United States Air Force Academy: Agenda for Change

• The Superintendent is responsible for overall strategic leadership and planning at the United States Air Force Academy. The Superintendent will initiate a strategic planning process, which will define goals, specify measurable objectives, tasks, and metrics. These goals will be aligned with the stated mission and values of the Academy. The Superintendent will review all USAFA Instructions for compliance with the mission statement, the strategic planning goals, and USAF policies. The office of Vice Superintendent will be eliminated and redesignated as Director of Staff.

• The Commandant of Cadets is responsible for creating an atmosphere that ensures officer development and academic excellence are maintained to the highest standards. To enhance and ensure every aspect serves the cause of leadership and character development, the Director of Athletics will report to the Commandant. The Academic Dean, also bound by the leadership and character development mission, will continue to report to the Superintendent of the Academy. These two officers, the Commandant and the Dean, will work closely together in the development of our future Air Force leaders. The Office of the Vice Commandant, under the Commandant, will assist the Commandant in fulfilling his/her duties and act as an ombudsman for the Commandant and Superintendent.

• In addition to other duties assigned to this position, the Vice Commandant is specifically tasked with overseeing Academy sexual climate issues. In fulfilling the duties of an ombudsman, the Vice Commandant will:

• Develop an effective template, along with performance metrics and databases, for the management of sexual assault cases in an expeditious, judicious and sensitive manner with the goal of ensuring justice is served both for the victim and the accused.
• With the support of officers detailed to the Vice Commandant from the Office of the Judge Advocate, the Counseling Center, and the Office of Special Investigations, develop and implement procedures for an Academy Response Team (comprising medical, legal, counseling, and command elements) to provide a victim of sexual assault immediate assistance, develop the facts, and initiate appropriate actions. The members of this team will receive special training on the management of sexual assault cases including victim psychology. The cadet alleging sexual assault will be thoroughly briefed on the investigative and legal process.
• Direct the Academy Counseling Center and maintain liaison as appropriate with community counseling entities.
• Determine the appropriate policies and procedures toward separating those alleged to have committed sexual assault offenses from the alleged victims.
• Every effort will be made to assist the alleged victims throughout the inquiry and assure victims that their concerns will be dealt with through the command channels. We will not tolerate criminals, nor will we tolerate their behavior. We will not tolerate individuals who harbor these criminals. We will not tolerate any individual who shuns alleged victims of criminal activity, nor will we tolerate retribution against these victims.
• Under guidance from the General Counsel of the Air Force, apply definitions of sexual assault at the Academy consistent with standard, Air Force-wide definitions. Ensure all Academy instructions, training materials, and guidance reflect Air Force-wide definitions.
  
  
• Academy leadership must communicate with the faculty and cadets in a forthright manner about the status of cases being prosecuted, while protecting the privacy rights of the individuals involved. This will ensure the cadet wing is aware of the seriousness of the leadership’s commitment to timely justice.

• Basic Cadet Training: Beginning in the summer of 2003, the Basic Training program will be augmented to enhance cadet preparation for the military environment they are entering and the interactions that will occur. Basic Cadet Training must emphasize fair treatment and mutual respect. The orientation will provide substantial material on sexual assault prevention and overall behavior expected of cadets. The program syllabus will include guidelines on workplace behavior – including consistent USAF definitions of sexual assault and harassment – as well as demeanor and consequences.

• Fourth Degree Training: During Basic Cadet Training, in order to instill a sense of responsibility and uphold the standards of good order and discipline of the United States Air Force Academy, only First Class or Second Class Cadets will interact with Fourth Class cadets. In the first half of the fall semester, only First Class cadets will discipline Fourth Class cadets. After Thanksgiving, selected Second Class cadets can be given training responsibility for Fourth Class cadets. Third Class cadets will only interact with Fourth Class cadets in academic mentoring/tutoring circumstances or on the spot training guidance. The exercise of discipline toward a Fourth Class cadet by Third Class cadets will by governed by a First Class cadet.

• Billeting/Dormitory Life: Separate billeting arrangements will be established for female and male cadets upon entering the Academy for Basic Cadet Training. During the academic year, Fourth Class cadets will be billeted with their assigned squadrons.

• Rooms will be arranged in the dormitories to provide for squadron integrity. Within a squadron, rooms occupied by female cadets will be clustered in the same vicinity near the women’s bathrooms. The intent is to preserve basic dignity, deter situations in which casual contact could lead to inappropriate fraternization or worse, and to aid mentoring of lower-degree female cadets by senior female cadets.

• No cadet will enter the room of another cadet of the opposite sex without knocking on the door and announcing themselves, and waiting for the door to be opened by the cadet occupying the room. Doors shall be fully open at all times when a non-roommate or several non-roommates are present in the room. The Commandant of Cadets will determine the appropriate level of punishment for any violation of this standard.

• The Commandant will establish a 24/7 dormitory security and monitoring system. An officer will be on duty at all times in the dormitories. This duty officer will be responsible for good order and discipline, and will manage a roving patrol in effect at night and on weekends. Fourth class cadets will not be assigned such duty.

• Any cadet found to provide, purchase for, or sell alcohol to an underage cadet will be disenrolled immediately.

• Reporting Incidents of Sexual Assault: All allegations of sexual assault will be reported to the officer chain of command immediately.

• The Counseling Center and the CASIE program will be realigned under the 34 Training Wing and report to the Vice Commandant. The Counseling Center will be staffed with qualified officer counselors.

• All efforts will be made to encourage victims of sexual assault to report any incident. Specific attention will be paid to the education of both male and female cadets regarding action they can take to prevent or to report instances of assault on them or their fellow cadets. Annual Training is required for all cadets, staff, and faculty. The Vice Commandant of Cadets is responsible for establishing, monitoring and documenting this annual training requirement.

• Because loyalty to values and loyalty to institution must be placed above misplaced loyalty to someone who’s betrayed our values and our institution, shunning of cadets who attempt to maintain high standards and report sexual assault will not be tolerated and will be dealt with by cadet squadron commanders who have responsibility for maintaining and enforcing standards. Cadet commanders will be held accountable for ensuring that such behavior does not occur.

• Cadet support groups will be organized by the Superintendent to address aggressively the concerns of victims of sexual assault.

• Cadet commanders will be held responsible for the actions of their subordinates. Upper class cadets who are aware of or observe criminal activity will be held accountable if they fail to take charge of the situation and exercise their leadership responsibilities.

• In all reported cases of sexual assault, amnesty from Academy discipline arising in connection with the alleged offense will be extended to all cadets involved with the exception of the alleged assailant, any cadet involved in covering up the incident, any cadet involved in hindering the reporting or investigation of the incident, and the senior ranking cadet in attendance. The senior ranking cadet present will be responsible and accountable for all infractions committed by junior cadets.

• Any false accusations of sexual assault will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

• All medical personnel will receive training in dealing with sexual assault and at least one nurse and doctor will be assigned to the Academy Response Team. Rape Kits will be available at both the Cadet Clinic and Academy Hospital.

• Mentors: The Commandant of Cadets will establish a cadet-mentoring program. Each Second Class female cadet will serve as a mentor to at least one Fourth Class female cadet not in her squadron or group, and each male Second Class cadet will mentor at least one Fourth Class male cadet not in his squadron or group. Evaluations of military performance for the Second Class cadets will in part be based on their mentoring performance.

• The “Bring Me Men…” sign on the Terrazzo wall will be removed immediately, and will be replaced by a statement that more suitably represents the aspirations of the entire cadet wing and the core values of the Air Force.

• An audit of Academy processes to deter, stop, or deal with sexual assault will be conducted every three years by the Headquarters Air Force.

• Air Officer Commanding (AOC) Selection/Training: AOC assignment processes will be enhanced to ensure that selectees are superior officers who achieve commanders’ list status. AOCs will be specially selected and academically prepared to assume the unique duties of leading, mentoring, and training cadets. All AOCs will be Majors or Major selects. AOCs will meet a central board established by AFPC. The Commandant of Cadets is responsible for the final selection of all AOCs. All AOCs will be required to live on base.

• AOCs will receive one year of graduate education resulting in a Masters Degree in counseling or similar area prior to a 2-year role as AOC. During the year of study, the officer will have formal OJT with a sitting AOC. AOCs will be considered priority status for post USAFA assignments.

• A specially selected experienced Non-commissioned officer will be assigned to each cadet squadron as a Military Training Leader (MTL). This NCO will report to the Squadron Air Officer Commanding (AOC) and will be senior to any cadet at the Academy. These senior enlisted airmen will be in the chain of command, and will assist the AOC in maintaining good order and discipline.

• Military Training Leaders (MTLs) will receive specific training in the combination of skills required in the cadet setting.

• AOCs and MTLs will be placed on orders in the chain of command to the Commandant of Cadets, and will be noted as such in the organizational charts of the Academy.

• The duties of the AOC and MTL will be clearly defined in written instructions based on parallel activities in the active duty Air Force.

• The primary place of duty of the AOCs and MTLs is in the cadet squadron or all other areas best facilitating their involvement in the daily life and routine of the cadets in that squadron.

• AOCs will be commanders and will be so designated on G-Series orders. They will have Uniformed Code of Military Justice authority and responsibility commensurate with their rank.

• As noted, the Director of Athletics will report to the Commandant. Those engaged in intercollegiate athletics will be required to engage in military and leadership training equivalent to their classmates. Off-season athletes will be required to participate in squadron activities.

• The Academy Board will be re-chartered as the Senior Executive Board. The board members will act as advisers to the Superintendent regarding the balance of time devoted to academic and officer development activities with responsibility for final decisions resting solely upon the Superintendent.

• Department Chairs will participate in an Academic Board that will report to the Dean.

• Communications among the military, academic and athletic departments will ensure that the status of cadet probations, current status of active or inactive participation on athletic teams, and academic progress are openly and promptly communicated across departments.

• Appropriate academic courses in leadership and character development will be made part of the core academic curriculum. A lecture series sponsored by the Secretary of the Air Force and supported by senior Air Force leadership will emphasize the moral and ethical standards expected of Air Force officers. The Department of Behavioral Science and Leadership will offer courses in military leadership.

• All candidates for Permanent Professor slots will be interviewed and selected by the Secretary and Chief of Staff. Unless extended by the Secretary of the Air Force, a Permanent Professor will be expected to retire in the rank held at 30 years of service. The senior officer in each department will be held accountable for all subordinate military officers and will ensure good order and discipline within his/her department.

• Department Chairs will rotate among the faculty within that department. No faculty member will hold a departmental chair for a period exceeding five years.

• Officer assignment policies and tour lengths at the Air Force Academy will be reviewed and revised by the Secretary of the Air Force. USAFA assistant and associate professors should be recruited from the top personnel out of the line force, teach for a designated period, and then return to the line.

• With the exception of those designated at the discretion of the Secretary and Chief of Staff, all graduates of the Academy will enter the Air Force as 2nd Lieutenants in operational line AFSCs at the wing level or below. Our objective is to ensure that all physically qualified Academy graduates become fully immersed into expeditionary wing level operations, maintenance, and staff or mission support squadrons of the Air Force. It is imperative that graduates first gain experience in the front line warfighting mission of the Air Force before branching off into non-combat related fields. Law school, medical school, liberal arts graduate schools or functional career fields such as acquisition or public affairs may be pursued only after these officers have proven themselves as operational Air Force professionals.

• Those cadets interested in cross commissioning to other military services will retain that option under existing regulations.

• Pilot training slots will be evenly divided between Academy and ROTC scholarship accessions. In addition, OTS accessions may compete for pilot training slots.

• In accordance with Title 10, U.S.C., all AFROTC cadets who are appointed as officers in the Air Force in May or June will have the same date of rank with Academy graduates, regardless of their graduation date. After twelve months, the lineal list will be published. The top officer for that year group will be the top graduate from the United States Air Force Academy. All other Second Lieutenants with this date of rank will be slated according to their cadet performance – either at the Academy or in the AFROTC program. Any cadets may have their lineal ranking as officers affected by disciplinary action during their time at the Academy or AFROTC.