COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
AIR FORCE JUNIOR ROTC COURSE DESCRIPTIONS/OBJECTIVES
Note: All AFJROTC classes are blends of material from an Aerospace Science (AS) component course, a Leadership Education (LE) course and the Wellness program. Core credit classes may emphasize the source course material 60% of contact time, with 40% devoted to the other component (AS or LE). Elective or non-core credit classes teach AS 40% of contact time, LE 40% and Wellness 20%. Waivers to any of the above must be obtained from AFOATS/CR (or AFOATS/JR for Wellness waivers).
AEROSPACE SCIENCE
For organizational purposes Aerospace Science is separated from the Leadership Education component in each AFJROTC class. In practice, however, the overlap is considerable. For example, writing and speaking skills are categorized as “Leadership Hours” but can and should be incorporated into the Aerospace Science courses. Additionally, many of the Aerospace Science topics will be helpful in the Leadership Education classes.
The overall objectives for academic courses are for the cadet to develop:
1. An appreciation of the basic elements and requirements for national security.
2. Respect for and an understanding of the need for constituted authority in a democratic
society.
3. Patriotism and an understanding of their personal obligation to contribute toward
national security.
4. Broad-base knowledge of the aerospace age and fundamental aerospace doctrine.
5. An interest in completing high school and pursuing higher educational goals or skills.
6. An understanding of the Air Force and military as a possible career path.
LEADERSHIP EDUCATION
Leadership Education (LE) is an integral part of each year’s instruction for AFJROTC cadets. Each year’s activities are broken into Academic and Leadership components. In practice, however, the overlap is considerable. The development of writing and speaking skills are categorized as “Leadership Hours,” yet when used to present subject matter related to what is being taught in the “academic” area, the results are twofold. Additionally, many after-school activities provide the proving ground for newly learned leadership skills. Activities such as drill teams, model rocketry clubs, and the formal cadet corps’ operation all require offices with considerable responsibilities. To describe the leadership portion of the curriculum as being 288 hours (72 hours per year) is technically true, in practice it is highly understated.
The course objectives for Leadership Education are:
1. Know the AFJROTC mission and organization, customs and courtesies, and the meaning and purpose of standards, discipline, and conduct.
2. Comprehend why the elements of effective communication skills are important to the dynamics of individual and group behavior, and a key to effective leadership.
3. Comprehend why obtaining a degree or skill after high school is important to having a civilian or military career.
4. Know the various management theories and the management process, and how values and ethics are formed for an individual and the society.
AS/LE 200
AS 220 Global and Cultural Studies
The preferred AS component for second-year students is a multidisciplinary course that introduces students to various regions of the world from a geographic, historical and cultural perspective. The course provides increased international awareness and insight into foreign affairs that permits a more educated understanding of other cultures and enhanced knowledge of America’s interests and role in the world. Geopolitical issues such as terrorism, economics, politics, military issues, religion, environmental concerns, human rights, disease, over population, literacy, the migration of peoples and other cultural issues will be examined. The regional areas included in this course are Europe, the Middle East, South Asia, East Asia, Africa, and Latin America. The lessons include excellent videos to provide a window into life and issues within the regions, followed by a variety of hands-on activities created to engage the student. Readings are also available to set the stage for each lesson, along with workbook exercises suitable for in-class or homework assignments.
The course objectives are:
Know how cultural, geographic and economic factors have shaped Europe.
Know how religion, resources, conflict, external intervention and other cultural factors have influenced the modern day Middle East.
Know how religion, institutions, ethnicity, history, population and outside influences have impacted South Asia.
Know the role cultural traditions, social issues, communism, war and U.S. interests played in shaping East Asia.
Know how diverse cultures, European colonialism and the slave trade, war, famine and other factors have affected Africa over the centuries.
Know how cultural diversity, environmental issues, volatile politics and U.S. interests impacted Latin America.
Student Materials: Aerospace Science: Global and Cultural Studies Student Workbook (Volumes 1 & 2)
AS-210: The Science of Flight
An option for the second year student is a science course designed to acquaint the student with the aerospace environment, the human requirements of flight, principles of aircraft flight, and principles of navigation. The course begins with a discussion of the atmosphere and weather. After developing an understanding of the environment, how that environment affects flight is introduced. Discussions include the forces of lift, drag, thrust, and weight. Students also learn basic navigation including map reading, course plotting, and the effects of wind. The portion on the Human Requirements of Flight is a survey course on human physiology. Discussed here are the human circulatory system, the effects of acceleration and deceleration, and protective equipment. This course is a prerequisite for AS-500 Aviation Honors Ground School.
The course objectives are:
1. Know the atmosphere environment.
2. Know the basic human requirements of flight.
3. Know why Bernoulli’s principle and Newton’s Laws of Motion are applied to the theory
of flight and the operating principles of reciprocating engines, jet engines, and rocket engines.
4. Know the basic elements of navigation, the four basic navigation instruments, and the current
methods of navigation.
(Digital) Textbook: Aerospace Science: The Science of Flight
AS/LE 300
AS-300: The Exploration of Space
The recommended third year course is a science course, Aerospace Science:The Exploration of Space. The Exploration of Space examines Earth, the Moon and the planets, the latest advances in space technology, and continuing challenges of space and manned spaceflight. Issues that are critical to travel in the upper atmosphere such as orbits and trajectories, unmanned satellites, space probes, guidance and control systems are explained. The manned spaceflight section covers major milestones in the endeavor to land on the Moon, and to safely orbit humans and crafts in space for temporary and prolonged periods. It also covers the development of space stations, the Space Shuttle and its future, and international laws for the use of and travel in space.
The course objectives for Aerospace Science: The Exploration of Spaceare:
1. Comprehend the “big picture” of space exploration to include history of spaceflight, organizations doing work in space, and the overall space environment.
2. Know and use key concepts for getting from the surface of the Earth into Earth orbit, to other planets and back again.
3. Know how spacecraft and launch vehicles, and their associated parts, are designed and built to support the needs of the United States.
4. Apply techniques used to manage the development and operation of space systems within government and industry.
Textbook: Aerospace Science: The Exploration of Space
AS-310: Explorations: An Introduction to Astronomy
Another AS option is Explorations: An Introduction to Astronomy, which explores the history or astronomy to include prehistoric astronomy, the early ideas of the heavens. The size and shape of the earth are discussed as well as the distance and size of the Sun and Moon. Other topics such as astronomy in the renaissance and Isaac Newton and the Birth of Astrophysics and the growth of astrophysics are discussed. We take focus on the Earth as a planet and the Earth’s interior; the age of the Earth and Earth’s magnetic atmosphere and magnetic field. The Moon is discussed in detail including its description, its structure, and its origin and history, as well as its eclipses and tides. An in-depth study of the Solar System, the terrestrial planets and the outer planets is covered as well.
The course objectives for Explorations: An Introduction to Astronomy are:
1. Know the history of astronomy.
2. Know specific characteristics about Earth.
3. Know about the Moon and Solar System.
4. Know particular characteristics about the planets.
Textbook: Explorations: An Introduction to Astronom
LE-300: Life Skills and Career Opportunities
This course will be helpful to students deciding which path to take after high school. Most units offer this LE component to upper class cadets, but units may teach it to lower grade level cadets. Information on how to apply for admission to college or to a vocational or technical school is included. Information on how to begin the job search is available to students who decide not to go to college or vocational school. Available also is information about financial planning and how to save, invest, and spend money wisely, as well as how not to get caught in the credit trap. Students are informed about real life issues such as understanding contracts, leases, wills, warranties, legal notices, and personal bills. Citizen responsibilities such as registering to vote, jury duty, and draft registration will be helpful to. For those students who may be moving into an apartment of their own, information is presented on apartment shopping and grocery shopping skills. There is information on how to prepare a résumé and the importance of good interviewing skills. If there are students who are interested in a career in the military, with the federal government, or an aerospace career, information is also provided for them.
The course objectives are:
1. Know specific career options to pursue.
2. Know the elements of a personal budget and financial plan.
3. Know the requirements for applying to a college or university.
4. Know the essential process for pursuing a career.
Textbook: Leadership Education III: Life Skills andCareer Opportunities
AS/LE 400
AS-400: Management of the Cadet Corps
Upper class cadets manage the entire corps under AFJROTC instructor supervision. This course is an AS option and practicum for those cadets to provide hands-on experience for the opportunity to put the theories of previous leadership courses into practice. All the planning, organizing, coordinating, directing, controlling, and decision-making will be done by the cadets, under the supervision of AFJROTC instructors. They practice their communication, decision-making, personal-interaction, managerial, and organizational skills.
The course objectives are:
1. Apply the theories and techniques learned in previous leadership courses.
2. Know how to develop leadership and management competency through
participation.
3. Apply strengthened organizational skills through active incorporation.
4. Know how to develop confidence in ability by exercising decision-making skills.
5. Apply Air Force standards, discipline, and conduct.
AS-410:Survival: Survive · Return
The Survival text is a synthesis of the basic survival information found in Air Force Regulation 64-4 Survival Training, and serves as another AS option. The survival instruction will provide training in skills, knowledge, and attitudes necessary to successfully perform fundamental tasks needed for survival. Survival also presents “good to know” information that would be useful in any situation. The information is just as useful to an individual lost hunting or stranded in a snowstorm.
The course objectives are:
1. Know the elements of surviving.
2. Know how medicine procedures, clothing, and shelter can provide personal
protection for a survivor in a survival situation.
3. Know the necessities for maintaining life in a survival situation.
4. Know how to travel and prepare for recovery in a survival situation.
AS-430: Policy and Organization
An AS option recommended for upper class cadet, Policy and Organization establishes the foundation for understanding the United States Air Force and delves into the purpose of the Department of Defense and the Air Force. The text describes the functions of the four branches of service. It discusses and describes the United States’ National Security Strategy and gives a brief history of the military. The Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton, and the current George W. Bush administrations are discussed. It discusses the defense structure of the United States to include descriptions of the objectives, mission, and organization of the Army, Navy, Marines, and the Coast Guard. Also covered are the organization, mission, and operations of the United States Air Force. Lastly, the text focuses on current operational and personnel Air Force issues.
The course objectives are:
1. Know the importance of the United States National Security Strategy.
2. Know the major historical milestones, military policies, structures, missions, aircraft,
organization, and capabilities of each branch of the military.
3. Know the Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton, and the current George W. Bush
administrations.
4. Know current Air Force Issues.
AS-440: Laboratory Manual
The laboratory manual provides another AS option, preferably for cadets who have completed at least one of two courses: Aerospace Science:The Science of Flight and Aerospace Science:The Exploration ofSpace. This course contains experiments that supplement the information in those two courses. It is designed to help the students apply scientific concepts and principles discussed in the texts.
1. The experiments in Section I correspond to Aerospace Science:The Science ofFlight.
The activities will show why G-suits are necessary, explain Newton’s laws on force,
demonstrate how the weather is forecasted, and reinforce navigational concepts.
2. The experiments in Section II correspond to Aerospace Science:The Exploration of
Space. The experiments will emphasize such concepts as thrust, boosters, how gravity
can be manipulated to launch spacecraft, weightlessness, and biological considerations
of individuals selected for astronaut training.