Academy cadets get OJT at Luke

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Christopher Hatch
  • 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  Approximately 40 cadets from the U.S. Air Force Academy are at Luke from June to August, participating in Operation Air Force. 

Ops AF provides academy cadets experience in the operational Air Force while focusing on different areas of cadet development. 

Ops AF offers three, 20-day programs: the Noncommissioned, Third Lieutenant and the Brevet Lieutenant courses. Courses took cadets into all squadrons of the 56th Fighter Wing. Cadet activities included working along side maintenance crews to experiencing the tasks and daily job of a pilot. 

"We have cadets in all three courses," said Capt. Dave Brodeur, 63rd Fighter Squadron C-Flight commander. "They are scattered all over the base learning all aspects of how officers work, live and the way a base is run." 

The first program, Non-Comm, exposes Academy sophomores to an enlisted perspective of the operational Air Force through direct participation in an enlisted job. During Non-Comm, cadets are assigned to a unit, trained in specific enlisted tasks and allowed to participate in enlisted duties as an entry-level Airman equivalent. The cadets get to go from squadron to squadron learning different functions of the enlisted personnel. 

"The Non-Comm cadets came by Thursday morning to observe how a commander's support staff conducts in-processing for members returning from deployment," said Capt. Kristen Gibson, 56th Mission Support Group, section commander. 

The cadets learned how CSS runs and how it can help them and their Airmen when they get ready to deploy. 

By the end of the program, cadets understand the valuable roles enlisted members play in the Air Force and have an appreciation for the contributions they make. 

Cadets who completed Non-Comm during the previous summer or are prior enlisted will attend the Third Lieutenant course. This course exposes academy juniors to company grade officer duties in both operational and support units through participation in CGO duties. 

Third Lieutenant cadets will divide their time between rated and support career fields. This allows them to gain an understanding of at least two career fields. 

"The experience in the third lieutenant course has been great," said Cadet 2nd class Sid Maru, U.S. Air Force Academy. "Just a couple days ago we got to learn about the 56th Med Group and all the tasks they do to ensure the health of the base, and today we helped the 61st Aircraft Maintenance Unit work on landing gear." 

The following summer cadets return for the Brevet Lieutenant course. 

Brevet Lieutenant is a capstone program that exposes academy seniors to career-field specific experiences in their area of interest or specialty code assignment. The role of the course is to prepare cadets by providing them first-hand experience performing CGO duties in their career field.