Squadron Officer School - Cogito Yearbook (Montgomery, AL)

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Z dent of the United States has indicated we must expect to encounter in world affairs for many years to came. Project X contains a sufficient number of problems to allow each student an opportunity to lead a group of his contempo- raries over physical barriers or past obstacles that require mental alertness and perception as well as physical agility. In addition to the lectures, discussions, and outdoor applications of leadership, the students are encouraged to think through their ideas and to research them at the Air University Fairchild Library. Thisinstitution boasts justi- fiably of being the largest and most up-to-date military library in the world. Having completed the course at the Squadron Officer School, the Air Force career officer is far better prepared to take a giant step through the threshold toward effective leadership. The Air Force can be sure that it will be a con- fident step, one that fully iustifies the investment to de- velop a professional officer corps, an Air Force second to none, and security for our nation. A if

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R o s PA c i?i POWER si THROUGH ,pLEADERSHIP,, S Q 11, 1 z1,,L:Q2i - +- 'iw'-. ,555-ggiiigg-E casa, SJ' Q ating' 'Q' ..'---'il ' BZLSW' I i j 'V y, of 3 ' ' f u V it all-ij5.ffI'i7'5-.'l--:f , Ai , ...xn 7444, 'i4. ' . ji: - .V-Q... fn live situations provide a rewarding opportunity for accel- erated development. The leadership program is a full one, and not limited to indoor situations. The school's physical conditioning program provides opportunities for problem-solving and ap- plication of leadership techniques.The students organize, coach, and direct their units in soccer, volley bull, and flickerboll. While engaged in these student-centered compe- titive team sports, they learn to work together toward a common goal ondto directtheir sections successfully. The students soon learn ta respect the potential of those who have truly generated the will to win. The school, constantly striving for the best method of developing leadership, does not hesitate to examine and use new approaches. The school has borrowed certain of the elements of a leadership device used by German and British officer selection courses and now uses these each class. This device, which we call Project X, is a series of practical and physical problems to be solved by small groups within a certain time limit, thereby creating pres- sure-type situations. These problems correspond closely to the counterinsurgency type of warfare which the Presi-

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af' 1 - .I , 'I 4 .lI..s.II.- III' PHYSICAL CONDITIONING AND COMPETITIVE SPORTS In the future, if a conflict should arise, we will need men who want to win - second place will not be good enough. This recent quote by the Commandant of Squad- ron Officer School, pretty well sums up the spirit of the school's physical conditioning and competetive sports program. From the outside it may appear slightly incredulous to view the long line of cars loaded with students making their way to the school's physical conditioning fields. ln- credulous also is the sight of approximately 800 Air Force officers, dressed in distinctive athletic gear, pushing themsleves with determination to tone lazy muscles, or to learn or relearn physical conditioning drills and athletic skills. But the value gained from the program can only by de- termined through close observation of the change in at- titude on the part of the maiority of its participants. Posi- tive changes in attitude come faster and are retained longer when a pride of successful accomplishment is gained through competing in, and successfully completing something tough, and the physical conditioning and sports program is tough. The entire student body is divided as equally as possible into 64 sections. The officers who make up the athletic teams are the same I2 or I3 officers who form the individual study sections or seminars in the academic curriculum area. ln this manner each small group learns to work as a team to solve the problems it will encounter in this as well as in other areas. Thus we may say that the purpose of the field activi- ties program is to increase understanding of how physical conditioning and competitive sports are related to leader- ship and the development of esprit de corps, high morale, and dicipline. The objective of the physical conditioning phase is for the students to understand the importance and techniques of the Air Force SBX ffive basic exercisesl program, and to develop individual physical abilities. For nine consecutive weeks of the I4 week course, Wednesday of each week is referred to as games day. The various games test each team's ability to put into effect the principles of physical development, leadership, teamwork, organization, and the game strategies that they have developed. To prepare themselves physically for the competitive athletic program the students are given only physical con- ditioning exercises during the first two weeks. The teams are then given one week to prepare for the first competi- me-sis. -' I I. I II II ,,f. II I I , - ,,.. .III.III.,.I.,III. , I I ,, p. IIIMIIMII, I V M X53 H I ' I IWII NI x IIIQQIIH I 'IIII ,I '1IIf' IIHIIIILY.-, II I,' I , M I' V 9' II sIfs2I.e2I.sf, Im IQVIIIIVI I IEE II MINI' II II II 'III' Il' -QMAI, ..,... iz III '-I 'II I' - II II S KEHW I 'swam J , I' I e Ii