Close
Home
Collections
Login
USC Login
Register
0
Selected
Invert selection
Deselect all
Deselect all
Click here to refresh results
Click here to refresh results
USC
/
Digital Library
/
University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses
/
Career opportunities in the United States Air Force: A manual of information
(USC Thesis Other)
Career opportunities in the United States Air Force: A manual of information
PDF
Download
Share
Open document
Flip pages
Contact Us
Contact Us
Copy asset link
Request this asset
Transcript (if available)
Content
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN THE
UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
A MANUAL OF INFORMATION
A Project
Presented to
the Faculty of the School of Education
The University of Southern California
In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree
Master of Arts in Education
Truman D. Salyer
November 1951
UMI Number: EP46964
All rights reserved
INFORMATION TO ALL USERS
The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted.
In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript
and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed,
a note will indicate the deletion.
Dissertation Publishing
UMI EP46964
Published by ProQuest LLC (2014). Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author.
Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC.
All rights reserved. This work is protected against
unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code ,
ProQuest LLC.
789 East Eisenhower Parkway
P.O. Box 1346
Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346
£d ■ 'Sal S18b P ' rD0
This project report, w ritte n under the direction
o f the candidate’s adviser and approved by him ,
has been presented to and accepted by the F aculty
of the School of Education in p a rtia l fu lfillm e n t of
the requirements fo r the degree of M a ste r of
Science in Education.
Date .......... S. . . 9: . S. S
( £ ...
A d viser
Dean
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART PAGE
I. THE PROBLEM................................ 1
Statement of the problem ............... 1
Purpose of the problem................. 1
Importance of the problem ............. 2
Method of treatment .............. . . k
II. THE MANUAL................................ 6
Introduction ........................... 6
The air ROTC training program ........ 9
Discussion of specific questions . . . 9
The aviation cadet pilot training program 1?
Discussion of specific questions . . . 1?
The aviation cadet navigator training pro
gram ................................... 28
Discussion of specific questions . . . 29
APPENDIX I
Pay of air force officers.............. 36
APPENDIX II
Aviation cadet examining boards listed
by states 39
PREFACE
The following presentation is di
vided into two separate sections. Part I
is devoted to a discussion of the problem
in terms of purpose, importance and method.
Part II consists of the manual. The pur
pose of this division is to preserve the
unitary or wholistic nature of the manual.
By utilizing such a format, it is possible
to detach the manual and put it to prac
tical use — the desired goal of the project.
PART I
THE PROBLEM
I. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Stated in its simplest form, the problem with
which this project concerns Itself is the lack of suit
able information available to high school senior boys con
cerning career opportunities in the United States Air Force.
II. PURPOSE OF THE PROBLEM
There seems to be little question as to the neces
sity for supplying high school boys with sufficient in
formation concerning vocational opportunities. The entire
field of counseling and guidance assumes that the need
exists. Certainly the current threatening international
situation underscores the necessity for information on
military careers.
The Air Force has recognized the general need for
factual information and has, accordingly, Issued many
pamphlets, circulars, fact sheets, and bulletins. Most
of these are very well written and have considerable "eye
appeal" in addition to supplying the very latest informa
tion. Unfortunately, most of these publications either
deal specifically with one program or cover a very large
number of programs. In the first case, there is a great
deal of detail and in the latter there is only general
coverage. The manual included in this project covers the !
three principal ways in which a young man may become an i
Air Force officer with only as much detail as is necessary 1
to fully explain the program.
The principal purpose of the manual, then, is to
bring together sufficient information on the programs lead
ing to commissioned officer status to assist the high school
senior boy in planning his career in the Air Force.
III. IMPORTANCE OF THE PROBLEM
As mentioned previously, it is obvious that young
men need adequate information if they are to plan their
futures Intelligently. Today, however, much more is at
stake than successful careers. It is imperative that the
men who are capable of leadership be placed in positions
where their ability may be utilized. The following quote,
although long, is included because it represents the offi
cial Air Force view on officer training:
As a key member of the United Nations, this coun
try has unreservedly committed Its efforts and re
sources of an orderly and peaceful world.
We continue to live, however, in a period when war
3
still must "be reckoned with as the final arbiter of
international differences. For this country to revert
to that state of complacent unpreparedness which char
acterized the years prior to World War I and II would
be an invitation to disaster. On the other hand, a
large military establishment in time of peace is not
compatible with the best interests of the nation. In
view of this, it becomes increasingly necessary to rely
upon a well-trained citizenry for military service in
time of emergency.
It takes time to train a citizen Military Estab
lishment. This was allowed us in 191? and 19^1. But
there is no reason'to believe that such would be the
case should another war begin. No future aggressor
nation will be able to ignore the great lesson of the
last two World Wars — that as long as the United States
remains unconquered it cannot succeed. We must expect
to be his first target for all-out attack. If we are
not ready at that time, all of our potential strength
will be useless.
The training of our civilian defenses requires in
addition to time, the services of qualified officers
who, in turn, must undergo a long period of training.
The Air Force, as well as its sister services, is largely
dependent upon its Reserve Officers' Training Corp to
provide these officers.
The free nations of the world look to the United
States for leadership in maintaining world peace. The
United States relies upon its Air Force as one of its
primary means of preventing aggression. The Air Force,
in turn, depends upon the Air ROTC to provide its fu
ture leadership. These young men who are serving as
students in the Air ROTC are truly carrying the hopes
of all freedom-loving peoples of the world. But what
is more important, they are the hopes of peace-loving
America.
The above quotation is pointed primarily at the Air
Reserve Officer's Training Corps, but the attitude ex
pressed is equally applicable to all avenues to Commis
sioned Officer status.
IV. METHOD OP TREATMENT
The following manual is not an attempt to he
creative or original, nor does it represent a research
effort. The sole contribution, if indeed there be any,
lies in the bringing together of information found in many
Air Force publications and presenting it in non-technical
language in question-and-answer form.
One of the difficulties encountered in writing
this project was that of properly acknowledging the mater^-
ial contained in the Air Force publications used. These
pamphlets, circulars, etc. do not give the authors' names,
publishing date, publishing place, or any other information
which would be of help to anyone wishing to read these
source materials. This situation i s further complicated
by the closeness with which this manual follows the Air
Force publications where an official attitude or factual
information is involved. In many cases, entire paragraphs,
such as the data on officers' pay, have been lifted from
an Air Force pamphlet.
Because of the lack of information on these pub
lications and a reluctance to use footnotes in the manual,
no acknowledgements will be found therein. The materials
used are listed below, however, and should be available
from the Department of the Air Force, Washington, D. 0.
5
“For Young Men of America, The New Air ROTC" (pamphlet)
"Quarterbacks in the Sky” (pamphlet) A reprint from
December, 19^9* "Life of the Soldier a,nd the Airman."
"Air Force OCS" (pamphlet)
"U. S. Air Force Aviation Cadet Program for Navigators."
(Fact Sheet)
"U. S. Air Force Aviation Cadet Program for Pilots."
(Fact Sheet)
"The United States Air Force Reserve and What it Means
to You." (pamphlet)
"Chart Your Own Course as a U. S. Air Force Navigator."
(pamphlet)
"When You’re a U. S. Air Force Navigator, You're a Key
Man on the Air Force Team." (pamphlet)
"Opportunity on Wings — Aviation Cadets of the United
States Air Force." (pamphlet)
"The United States Air Force and You." (pamphlet)
"The Air Force ROTC at Florida State University." (pamphlet)
"The Modern Trojan USC.ROTC." (pamphlet)
"United States Air Force ROTC." Loyola University of
Los Angeles. (pamphlet)
PART I I
THE MANUAL
I. INTRODUCTION
The following manual, or handbook, has been written
to help you, a high school senior, decide on what kind of
military career you want. Before you begin reading the
manual, however, there are several points whieh should be
mentioned. Consider them carefully, for they are impor
tant.
1. It is quite possible that you are definitely
not Interested in any military service, much less a mili
tary career. There's nothing wrong with that attitude;
Americans are not militaristic people. Nevertheless,
you are well aware of the tense world situation and the
fact that providing you're healthy and of normal intelli
gence you are probably going to put in some time in the
service, whether you like it or not. It is to be hoped
that you will recognize the necessity for such service
and render it gladly. The whole idea behind this manual
is to familiarize you with the various military opportuni
ties, so that you may select the field that will enable
you to be a happier, more effective serviceman.
2. It is also .possible that, while you are defin-
7
itely considering your future in the military, you are now-
interested in some branch of the Armed Forces other than
the Air Force. Again, that point of view is understand
able. You will find that all of the Services have programs
similar to those offered by the Air Force and- that they
are all excellent. You are doing exactly the right thing
by getting information on all opportunities in the Services
3« The three Air Force training programs to be dis
cussed in the following manual all require at least two
years of college and all are officer training programs.
Now, maybe you don't plan to go to college or perhaps
you'd just as soon not become an officer. If so, you will
be interested in the Airman1s Career Program. This pro
gram offers practically unlimited opportunities for learn
ing rewarding technical skills such as Radar, Budgetary
Accounting and Disbursing, Metal Working and many others.
There are ^2 Career Fields in all so you are certain to
find one that appeals to you. The Air Force makes sure
you are well suited for a given type of work by giving you
scientifically constructed written tests as well as per
sonal interviews and a thorough study of both military
and civilian background. You can get complete information
on the Airman Career Program at your nearest U. S. Air
Force and U. S. Army Recruiting Station. While you're
getting the information, find out about the pay of an
airman and what the possibilities are for further academic
training. You'll be surprised to learn, perhaps, that
you can complete a college education while still in the
Service. The Air Force not only permits you to continue
your education while in the Service, but actually pays
your tuition i An officer is available on every Air Force
Base to assist you in working out an educational program —
the Troop Information and Education Officer.
4. There is a fourth way to become an Air Force
Officer, in addition to the three you're going to read
about in the manual. Up to a few months ago, you could
apply for Officer Candidate School and after completing
six months of training be commissioned (upon graduation)
as a second lieutenant, Air Force Reserve. It was neces
sary to have two years of college in order to qualify for
this training also.
At the present time, the Officer Candidate School
is closed to civilians, only airmen on duty with the Air
Force being eligible to attend. This school may be re
opened to civilians, however, so check with the Air Force
Recruiting Station if you're interested. Otherwise, it
is always possible to enlist in the Air Force as an airman
and apply for Officer Candidate School. Your local Air
9
Force Recruiting Officer can give you more details on this
procedure, also.
i
5* A final point of considerable importance con- ;
!
cerns the factual information which the following pages !
contain. At the time of writing, this information is accu-,
i
rate and up-to-date. As a matter of fact, most of it is !
taken directly from a variety of official Air Force pub11- :
cations. Nevertheless, the fluctuating international
situation and the constant expansion of the Air Force are
working together to produce an ever-changing recruitment
and training program. You should, therefore, use this
manual as a general source of information to form opinions.
Once you have decided what you want, go to your local Air
Force Recruiting Officer or the nearest Air Force Base and
get further specific, detailed information on the program
of your choice. The three training areas discussed in the
manual have been pretty much the same for several years,
however, and any changes will probably be small ones.
II. THE AIR ROTO TRAINING PROGRAM
Discussion o f specific questions.
What is the Importance of the Air ROTC? One of
the best statements concerning the significance of the Air
ROTC program was made by General Hoyt S. Vandenberg, Chief
10
of Staff of the Air Force, In a preface (to an Air Force
manual) entitled: "To Young Men of America."
What do you young men who are in college or about
to enter college desire in the career you will choose?
You want a chance for promotion and professional ad
vancement. You want an intellectual and moral challenge
You want ample retirement security. You want to be of
maximum service to yourself and to society. You want
to work on friendly terms with men of your own caliber.
You want a position of responsible authority.
All of these are available to YOU through the new
Air ROTC Program which is established in more than
100 colleges and universities throughout our Nation..
We of the United States Air Force bear the primary
responsibility of defending our country and the princi
ples upon which it was established — liberty and free
dom for YOU and your family. We must have help from
all true Americans to fulfill our duty, and especially
we must have the assurance that there are young, well-
trained leaders available — young men with new ideas
and new strength, with the scientific and technical
knowledge and administrative ability to lead our Air
Force in the years ahead.
What is the Purpose of the Air ROTC? To select and
train students who possess the character, intelligence,
desire and sense of duty to become Air Force Officers
and responsible citizens.
In addition to the above general purpose, the Air
ROTC has three specific objectives:
1. To attract the highest type of personnel into
the United States Air Force and its civilian
components.
2. To develop in all students an understanding
of modern warfare and the place and function
11
of air power In the defense of the United States.
!
3. To qualify Air ROTO students to perform duties
normally expected of a junior Air Force officer.
What Are the Advantages of the Air Reserve Officer |
i
Training Corp? There are many advantages of this program, j
r
but the following eleven areas are the most important.
1. Education. No matter what your chosen profession
happens to be, you will receive training in the Air ROTO
which will be of great benefit to you.
In the freshman year the Air ROTC course of study
is designed to give you a general knowledge of military
procedures and doctrines. Specifically, you will study
Military Organization, Military Policy of the United States,
Military Psychology and Personnel Management, Geographical
Foundation of National Power, and Military Problems of the
United States.
When you become a sophomore, your subjects in the
Air ROTC are more closely related to the Air Force. Your
studies will include such subjects as Aerodynamics and Pro
pulsion, Weather, Navigation and Applied Air Power. In
addition, at this time you will begin specializing in one
of the several areas such as Administration, Communica
tions, or Aircraft Maintenance Engineering.
This specialization continues into the junior and
senior years ana receives the major emphasis during this
two-year period. You will also receive instructions in
Logistics and Air Operations in the Junior year. As a
I
senior, in addition to courses in your field of special!- I
I
zation, you will study several subjects such as Military j
Administration, Military Law and Boards, Military Teaching !
Methods,.Air Force Management, and Career Development.
In all of the subjects the latest visual aids are
used and up-to-date equipment is furnished in the forms
of textbooks, wall charts, mock-ups and other training
aids.
Throughout the entire four years of the Air ROTC
you will participate in many activities dealing with Lead
ership, Drill and Exercise of Command. It is this type
of training which will develop the poise every man needs
to be successful in any vocation.
2* Uniform. All Air ROTC students are furnished
complete uniforms. The uniform may be worn at any time
while enrolled In the Program and must be worn at certain
times as prescribed by regulation.
Students in the Basic Course wear the officer’s
dark green coat, trousers, and garrison (cloth) cap.
Cadets in the Advanced Course wear the officer’s dark green
coat, "pink1 1 (gray-drab) trousers and the service (visored)
13
cap. Appropriate distinctive Air ROTC insignia are fur- ,
nished. The officer's short overcoat is also furnished ;
i
when climatic conditions warrant. 1
i
i
Appropriate summer uniforms and special-purpose !
clothing are furnished without cost to Air ROTC students j
of the Advanced Course while attending 3ummer camp.
3* Cadet Pay. Cadets in the Advanced Course are
paid a monetary allowance presently amounting to approxi
mately $2? a month during the academic year.
Social. While the list of courses discussed
above may seem a little forbidding, all is not work in the :
Air ROTC. The uniform establishes your identity as a mem
ber of a select group on the campus; there are increased
opportunities for participation in intramural sports; and
finally, the members of the Air ROTC organize many dances
and other social activities for the group itself. In addi
tion, you are invited to participate in Air Force Activi
ties in the community.
5- Arnold Society of Air Cadets. When you begin
your training in the Advanced Course of the Air ROTC
(in the junior year) you are eligible to join this organi
zation whose purpose is to further the mission of the Air
Force at college or university level by encouraging
greater teamwork, development of technical knowledge, and
14
the furtherance of cooperation and esprit de corps among
t
students enrolled in the Air ROTO. ■
6. Bummer Camp. After you have finished three 1
i
years of Air ROTO instruction, a summer camp of six -weeks' |
duration is provided. At this camp you will get used to j
Air Force life and have an opportunity to apply some of the J
I
things you have learned in class. The course of study in j .
I
summer camps is completely practical and consists of air
operational problems involving the use of military aircraft|
and equipment. You will not only have a lot of fun at this
six-weeks' summer camp, you will get paid #75 a month while!
i
in attendance. Transportation is free to and from the 1
Air Force base at which the camp is conducted and quarters,
clothing, equipment, meals and medical attention are fur
nished at Government expense.
?• Draft Deferment. Each Air ROTO unit is granted
deferment quotas. Your participation in the Air ROTC
program may permit deferment from the Draft under the
Selective Service Act of 1948 under the following condi
tions: (a) if you satisfactorily demonstrate that you pos
sess all the qualities necessary to become an Air Force
officer; (b) if you agree to accept a Regular or Reserve
commission in the USAF if tendered, and to serve at
least two years on active duty as an officer when and if
15
called by the Secretary of the Air Force.
8. Regular or Reserve Commission. If you rank
scholastically among the upper third of your class and
are designated as a Distinguished Military Graduate by
your Professor of Military Science and Tactics and your
institutional head, you may be selected for a Regular com
mission in the United States Air Force.
If you do not meet the above requirements, you will
be offered a commission in the United States Air Force
Reserve upon successful completion of the courses of in
struction. You have a further opportunity to demonstrate
whether your aptitude and ability merit a regular commis
sion when you enter extended active duty!
9* Pay. When you enter on active duty as either
a Regular or Reserve officer in the United States Air
Force, you will be eligible to receive monthly pay and
allowances amounting to $2*4-6 if you haVe no dependents, or
$282 if you have dependents. Should you complete flying
training, this would be increased to $336 and $373, respec
tively. See Appendix I for more complete information on
pay and allowances.
10. Military Experience. Whether, or not you are
called to active duty upon graduation, your experience and
education through the Air ROTC will benefit you. You may
enter a military or civilian career with your Interests
and understanding broadened and with the assurance that
should a national emergency arise you will be placed in
a position of responsible leadership.
College credit. At most institutions academic
credit, applicable toward graduation, is allowed for Air
ROTC courses.
What Are the Eligibility Requirements of the Air
ROTC? Students must meet the following requirements in
order to enroll in the Basic Course (freshman and sopho
more years) of Senior Division, Air ROTO:
1. Be a male citizen of the United States.
2. Be physically qualified under standards
prescribed by the Air Force. Due allowance
will be made for defects which are correctl-
ble prior to the student's eligibility for
appointment as a commissioned officer.
3. Be accepted by the institution as a regularly
enrolled student.
k. Be not less than 1 * 4 - years of age and not have
reached 23 years of age at time of enrollment.
5* Successfully complete such general survey and
screening tests as may be prescribed.
Veterans with at least six months of honorable ac
tive military service in World War II will receive credit
for the first year (freshman year) of the Basic Course.
All students enrolled in the Advanced Course
(junior and senior years) of Senior Division, Air ROTO,
must:
1. Have successfully’completed the Basic Course
of the Senior Division, Air ROTO, or had at
least one year of honorable active military
service.
2. Execute a written agreement with the Govern
ment to complete the Advanced Course, contin
gent upon remaining in school, and to attend
the advanced Summer Gamp at the time specified.
3. Not have reached 27 years of age at the time of
initial enrollment in the Advanced Course.
4. Successfully complete such general survey and
screening tests as may be prescribed.
5. Be selected by the Professor of Military
Science and Tactics and the h ead of the institU'
tion.
How Do You Apply for Air ROTC Training? Male stu
dents may inquire as t o eligibility for training at the
Air Force ROTC college or university in which they enroll.
Ask for the Professor of Air Science and Tactics.
III. THE AVIATION CADET PILOT TRAINING PROGRAM
Discussion of specific questions.
Is Aviation a Good Field for a Career? Aviation,
during the next few years, will offer opportunities to
career-minded young men that will exceed those of any
other profession. The Air Force is expanding to a great
extent and the entire aviation industry is growing. The
men who enter this field will rise quickly to the impor
tant jobs of tomorrow, whether they stay in the Air Force ;
or work in private industry* j
I
The men who are going to rise the fastest in avia- j
tion are the pilots trained by the United. States Air Force.
They are the graduates of the finest pilot-training school !
in the world.. They are healthy, alert, keenly intelligent, i
More important, their flying duties and their administrative
I
experience fit them perfectly for the more rewarding posi- j
tions both in military and in commercial aviation.
What Are the Advantages of Pilot Training? The !
long range value of this program was discussed in the
preceding paragraph, but there are s ome immediate advan
tages in which you will be interested.
Cadet pay* As an Aviation Cadet you will draw
$105 a month. Since you have practically no expenses,
you will find your monthly pay goes a long way in the Post
Exchange where prices are low and the selection is wide.
Uniform. Aviation Cadets wear regular Air
Force blue uniforms which are issued to you complete, doxm
to an extra pair of shoe laces.
3* Housing. Most Cadet training bases have per
manent-type housing with roomy quarters and pleasant sur
roundings.
19
Medical and dental care. As a Cadet, your
health is very important to the Air Force. Free medical
and dental care is provided as well as hospitalization
service.
5* Insurance. A $10,000 Government Life Insurance
policy with all premiums paid during the training period
is made out for you immediately after you enter the Ser
vice. You may keep this policy after becoming an officer
if you so desire by paying the small monthly premiums.
6. Recreation. The Aviation Cadet's schedule is
not an easy one. You'll work hard, study hard, play hard
six days a week. You'll be a pilot-student-airman-athlete,
all in one. There are many facilities for recreation,
however, when you do have a little free time. Cadets have
their own lounge, swimming pool, bowling alleys, and down
town club.
What Kind of Ground Training Do Cadets Receive?
The Air Force believes that the classroom is as important
in your becoming a pilot as the instruction you get in
the airplane. Consequently, you will spend approximately
three hours a day in specially equipped classrooms and
study about an hour every evening in your room. The
course includes such subjects as Aircraft Engineering,
Weather, Navigation, Principles of Flight, Radio Communi-
20
cation, Code, and Aircraft Maintenance.
Flying training and academic training are closely
related. Just as in football, where you study a play on
the blackboard in "skull practice," then go out on the
field and try it, you study theories in "ground school"
then go out and see how they actually work in the air.
What Does the Flying Training Consist of? There
has been a big change in the types of airplanes Cadets
get their training in. For years the first plane a
would-be pilot flew was an open cockpit biplane; then he
progressed to an intermediate trainer — the Basic Trainer.
Today you'll start right out flying a T-6 — a sleek,
all-metal "big ship." It has been proven that you can
learn to fly at 150 mph as quickly and as well as you can
at 95 mph. What's more, progress is much faster, morale
much higher, and the safety record as good as, if not
better than, under the old system.
Basic Flying Training. Pilot training is given
in two stages — Basic and Advanced. Each stage normally
requires six months. You begin flying soon after completing
the period of indoctrination and processing. For the most
part, your flying training will center around your instruc
tor. You have a different instructor for each stage.
21
In the 130 hours allotted to the basic phase, you
will learn the basic principles of flying by practicing
take-offs and landings, basic air work, aerobatics, the
fundamentals of instrument flying, formation flying, and
an introduction to cross-country pilotage.
Basic flying instruction is given in the T-6 at
either Randolph Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas; G-ood-
fellow Air Force Base, San Angelo, Texas; Perrin Air Force
Base, Sherman, Texas; or Connally Air Force Base, Waco,
Texas. As the program expands, other Air Force bases
will be made available for basic flying training.
Advanced Flying Training. When you complete basic
training, you go either to Williams Air Force Base (near
Phoenix, Arizona) or to Las Vegas Air Force Base (Las
Vegas, Nevada) for single-engine Advanced Training. For
multi-engine Advanced Training, you will go to Reese Air
Force Base (Lubbock, Texas) or to Vance Air Force Base
(Enid, Oklahoma).
The needs of the Air Force, in most cases, govern
your assignment to one of these courses. However, the
recommendation of your instructors and your own preference
are taken into*consideration.
At single-engine Advanced, you may fly the famous
TF-51 Mustang, or you may fly the jet T-33A. Your first
"solo hop" in a fast fighter plane is one of the most
thrilling moments in your Cadet career. Later, you take
off on instrument, navigation, night, and formation
missions. In ground school, you study Aircraft Engineer
ing, Weather, Navigation, Electronics, Radar, and other
important subjects which help to make you one of the
world's best fighter pilots.
If you go to Vance, or Reese, you fly the TB-25*
Day and night navigation hops, instrument flights, and
formation tactics make up most of the flying syllabus.
The training you get there prepares you for later assign
ment to a bomber squadron or the Military Air Transport
Service.
Does an Aviation Cadet Receive Much Military Train
ing? Yes, both directly and indirectly. The Cadets of
today are the officers and leaders of tomorrow and must,
therefore, be first-rate military men as well as good
pilots. After a few years, your ability as a pilot will
be secondary to your ability as a leader and as an execu
tive. Regardless of whether you stay .in the Air Force
or return to civilian life, this experience may be the
most rewarding phase of your Aviation Cadet training.
Through the lectures, drills, and ceremonies, the
instruction and examples of your officers, and through
23
the strict regulated routine under which you live, you
learn and absorb the Air Force way of life. And when
you graduate, you will be conscious of living under a
higher personal standard of Integrity than ever before.
How Long Does It Take to Finish the Course, and
What Happens Then? Just about twelve months after you
begin the thraining and after 265 flying hours, the big
day arrives. You are about to graduate and become an
Air Force officer. The ceremony is formal and impressive.
You receive the silver wings and gold bars and are no
longer a Cadet but a Second Lieutenant in the United States
Air Force Reserve. Immediately after graduation you take
your oath as an officer, receive your first duty assign
ment, and take off on a well-deserved leave.
How Much Salary Does a Second Lieutenant Receive?
You'll get <$^15*75 a month if you are single; f^-30.75 if
you're married. See Appendix I for a complete breakdown
of the salary schedule.
What Kind of Work Does a Newly-Commissioned Pilot
Do? After graduation, you are placed on active duty with
the United States Air Force to serve for a period of three
years unless sooner relieved by competent authority. You
2^
may be assigned to a tactical squadron where you will
continue your training in service-type aircraft. Or you
may serve under the Training Command as a flying instruc
tor or under the Military Air Transport Service as a trans
port pilot.
What Are the Advantages and Opportunities of the
Three-Year Tour? During your tour of duty, you will be
in close touch with the latest developments in jet and
rocket propulsion, improved aircraft design, and new fly
ing techniques. You may qualify for advanced administra
tive or technical training at a university or at one of the
many Air Force schools. You will continue to build up
your flying experience and should have no difficulty se
curing a CAA commercial pilot rating.
At the end of your three-year tour, you will be
promoted automatically to first lieutenant. At this point,
you may return to civilian life or inactive status or you
may apply for further active duty.
What Are the Chances of Getting a Regular Commis
sion? Never before has the opportunity for making the
Air Force a career been so favorable. Outstanding gradu
ates of each Aviation Cadet class will receive Regular
commissions immediately. Other graduates will have a good
chance to qualify for one of the several hundred Regular
commissions tendered each year to Reserve officers on
active duty. Because of the high standards required of
Aviation Cadets, you have an excellent opportunity of
qualifying for one of these Regular commissions.
What Are the Eligibility Requirements for Aviation
Cadet Pilot Training? There are three main requirements
you have to meet:
1. Applicants must be single, male citizens be
tween 20 and 26% years old. Must agree to
remain single during the training period.
2. Must have completed two years of college
(60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours toward
a baccalaureate degree) at an accredited col
lege or university.
3. And, in addition, he must be able to pass the
following examinations:
Air Force Qualifying Examination
Physical Examination
Moral and Personal Examination
(These three examinations will be
discussed in detail below.)
What Is the Application Procedure?
1. Application blanks (AF Form 56) may be obtained
at any Air Force base; any local U. S. Army and U. S.
Air Force recruiting station; from one of the Air Force
teams visiting colleges and universities; or by writing
to Headquarters, United States Air Force, Director of
Training, Attention: Aviation Cadet Branch, Washington 25*
D. 0.
2. Fill out the application forms in duplicate and
attach your hirth certificate or baptismal certificate (or
a photostat of either) and a transcript of your scholastic
record.
3- Completed applications will be forwarded to the
nearest Aviation Cadet-Officer Candidate Examining Board
or to the nearest U. S. Army and U. S. Air Force recruit
ing station. See Appendix II for a list of Aviation
Cadet Examining Boards.
Applicants will be informed of the date to ap
pear for processing. (Aviation Cadet-Officer Candidate
Examining Boards conduct complete processing. Recruiting
stations conduct partial processing and send successful
applicants, at Government expense, to the nearest examin
ing board for the final stages of processing.)
5* College students obtaining application forms
from the traveling teams will be completely processed by
the team members in many Instances. When It is necessary
to refer applicants to an Aviation Cadet-Officer Candidate
Examining Board for final processing, Government transpor
tation will be provided.
After you have successfully passed all of the
27
examinations, your Selective Service Board will be notified
that you are deferred from induction for a period of four
months.
What Do These Three Examinations Consist of?
1. The USAF Qualifying Examination measures your
knowledge of aviation and your aptitude for flying. The
examination consists of 150 questions with multiple-
choice answers. If you have read aviation magazines oc
casionally, if you know something about the history of
aviation, and if you have some understanding of the the
ories and mechanics involved in flying, you should have
no trouble making a passing score.
2. The physical examination is extremely thorough
and takes the better part of a day. Your eyes, ears, and
heart are given special attention and must meet high re
quirements. Color vision, night vision, respiration,
muscular coordination, hearing physique, and nervous and
cardio-vascular systems must be perfectly normal. Height
may ranged from a minimum of 6^ Inches to a maximum of
76 inches; weight must be normal for height and not ex
ceed 200 pounds. Temperament must be suited to military
flying.
Before taking the physical, it may be well to have
your own physician examine you to see if you have defects
28
which might he disqualifying or which might require correc
tion.
3* The moral and -personal examination. This exam
ination, which is conducted by a board of three officers,
consists of a conversational-type interview and an investi
gation of references, or any other means by which the
board may consider you from a personal standpoint.
IV. THE AVIATION CADET NAVIGATOR TRAINING PROGRAM
Before answering some of your questions concerning
the navigator training program, here is what Colonel
William L. Lee, Commanding Officer of Ellington Air Force
Base, Texas, has to say about the importance of the navi
gator:
Navigating aircraft of the United States Air Force
is a responsibility calling for high shill and knowledge
of complex techniques. The navigator is the quarter
back on our air crew team who guides Air Force bombers
and transport aircraft on long-range missions often
covering thousands of miles.
Our navigators bear a large responsibility for the
success of those missions, and for the safety of our
air crews. When Air Force planes leave familiar ter
ritory to head out over wastelands and vast oceans,
the navigator's skill directs them to their objective
and home again.
Every navigator must have the intelligence, the
stamina, and the courage to take on those responsibili
ties and to do a good job. The United States Air Force
is accepting applications from qualified men to be
trained as navigators.
Oan you measure up?
Discussion of specific questions.
What Is the Mission of the Navigator? Briefly
stated, the navigator’s job is to guide his plane from
departure point to destination by the most expedient route
in the accomplishment of the airplane’s objective.
Military airplanes fly several types of missions
involving differing navigation problems and techniques.
The transport navigator is concerned with long, straight-
line flights, where fuel-saving is a primary considera
tion. The bomber navigator must fly his course to avoid
radar detection, flak installations, and enemy fighters.
The Air Rescue navigator must make good a predetermined
flight pattern to cover fully the area his airplane is
assigned to search.
Despite differences in their specific missions,
all of these Air Force navigators have received the same
navigational training, and all use basically the same
methods. A navigator with a thorough knowledge of basic
principles of his craft can solve the special problems
of any Air Force mission he may be required to fly.
What Are the Advantages of Navigator Training?
The navigator Cadet, in general, gets the same treatment
30
as the pilot trainee. Your Aviation Cadet cash allowance
of |105 a month begins on the day you leave home to re
port to Ellington Field, Texas (near Houston) where all
navigation training is conducted. Except for small items
like laundry and personal necessities, it's all clear.
Uniforms, room, books, and all the equipment you'll use
in class or in the air are furnished free. You should
bring with you, or be prepared to buy, such personal items
as toothbrushes, toothpaste, shaving equipment, and other
incidentals. You'll receive an allowance for your meals;
that allowance goes into the Aviation Cadet dining fund
to provide you with wholesome food. The Air Force also
gives you a free #10,000 insurance policy while you're
in training. After graduation, when you're earning pay
and allowances of a second lieutenant, you may keep the
policy by paying the low premiums. Finally, all medical
and dental care is furnished you and free hospitalization
if required.
Recreation. While the Aviation Cadet program at
Ellington provides ample time for supervised recreational
activity, you'll find yourself planning your "open post"
activities well in advance, at least during the first
weeks of your training. "Open post" means that you are
! not required to attend any scheduled formations, and that
31
you may leave the "base if you wish.
Third classmen, the group you’ll be in for the first
third of your course, merit one Saturday open post a month.
As a second classman, you'll be authorized open post each
Saturday, and when you become a first classman your open
posts extend over each weekend.
But even if you're not scheduled for open post,
your weekends, after Saturday classes, inspection, and
review, will be comparatively free. Special Services usu
ally arrange dances each Saturday night at the Gadet Ser
vice Club, inviting girls through Houston civic organiza
tions. You'll have a chance to participate in almost
every variety of sport; teams are organized within each
training flight and intramural championships are keenly
contested. The base theater shows the latest movies at
very low cost; the Cadet Club provides table tennis, billi
ards, or other games, and the base library has books for
recreational reading as well as for collateral study. On
Sundays, Ellington's chapels provide religious services
for all faiths.
On open post, you'll probably date in groups with
other Cadets, dining and dancing at one of Houston's
many hotels and supper clubs. You might go deep-sea fish
ing in the beautiful G-ulf waters near Houston, or play
golf at some of the country’s finest links.
What Does the Navigation Training Instruction Pro
gram Consist of? Careful selection of candidates and a
course of Instruction evolved from experience in train
ing many thousands of navigators during the war make it
possible for the United States Air Force to concentrate
your navigator instruction into less than a year.
You will appreciate, as do America's leading edu
cators, the way in which seasoned instructors present tech
nical subjects in a stimulating manner, making each step
a simple, easy-to-follow outgrowth of the one preceding
it.
You’ll attend military and academic classes an
average of 29 hours a Tireek and spend about six hours a
week in the air.
Flying is geared to the academic program. Gener
ally, you will study a principle or technique in the class
room, try it out on ingenious training devices that simu
late flying missions, and then go up in the Air Force's
newest navigational training plane, the Convair T-29 "Fly
ing Classroom" to put your newly acquired information to
practical test under expert guidance.
In addition to the academic and flying instruction,
you will receive considerable military training. You will
33
study organization of the U. S. Air Force, military law,
'squadron and staff duties, and teaching techniques. Since
you are going to he an officer upon graduation such ex
perience is very important.
What Happens When the Course is Completed?
Graduation
After almost a year of intensive study and work,
you will graduate from the Aviation Cadet status to that
of Second Lieutenant, UnltedStates Air Force. You then
will enter immediately upon your first tour of active
duty, which will last for three years unless you are
relieved sooner hy competent authority. You are told what
your first assignment will he. It may he almost any of
the U. S. Air Force major commands. A thirty-day leave is
authorized for you before reporting, however.
I&L
Upon becoming an officer, you step into a higher
income hra-cket. Complete information on pay will he found
in Appendix I.
Active Duty
As an Air Force Navigator Officer, you*11 enter a
field which in post-war planning has assumed new and added
importance. A navigator’s duties today are more highly
technical than ever before, hut the opportunities are
3^
e q u a lly great in proportion.
Not all navigators go into our strategic bombing
squadrons. Navigators assigned to Military Air Transport
Service may serve on crews of world-girdling transport
planes, flying routes from Massachusetts to Arabia or
California to India. They may be assigned to weather
reconnaissance crews, who fly wide sweeps over the North
Pole and over Atlantic and Pacific oceans to gather weather
data that enables United States Weathermen to predict
conditions well in advance. Or MATS navigators may serve
in air rescue squadrons whose air crews may have to fly ex
acting search patterns over thousands of square miles to
find plane crews downed at sea or in remote land wastes.
What Are the Eligibility Requirements? You can
qualify for U. S. Air Force navigator instruction as an
Aviation Cadet if:
1. You are an unmarried male citizen between 20
and 26^ years old.
2. You have completed two years of study (have
one-half or more of the credits necessary
for a degree) at an accredited college or
university.
3» You can pass the Aviation Cadet qualifying
examination and physical examination. See
page 2? for details on these examinations.
4. You have high moral and personal qualifications.
5. You are accepted after a personal interview
before an Aviation Cadet Examining Board.
35
The physical examination is the same as that given
for pilot training, except that it is less stringent for
vision (20/50 correctable to 20/20).
What Is the Appllcation Procedure? Your nearest
U. S. Army and U. S. Air Force Recruiting Office or Air
Force Base (there's probably one in your home town or col
lege community) will help you fill out an application for
U. S. Air Force Aviation Cadet navigator training and ad
vise you where to send it. Or you may write for an appli
cation blank to Headquarters, U. S. Air Force, Attention:
Aviation Cadet Branch, Washington 25, D* C.
With your application in duplicate the Air Force
requires evidence of your age and your college record.
You'll need to furnish a copy of your birth certificate,
usually available from your county recorder, and a tran
script of your college credits, which your college regis
trar will give you on request.
Take these papers — application in duplicate,
birth certificate, and a transcript of college credits — >
to the Recruiting Office or mail them to the nearest Air
Force Base in care of the Aviation Cadet Examining Board.
(Names and addresses of these boards are listed in Appen
dix II.) Either way, you'll be given an appointment with
the Board to complete your acceptance procedure.
APPENDIX I
PAY OF AIR FORCE OFFICERS
APPENDIX I
Pay of Air Force Officers
Air Force officers receive the new higher pay rates
provided by the Career Compensation Act of 1949* These
rates increase at established intervals up to specified
maximums for each grade. The monthly rates are:
GRADE FROM TO
Colonel #570.00 #698.25
Lieutenant Colonel 456.00 584.25
Major 384.75 513.00
Captain 313-50 441.75
First Lieutenant 249.38 349.13
Second Lieutenant 213*75 313*50
Where Government quarters are not furnished,
quarters allowances are authorized. The rates are:
GRADE WITH WITHOUT
DEPENDENTS DEPENDENTS
Colonel #120.00 #105.00
Lieutenant Colonel 120.00 90.00
Major 105.00 82.50
Captain 90.00 75*00
First Lieutenant 82.50 67*50
Second Lieutenant 75*00 60.00
Officers must pay for their meals and provide their
own uniforms. They receive a ration allowance of #42.00
without regard to rank or number of dependents.
Officers required to participate regularly and fre
quently in aerial flights receive additional monthly com
pensation as follows:
GRADE AMOUNT
Colonel #210.00
Lieutenant Colonel 180.00
Major 150.00
Captain 120.00
First Lieutenant 110.00
Second Lieutenant 100.00
APPENDIX II
AVIATION CADET EXAMINING BOARDS
LISTED BY STATES
1*0
APPENDIX I I
Aviation Cadet Examining Boards
Listed by States
ALABAMA: Mobile, Brookley Air Force Base
Montgomery, Maxwell Air Force Base
ARIZONA: Chandler, Williams Air Force Base
Tucson, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base
CALIFORNIA:
Fairfield, Travis Air Force Base
Merced, Castle Air Force Base
Los Angeles, Main Recruiting Station
Riverside, March Air Force Base
Sacramento, Mather Air Force Base
Sacramento, McClellan Air Force Base
San Bernardino, Norton Air Force Base
San Rafael, Hamilton Air Force Base
COLORADO; Denver, Lowry Air Force Base.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA:
Washington, Andrews Air Force Base
Washington, Bolling Air Force Base
FLORIDA: Tampa, MacDill Air Force Base
Valparaiso, Eglin Air Force Base
GEORGIA: Albany, Turner Air Force Base
Columbus, Lawson Air Force Base
Macon, Robins Air Force Base
Marietta, Dobbins Air Force Base
ILLINOIS: Belleville, Scott Air Force Base
Rantoul, Channte Air Force Base
KENTUCKY: Fort Knox, Godman Air Force Base
LOUISIANA:
Shreveport, Barksdale Air Force Base
MASSACHUSETTS:
Chicopee Falls, Westover Air Force Base
Falmouth, Otis Air Force Base
MICHIGAN: Mount Clemens, Selfridge Air Force Base
MISSISSIPPI: Biloxi, Keesler Air Force Base
NEBRASKA:
NEVADA:
NEW JERSEY:
NEW MEXICO:
NEW YORK:
OHIO:
OKLAHOMA:
Omaha, Offutt Air Force Base
Las Vegas, Nellis Air Force Base
Fort Dix, McGuire Air Force Base
Albuquerque, Klrtland Air Force Base
Roswell, Walker Air Force Base
Hempstead, Mitchel Air Force Base
Newburgh, Stewart Air Force Base
Rome, Griffiss Air Force Base
Dayton, Wrlght-Patterson Air Force Base
Enid, Vance Air Force Base
Oklahoma City, Tinker Air Force Base
PENNSYLVANIA: Middletown, Olmsted Air Force Base
SOUTH CAROLINA:
Sumter, Shaw Air Force Base
SOUTH DAKOTA: Rapid City, Rapid City Air Force Base
TENNESSEE:
TEXAS:
Smyrna, Sewart Air Force Base
Austin, Bergstrom Air Force Base
El Paso, Biggs Air Force Base
Fort Worth, Carswell Air Force Base
Houston, Ellington Air Force Base
Lubbock, Reese Air Force Base
San Angelo, Goodfellow Air Force Base
San Antonio, Kelly Air Force Base
San Antonio, Lackland Air Force Base
San Antonio, Randolph Air Force Base
Sherman, Perrin Air Force Base
Waco, Connally Air Force Base
Wichita Falls, Sheppard Air Force Base
UTAH: Ogden, Hill Air Force Base
VIRGINIA: Hampton, Langley Air Force Base
42
WASHINGTON: Bong, Fairchild Air Force Base
Ephrata, Larson Air Force Base
Tacoma, McChord Air Force Base
WYOMING: Gheyenne, Francis E. Warren Air Force Base
uni versity ®f Southern C a l We r n l e Uteres
Abstract (if available)
Linked assets
University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses
Conceptually similar
PDF
A plan to aid in the utilization of the low aptitude airman within the United States Air Force Career Program.
PDF
A handbook for an Air Force ROTC course in elements of aerial warfare.
PDF
Inequalities of educational opportunities in the several states of the United States.
PDF
A comparison of the economic security benefits in the Armed Forces with those in civilian industries
PDF
A reference manual for developing community courses in mental hygiene.
PDF
A teachers guide for home room activities in the Army dependents schools in Europe.
PDF
A teacher's guide to the military obligations facing high school seniors.
PDF
A course of study in practical biology for the secondary schools in the Philippines
PDF
A supplementary textbook for use in a B6 social studies unit on the large cities of the United States.
PDF
A guide for correlating United States history and folk dancing in the fifth and sixth grades.
PDF
A student manual for a course in beginning photography.
PDF
A guide for traveling in the United States.
PDF
A manual for leadmen in the aircraft industry.
PDF
A handbook of information about atomic energy for the upper elementary teacher in Los Angeles.
PDF
A resource unit for the study of Peru.
PDF
Prevalence of problems of college students in the six geographical areas of the United States.
PDF
A unit on the natives of the South Pacific Islands.
PDF
A resource unit on group discussion in the secondary schools.
PDF
The use of simple instruments in the classroom: A manual for the fourth grade.
PDF
A guide for the study of international understanding in a senior high school.
Asset Metadata
Creator
Salyer, Truman D.
(author)
Core Title
Career opportunities in the United States Air Force: A manual of information
Degree
Master of Science
Degree Program
Education
Publisher
University of Southern California
(original),
University of Southern California. Libraries
(digital)
Tag
military studies,OAI-PMH Harvest
Language
English
Contributor
Digitized by ProQuest
(provenance)
Permanent Link (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c24-141403
Unique identifier
UC11270115
Identifier
EP46964.pdf (filename),usctheses-c24-141403 (legacy record id)
Legacy Identifier
EP46964.pdf
Dmrecord
141403
Document Type
Thesis
Rights
Salyer, Truman D.
Type
texts
Source
University of Southern California
(contributing entity),
University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses
(collection)
Access Conditions
The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the au...
Repository Name
University of Southern California Digital Library
Repository Location
USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA
Tags
military studies