledge of character and leadership development,” LaRivee said. “We have two elements to the brand of the Academy. One of the brands is the second lieutenants that we graduate. And then you’ve heard of the second graduating class and that’s all of you. So if we take the time here to develop the people who are working with us, when you “graduate” you will be one of the most highly demanded people in the Air Force.”
For questions on CCLD professional development call 719-333-4904.