SOS FROM MY PERSPECTIVE

            SOS (Squadron Officer School) is a mandatory school for USAF (United State Air Force) members to gain new rank from Captain to Major. This course emphasizes leadership at the tactical level, how these Captain will lead their units in the future. SOS uses a unique method for transferring knowledge to all students. And also some activities during SOS that will support students to achieve their goals as an individual and as a team.

        
    Captain is a high rank for CGO (Company Grade Officer) and also a crucial rank for officers that will determine their job success in the future. We can say that Captain rank is a motor drive from an armed force, so effective or not an armed force / air force it depend on leadership from their Captain. That is the reason, why SOS is mandatory for USAF Captains. They need their Captains to have good leadership to keep the USAF as the greatest air force in the world.

UNITY IN DIVERSITIES

            My country Indonesia is the example for others in this world about unity in diversities. How is this possible? I will start from Indonesian geographical position in world. What factors make Indonesia diverse? How does Indonesia resolve diversities and use these for unity?

          
       Indonesian geographical position is so strategic; between Asia and Australia continents, and between Indian and Pacific oceans. Indonesia can be passed by international sea commerce through the Malaka strain, this strait connects economic matters in the Middle East to America continent. Indonesia also lia on the Equator line, this makes Indonesia have dry and rainy seasons and this is the primary reason why Indonesian land is very fertile. Because of these things, Indonesian position is very important in world perspective.

FIRST WEEK IN SOS 18B

            First of all, before I start to write my journal, I apologize if some body can not understand my writing clearly, because of my language barrier. But believe me, I have done my best and I promise will make improvement in my next journal and  other assignments.

            My first week in SOS just have done, even those were just half week or three days exactly, but its like a long week for me. There were some differences between IOS and SOS study program that I was feeling. And also many new things that I found in SOS. Furthermore, all of them give me some issues in my first week.

BUILDING A GREAT TEAM

        


          A team is combination group of people with cohesion and interdependence to achieve some goals. We need a great team to get a great goals, that is why we need to build our team through some processes or exercises to become great. If you are a leader, you need to focus 100% to lead your team together with your members. And as a follower, give your best performance to support your team.

            In many case, we need a Team Building Exercise (TBE) for melting the situation if you are a new team and improve team work in your team. TBE is all about analysis, planning and execution in particular time and obstacles. Manage your time well, analyse the details and make planning with all of your members. When you have chosen one plan, execute these carefully. If you failed after executing your plan, maybe this plan was not right fit, just start the circle again from beginning. Never give up until the last second.

METODE PENDIDIKAN DI SOS US

Assalamualaikum wr wb,

 C37 Flight, Centurion Sq

        Selesai sudah minggu ke dua di SOS, selagi ingat segera penulis menulis blog ini mengenai beberapa kegiatan di SOS yang penulis nilai menarik dan bermanfaat terhadap pengembangan leadership perseorangan, serta mekanisme pembentukan team building yang tepat sasaran. Harapan  penulis, pengetahuan tersebut akan berguna suatu hari nanti bagi Indonesia, khusus nya bagi TNI AU.

at FLEX Field

       Di SOS, kami ditekankan mengenai pembentukan karakter sebagai seorang pemimpin atau leadership. USAF (United State Air Force) menganggap para Captain nya saat ini adalah calon penerus potensial mereka.  Mereka percaya, Captain merupakan pemimpin di level teknis dan pelaksana langsung di lapangan harus memiliki kemampuan mempimpin yang baik untuk menghadapi berbagai problem di medan operasi. Tidak tanggung-tanggung, dalam satu kali pendidikan SOS, mereka memanggil 700an Captain secara bersamaan. Penulis dapat merasakan betapa pentingnya letak pendidikan SOS ini bagi USAF. Sebagai contoh, dalam beberapa kali seminar/kuliah SOS menghadirkan para General Officer nya untuk memberikan pelajaran secara langsung ke Captain. Sampai saat ini sudah 2x seminar yang dipimpin oleh seorang General Officer : pertama mengenai recruitment personel yang dipaparkan oleh Major General Gourett Hareneak dan seminar yang kedua mengenai Air Power yang dibawakan oleh Liutenant General Darrly Roberson yang merupakan komandan Air Education and Training Command (AETC). Bisa dibilang AETC ini selevel dengan Kodiklat TNI AU.

            

FIRST WEEK IN SOS 18B

            First of all, before I start to write my journal, I ask for apologize if some body can not understand my written clearly, because of my language barrier. But believe me, I have done my best and I promise will make improvement in my next journal and  others assignment.

            My first week in SOS just have done, even those were just half week or three days exactly, but its like a long week for me. There were some differences between IOS and SOS study program that I was feel. And also many new things that I found in SOS. Furthermore, all of them give me some issues in my first week.

            I had done IOS 17C before I continue joint SOS 18B now, and this course took seven weeks for us. We were all 29 students for 16 countries mixed in IOS and divided to three flights : Red Tail, Blue Knight and Golden Eagle. Perhaps because many of us were a first time came to US and some off our countries like Indonesia  did not have English for second and third language, so the flight commander and course director always guide us positively. Every lessons were explained in detail and make sure all the student understands what were the lessons mean. And often remain us for the next assignments or activities with direct speech or in our group application.