At the end of this week, I will have finished my fourth week of Squadron Officers School (SOS) at Maxwell AFB, AL which is the same base my Air Force career started at in Officers Training School (OTS) back in 2003. It has brought back many memories of past training and I can hardly believe it's now 2010...that was seven years ago! It's amazing to think back over all God has taken me through, and is now taking us through.
SOS is a leadership training course for Company Grade Officers (CGOs) in the US Air Force and is specifically focused on those with the rank of Captain. The course is comprised of many different classes, a few papers, a briefing and many other team building events. The classes focus on a wide range of information from goal setting to leadership models to Air Force doctrine to physical fitness. Of course, five weeks isn't enough time to fully learn all there is about those subjects, but the goal is to teach us the basics so we can go back to our respective squadrons and lead more effectively.
SOS is comprised of roughly 415 people and my flight has 14 individuals in it. There are 2 F-16 pilots, 1 flight nurse, 1 B-1 Weapons System Operator (WSO), 2 C-130 pilots, 3 acquisitions officers, 2 engineers, 1 lawyer, 1 support officer and 1 civilian. All flights are arranged in a similar fashion in order to get the best cross section of Captains. Fighter pilots aren't the only ones who think they have something to offer...a common joke sometimes heard in the Air Force. Its been interesting hear different points of view and see how we all fit into the bigger Air Force picture.
There are two main outdoors competitions we compete in as a flight during SOS. The first is Project X, which is a series of different tasks/obstacles the flight must get 6 people through/over in 15 minutes or less with certain restrictions placed on them. Some of these restrictions are the equipment you have to perform the task, the areas of the obstacle you can/cannot touch or how you are allowed to communicate with your teammates (normal voice or whisper). The goal is to teach leadership and followership. The other is the Warrior Challenge (WC). The WC consists of 1 min timed push-ups and sit-ups, a 3 mile run and then another 2.5 mile flight run (all 14 people stay together as a group 2+2) while solving different tasks. I've been the fitness leader for the flight, and I'm confident we'll do fine tomorrow.
Lana has been here with me the whole time and has been a great support. I haven't been as busy as I usually am in the Fighter Squadron, so we've had lunch almost every day together. She misses Germany a bit and the time she was with me in Korea before flying to the USA up until now has been the longest she's been out of Europe. Thankfully, we still have her Lufthansa flying benefits and plan to take advantage of them during our time at Shaw. Once SOS is over with and I find a moment in between the houses we'll be looking at in South Carolina, I'll post another update. We hope all is well...fly safe, and check six!
It was great for Lana and I to meet up with many of the friends we made during our time in Italy. I would venture to say we still knew about 60% of the pilots in the squadron, and one we had met during this past year in Korea...it's a small Air Force. Saturday night the squadron had a nice meal at the Eglin Officer's Club where much of the time was spent just chatting and catching up with friends. There were also past members of the 510th who flew and fought in Vietnam as well. It was very interesting to talk with them and listen to their stories. The history of the 510FS dates back to pre WWII and Lana and I both think someone should make a movie of the remaining war heroes similar to the Band of Brothers series made of the 82nd Airborne. Much of our squadron's history can be found here, to include pictures and videos.
On a smaller scale, we had a little Buzzard reunion here in Alabama last weekend as well. My squadron commander, Lt Col Landrum, from Aviano is here at Maxwell Air Force Base for Air War College (those who are going to make the rank of Colonel attend this school) and another good friend of mine was in the area...we all flew in Aviano together. We all got together for a BBQ and enjoyed catching up on what had happened over the past year.
SOS has been a good experience, not just for the lessons in leadership, but because we were able to see many of our Air Force friends. Thank you God for the this time!
