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.

            Leadership is a main component in this course, as well as team building, followership and communication. In total more than 700 students are involved in this course, and SOS spreads all of them across 40 flights with around 14 students in each flight. Every student has a personal flight job that relate each others as a team. The knowledge about leadership is delivered gradually in a particular pattern which makes students understand easily. Students also have the opportunity to practice their leadership during the class activities.

            After students learn about leadership during class, SOS will give challenges to students for demonstrating their leadership in their flight. Some problem solving activities will judge students leadership capability, how their actions in those activities as; a leader, a follower and a team. These problem solving activities are not only held inside class, but also some activities will be done outside class. Student will be given a limit time to solve the problems, with some not clear information and some times with obstacles.

            Eventually, this six and half weeks course hopefully will give much knowledge to students about leadership. Captains who through all of activities in SOS will able to choose some type of leadership which is appropriate with their unit at the tactical level. And some problem solving activities in SOS give students to practice their leadership method to achieve their goals to become a good air force leader in the future.


Author,  Capt Galung
Aditor,  Maj Thrush (USAF)