Your education and training are simultaneously the most basic and valuable assets you can possess.  This truth has been long recognized by senior military and civilian leaders since the first military battle was waged.  Airmen with the technical knowledge and skills to employ their systems are a formidable force; Airmen who are also armed with the intellectual powers of critical thinking and a spirit of innovation will find even better ways to defend the nation through air, space, and cyberspace power. 

With this in mind, the faculty and staff of Air University, the Spaatz Center for Officer PME, and the Squadron Officer College (SOC) has created a distance learning curriculum for Squadron Officer School.  Squadron Officer School distance learning (SOS DL) program covers the same developmental requirements as the SOS Resident experience and uses similar content for many of the lessons.  The course is modular and self-contained in the Blackboard Learning Management System, accessible anywhere with an internet connection. 

The SOS DL program includes a fourth course of instruction facilitated by SOC faculty to allow students in the DL environment an opportunity to develop relationships with their peers, albeit briefly, similar to the resident program.  The SOS DL program is a major step toward a focused education delivering the right content to the right audience at the right time.  The faculty of SOC look forward to meeting you online!

Please reference the http://www.AUEducationSupport.com FAQs page for general questions not addressed on this website.  SOC’s distance learning staff and faculty are available to assist you if you have a specific concern and you click on “Request Support” and then “Submit a Ticket” through http://www.AUEducationSupport.com to reach the SOS DL Student Services. 

As with the SOS resident course, the DL program is based on educational requirements levied by the joint staff, the HQ USAF staff, the Air Force Learning Council, Air University, and the Spaatz Center for Officer Development. 

Distance Learning Announcement
Air University has officially launched its new "eSchool of Graduate PME," which brings distance learning education programs from Squadron Officer College (SOC), Air Command and Staff College (ASCS), and Air War College (AWC) together under one entity. As part of this initiative, SOS Distance Learning Course 22 is being phased out over the next year in favor of an improved PME experience for the CGO-level. The new eSchool of Graduate PME is providing exciting new educational experiences by offering more learning options and a richer experience to enhance students' leadership and professional growth. Registration for the current SOS program will remain open until the eSchool of Graduate PME formally launches their program early next year. Current SOS students will have the opportunity to complete their current studies before Course 22 closes. More information will be provided in the coming weeks, so please hold all non-emergency questions until that time. For urgent questions, however, please contact Student Services through the "Help Ticket" option through the SOS website.

Program Description

The distance learning program is composed of four individual courses. The course is modular and self-contained in the Blackboard Learning Management System, accessible anywhere with an internet connection.  Although you must take the courses in order, you need to register only once for the entire program. 

Faculty

The SOS DL Program is developed, maintained, and supervised by doctoral-qualified faculty members in association with USAF officer curriculum developers and professional instructional designers.  You will take the 00022A, 00022B, and 00022C courses via self-study, but instructors for Course 00022D are experienced flight commanders who also teach in the SOS resident program.

00022A  Communication and International Security Studies (68 Contact Hours)

This course combines communication studies and international security studies in a process-purpose pairing.  The process-purpose construct as presented in this course is applicable to the individual, team, organizational, and national levels of interaction.  For this course, we consider the purposes that deal with the security of the nation in the international security environment,  for which good communications skills are critical.   

00022B Leadership (36 Contact Hours)

This course develops the foundational pillars for successful Air Force leadership.  Introspection, followership, full-range leadership styles, and associated behaviors are presented as tools to hone professionalism, humility, self-control, and personal discipline that lead to successful mission accomplishment.  Further, problem-solving, decision-making, and process skills improvement are recommended additional tools that contribute to reliable data analyses, informed decision-making success, and anticipation of second and third-order effects.  The study of social leadership acumen is provided in order to develop advanced skills in accountability, diversity, team building, coaching/mentoring, and leadership/counseling.  Lessons at the strategic level provide a macro view for developing leaders.  Finally, resource management, strategic tools, strategic thinking, and leading change in organizations are addressed as key areas for organizational success and ultimately, mission accomplishment. 

00022C Warfare and Profession of Arms (66 Contact Hours)

The Warfare and Profession of Arms course deals with how company grade officers conduct themselves and lead others as warriors and Airmen in the conduct of air operations.  Students learn how their unique profession stresses the importance of keeping themselves and their people physically, mentally, and spiritually well in order to accomplish the mission.  Additionally, course materials explain how Air Force core values and Airmanship form the basis of ethical conduct, which is manifest in part through the military justice system.  Students also learn the tools of their trade, to include how Air Force doctrine guides the application of airpower through the service’s roles, functions, and mission.  Because the Air Force is just one part of the joint fight, students learn how sister services operate by themselves and with the Air Force, as well as how joint planning concepts synergistically employ all services in accomplishing mission objectives.

00022D  Integration and Application  (23 Contact Hours) 

In this course, students work independently and in groups on a variety of projects designed to demonstrate their content mastery of the preceding three courses.  These projects include developing personal biographies and development plans as well as analyzing journal articles.  Students provide feedback to their peers prior to the submission of projects to instructors at Air University for review and scoring.  Online forums with discussion questions are available for student response and comment.  For this course, students must select their four-week, instructor-led, DL section.

Eligibility  

1. Active Duty line officers are prohibited from enrolling in the SOS DL course until 7 years TAFCS.

2. Active Duty LAF-J, HC and NC officers are prohibited from enrolling in SOS DL until 3 years' time-in-grade as a captain.

3. Active Duty MSC and BSC officers are prohibited from enrolling in SOS DL until 2 years' time-in-grade as a captain.

4. Active Duty MC and DC officers may enroll in SOS DL on or after their date of rank to captain.

5. Guard and Reserve officers may enroll in SOS DL upon their selection to captain.

6. Federal civilian employees in the grades of GS-9, DCIPS PB2, and NAF 3/4 and above who possess regionally-accredited baccalaureate degrees and who have completed their probationary periods (that is, have finished one year as federal employees) may enroll, according to AFI 36-2301, Table 6.

7. International officers may refer to AFI 36-2301, Paragraph 11.3, for enrollment criteria and procedures.

Registration for Civilians and International officers click here

Registration for Air Force Officers click here

For more information, read AFI 36-2301 Guidance Memorandum 2 at http://www.e-publishing.af.mil/

Duration

You must complete the SOS DL Program within 18 months of your enrollment date.  There is no requirement to complete a certain test within a specified time frame as long as all tests and the work for Course 00022D are successfully completed within the 18 months.  Procrastination is the major reason some students do not complete the program in the allowed time.  You are responsible for understanding the course requirements and policies and tracking your own progress and expiration date.  It is not the responsibility of the education office, TCFs, or Squadron Officer College to track student time limits. Extensions are considered only a case-by-case basis, and only with a written Wing Commander request to the Squadron Officer College Commander (SOC/CC) explaining the reason for the extension. 

After you pass the exam for Course 00022C, you must select a four-week period for Course 00022D from those available (i.e. not filled with other students) on the SIS website.  Therefore, you should plan to finish Course 00022C with plenty of time in the 18 month period in order to complete Course 00022D, which is a scheduled, instructor-led, four-week course.

Examinations

Upon enrollment, you must complete self-study course work and pass tests covering the first three courses in sequence (00022A, 00022B, and 00022C).  You are allowed two attempts to pass each course exam with a minimum test score of 70 percent.  Failing a retake test results in disenrollment.  Upon re-enrollment, no credit is granted for tests passed during previous enrollment periods.  All tests must be taken while you are enrolled in the program.  No credit is given for tests passed after enrollment expiration.  Therefore, TCFs will verify that you are enrolled before administering your tests.  Tests are administered in the Blackboard Learning Management System and therefore you must use your Bb logins and passwords to access your exams. 

You will receive your exam scores immediately after taking your tests; however, areas of study are not considered officially complete until AU A4/6O receives your electronic test results and posts passing scores to your records.  You cannot take subsequent tests until previous tests are posted.

The tests are multiple-choice and closed-book.  Study materials are not permitted in the testing rooms.  Tests are not cumulative and all test questions are derived from the learning objectives in the study materials. 

Disenrollment/Reenrollment

You will be disenrolled if you do not complete the program within the 18 month time limit, fail a retest, or request disenrollment by submitting a helpdesk ticket to the AU Registrar’s Office at http://www.AUEducationSupport.com.  Although disenrollment does not result in a SOC-initiated restricted period before reenrollment, you should check for local restrictions. 

To reenroll, you must submit a request stating that you would like to reenroll due to retake test failure to http://www.AUEducationSupport.com > Request Support > Submit a Ticket > Squadron Officer College and include your full name and last four numbers of your SSN.  If you reenroll, you must start from the beginning of the SOS Program with no credit granted for prior work accomplished.