United States Air Force Academy - Polaris Yearbook (Colorado Springs, CO)

Page 76 text:

SAMI ' s are like Saturday Spit Polish cartoons — always there. advantage of this standing invitation to clarify what is going on particularly with the thirdclass. Another means of feedback is the critique form which comes down on virtually every lesson taught. These critiques are looked at and very carefully analyzed, says Maj. Lindberg, already some changes for the better have been made to next year ' s program because of them. Finally, if you have a good idea on how training might be changed or improved, the door to CWIT is always open. Very recently C3C Kris Jamsa of CS-27 came up with the idea that there should be more code of conduct orientation for cadets con- sidering the career they are preparing to enter. He went to CWIT to discuss the issue and is presently working with Capt. Ronald Richards of CWIT to design a six lesson block of instruction covering two articles per t

Page 75 text:

C1C Karl Jagstadt commands his squadron, CS-35. The thing CWIT is concerned with is big ' T ' professional military training — the knowledge and skills development which have been cen- tralized and standardized. This should be seen as separate from little ' t ' training — the fourthclass system, SAMI ' s, IRI ' s, falling in on the marble strips, greeting, etc. The stress was taken out of big ' T ' training to produce a proper learning environ- ment. The Cadet Wing assumed that no stress was allowed in the fourth- class system, which has discouraged cadets from insisting that fourthclass- men buckle down. Nothing could be farther from the truth, and this is the biggest problem we have had to handle. A final major complaint by some cadets has been the perceived lack of cadet input into a system which they have the responsibility of implement- ing. What many people do not realize is that CWIT seeks feedback by meeting at least once a week with the Cadet Wing and Group Training Officers and once a month with Squadron Training Sergeants and Training Officers. Additionally, Maj. Lindberg is willing and eager to visit squadrons to discuss the system with anyone, at anytime. Many squadrons have taken C2C Heather Wilson shouts her commands. m Spit Polish

Page 77 text:

SAMI inspectors checking a cadet ' s room. on real-life problems, explains Maj. Lindberg, This is a unique opportun- ity and people are already lining up. Change is never very easy to implement and old ideas and tradi- tions die slowly. Still, old is not always synonymous with good. From those of us who noted a certain amount of irony in the words of Maj. Gen. John M. Schofield: The discipline which makes the soldiers of a free country reliable in battle is not to be gained by harsh or tyrannical treatment . . . it is possible to impart instruction or give com- mands in such a manner and such a tone of voice as to inspire desire to obey ... And unlike the incongruous man- ner in which those very words were pounded into us, perhaps the new system aimed at forcing us to impart instructions and give commands in an inspirational manner, deserves the benefit of the doubt. week finishing with a follow-up and summary lesson. Maj. Lindberg ex- tends an open invitation for those who have ideas to come forward and work with CWIT on them, or to at least let CWIT know what you ' re thinking so someone else can work out the details. What does the future hold? Along the lines of increasing cadet invol- vement at the planning stage, CWIT is planning to begin a military studies 499 course in which 2°s can receive credit for working side by side with the training staff. These students will essentially take a project and com- plete it, building it from scratch, staffing and coordinating it just as if they were lieutenants and captains. There will be opportunities to work with the officer chain of command from the top right on down the chain Marching to Mitch ' s at Noon Meal Formation gives cadets daily practice with drill and ceremony.