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Theses and Dissertations

Air Force Institute of Technology

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Full-Text Articles in Education

A Reference Architecture For Augmented Reality Maintenance Support, Daniel A. Cuellar Mar 2022

A Reference Architecture For Augmented Reality Maintenance Support, Daniel A. Cuellar

Theses and Dissertations

The current method of preparing Airman to perform tasks in their designated Air Force Specialty is to provide coursework-based initial skills training and on-the job training (OJT) for that specialty. Full qualification for a single Air Force Specialty is estimated to average seven years with OJT consisting of seventy-five percent of that timeline. OJT primarily consists of mastering the use of the Technical Order (TO), a governing document that provides step-by-step task instruction that must be followed explicitly. Though TOs have transitioned to an electronic format, employment of the information has remained the same. A proven aid in instruction and …

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Examining The Effects Of Learning Theory Implemented Within An Online And Self-Paced Learning Path, Trenton M. Woods Mar 2022

Examining The Effects Of Learning Theory Implemented Within An Online And Self-Paced Learning Path, Trenton M. Woods

Theses and Dissertations

The United States military must continue to innovate and improve the way we fight and defend against our near-peer adversaries. Emerging technologies such as machine learning, artificial intelligence, and reverse engineering are paving the way for an increasingly complex security environment. A core tenant of winning in this new era of warfare is how we educate and train our military force. Many of the online trainings made available to service members today fall short in the implementation of existing learning theories.

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Developing And Assessing A Workshop That Utilizes A Serious Game To Introduce Joint All-Domain Operations, Christopher M. Voltz Jun 2021

Developing And Assessing A Workshop That Utilizes A Serious Game To Introduce Joint All-Domain Operations, Christopher M. Voltz

Theses and Dissertations

The DoD has begun developing Joint All-Domain Operations (JADO) to prepare for the future of warfare. As complexity and technological capability increases, the U.S. military needs to adapt to provide a more lethal and capable force, able to compete and win against near-peer adversaries. This research describes the development of an Introduction to JADO Workshop designed to provide a structured primer into JADO concepts. The research also presents an extension of BSN in the form of BSN scenarios. These scenarios alter the rules to lessen the learning curve for the game and to engage with JADO concepts. This research proposed …

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Civil Engineer Company Grade Officer Competency-Based Education Modeling, Scott R. Guerin Mar 2020

Civil Engineer Company Grade Officer Competency-Based Education Modeling, Scott R. Guerin

Theses and Dissertations

The importance of continuing education for professionals cannot be understated. This importance is doubly true for Air Force Civil Engineer Company Grade Officers who are members of not only the profession of engineering, but also the profession of arms. Air Force senior leaders understand this importance and required an update to the existing developmental education model, with a paradigm shift toward competency-based education and credentialing. Unfortunately, the Air Force Civil Engineer career field does not currently possess the required information to create a model in compliance with the senior leader directives. This research aims at establishing the required characteristics of …

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Introducing The Game Design Matrix: A Step-By-Step Process For Creating Serious Games, Aaron J. Pendleton Mar 2020

Introducing The Game Design Matrix: A Step-By-Step Process For Creating Serious Games, Aaron J. Pendleton

Theses and Dissertations

The Game Design Matrix makes effective game design accessible to novice game designers. Serious Games are a powerful tool for educators seeking to boost the level of student engagement and application in academic environments, but the can be difficult to incorporate into existing courses due to availability and the cost of quality game design. The Game Design Matrix was used by two educators, novice game designers, to create a serious game. The games were assessed in an academic setting and observed to be effective in engagement, interaction, and achieving higher levels of learning.

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Assessing And Expanding Extracurricular Cybersecurity Youth Activities' Impact On Career Interest, Michael H. Dunn Mar 2018

Assessing And Expanding Extracurricular Cybersecurity Youth Activities' Impact On Career Interest, Michael H. Dunn

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis assesses and expands the potential of extracurricular activities to address the shortage of cybersecurity workers by increasing secondary school students’ interest in these careers. Competitions and badges, two forms of gamification often applied in extracurricular educational activities, have potential to improve motivation and increase interest in related careers, but are significantly understudied in the context of cybersecurity activities. CyberPatriot is the largest cybersecurity competition in the United States for secondary school students. Impact on participants’ career interests is assessed by analyzing responses to recent surveys conducted by the competition organizers. Analysis demonstrates significantly increased interest in cybersecurity in …

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A Comparative Accreditation Alignment Analysis Of Civil Engineering And Construction Management Bachelor Degrees With The Skill Requirements For Usaf Civil Engineer Officers, Joshua C. Chambers-Mills Mar 2018

A Comparative Accreditation Alignment Analysis Of Civil Engineering And Construction Management Bachelor Degrees With The Skill Requirements For Usaf Civil Engineer Officers, Joshua C. Chambers-Mills

Theses and Dissertations

The United States Air Force Civil Engineer (CE) officer career field involves a host of duties and opportunities for technical competence and leadership excellence as the Air Force mission grows and personnel numbers shrink. Most CE officers spend their careers as a technical manager, performing a mixture of duties that require a wide variety of skills. Because of this, the use of engineering design skills have decreased and the use of project and construction management have increased. While the career field accepts a variety of architecture and engineering degrees for new accessions, technical management degrees like Construction Management have been …

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Avatars, Media Usage, And The Linkages To E-Learning Effectiveness, Jason P. Royals Mar 2011

Avatars, Media Usage, And The Linkages To E-Learning Effectiveness, Jason P. Royals

Theses and Dissertations

A fast-growing trend in e-learning environments is the investment in avatar technology to deliver an engaging and interesting learning experience. E-learning itself has limited and inconsistent research into its learning effectiveness, and this is especially true for innovative avatar instructional methods. The purpose of this research was to develop a generalizable theory that can be used to assess the learning effectiveness of various media types used in e-learning environments. A research model was developed and used to study a U.S. Air Force Squadron Officer School Distance Learning program that used avatar, video, audio, and text-based scenarios to reinforce learning objectives. …

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Evaluating The Influence Of Past Gaming Experience On Learner Preferences And Motivation To Learn In A Military Training Environment, Steven D. Yelverton Mar 2009

Evaluating The Influence Of Past Gaming Experience On Learner Preferences And Motivation To Learn In A Military Training Environment, Steven D. Yelverton

Theses and Dissertations

Millennial generation recruits are entering the Air Force and with them come their new attitudes and expectations. As a result, the leadership of the Air Education and Training Command (AETC) expressed a need for information on how to effectively train this new generation of recruits in their 2008 whitepaper. The purpose of this thesis was to begin to address this requirement by investigating the influence video gaming has on the learning preferences of trainees undergoing initial skills training at the 82nd Training Wing, Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas. A survey was administered and data was collected from 866 trainees. The …

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Evaluating Experiential Leader Development: A Programmatic Of The Effectiveness Of Us Air Force Squadron Officer School Curricula, Jeffrey G. Holland Mar 2008

Evaluating Experiential Leader Development: A Programmatic Of The Effectiveness Of Us Air Force Squadron Officer School Curricula, Jeffrey G. Holland

Theses and Dissertations

Leader development programs often employ experiential learning exercises. The impact of such exercises is not clear. This research investigated experiential leader development using a quasi-experimental design to analyze the differences in two consecutive US Air Force Squadron Officer School (SOS) in-residence classes. The curriculum was altered between classes by the addition of the Combat Leadership Exercise (CLX), an experiential war-gaming activity. Experiential programs regularly use mean differences between pretest and posttest measurements to represent program impact. However, research shows that participants may change the way they evaluate themselves between test administrations due to their experiences in the programs, a phenomenon …

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Developing Advanced Academic Degree Educational Profiles For Career Fields, Katherine J. Gentil Mar 2007

Developing Advanced Academic Degree Educational Profiles For Career Fields, Katherine J. Gentil

Theses and Dissertations

This research develops a career field's educational profile through use of the decision analysis approach of value-focused thinking (VFT). VFT is used to solicit the capabilities that the career field manager (CFM) desires its officers obtain from an advanced academic program. This process generates a value hierarchy and a focused set of alternatives (degree programs). The academic programs' content are evaluated against the hierarchy to determine how well it meets the values of the functional area. A rankordered list of degrees is produced and a portfolio of degrees is selected through the use of CFM-approved goal-setting criteria. The specific breakdown …

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The Effect Of Major Organizational Policy On Employee Attitudes Toward Graduate Degrees, Frank R. Hughes Mar 2006

The Effect Of Major Organizational Policy On Employee Attitudes Toward Graduate Degrees, Frank R. Hughes

Theses and Dissertations

Leaders initiate policies not only to improve the success of their organizations, but to influence employee performance, whereby employee attitudes toward a policy objective can influence their resulting behaviors. One group of employees, Air Force officers, experienced a policy change in 2005 that discontinued the use of academic degrees as criteria for officer promotions. With this change, there is a concern that the number of Air Force officers with graduate degrees might decrease. In particular, senior leaders in the Civil Engineer (CE) officer career field are concerned that this policy change might reduce the number of officers available to fill …

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Moderating Effects Of Perceived Organizational Support On The Relationship Between Job Satisfaction And Turnover Intentions For Recently Retrained Usaf Enlisted Members, Jennifer A. Phelps Mar 2006

Moderating Effects Of Perceived Organizational Support On The Relationship Between Job Satisfaction And Turnover Intentions For Recently Retrained Usaf Enlisted Members, Jennifer A. Phelps

Theses and Dissertations

The U.S. Air Force uses a variety of human resource practices to manage nearly 350,000 personnel worldwide. Programs already in place, such as enlistment bonuses, base of preference selection, and voluntary retraining, are some of the methods currently utilized to retain Air Force personnel. One program, the Noncommissioned Officer Retraining Program (NCORP), allows for the movement of mid- to senior-level enlisted members to critically manned career fields. In recent years, this program has not met its quota of volunteers and has relied on involuntary retrainees to fill training slots. This study assessed the attitudinal variables of job satisfaction, perceived organizational …

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Factors Influencing Effectiveness Of The Acquisition Career Field Initial Education Course, Christopher J. Ward Mar 2006

Factors Influencing Effectiveness Of The Acquisition Career Field Initial Education Course, Christopher J. Ward

Theses and Dissertations

This study analyzed the effect of the acquisition career field's initial education course on the individual level variables of commitment, motivation, self-efficacy, and knowledge, and developed a measure for future use of organizational factors that may impact that effectiveness. Effectiveness was assessed using a recurrent institutional cycle design, using two classes of students in the Air Force Fundamentals of Acquisition Management course. A total of 89 students responded to the surveys. Even with a small amount of data, the results showed that fulfilling the course expectations of the students increased the affective commitment to their career field. More data is …

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Study On The Air Force's Ability To Field Senior Logistics Readiness Officers Experienced In Fuels Management, Keith A. Lewis Mar 2005

Study On The Air Force's Ability To Field Senior Logistics Readiness Officers Experienced In Fuels Management, Keith A. Lewis

Theses and Dissertations

A major initiative resulting from the 1999 Chief of Staff of the Air Force Logistics Review (CLR) was the development of the logistics readiness officer (LRO) career field, which combined three previous logistics fields; supply, transportation, and logistics plans. As a result, the training for a LRO promotes logistics function familiarity rather than expertise. This is of particular concern in the critical area of fuels management. Fuel is an absolute necessity in all military operations and its proper management is vital to mission success. The objective of this research is to determine the impact due to the LRO career field …

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Assessing Influences On Perceived Training Transfer: An Investigation Of Perceptions Of Air Force Logistics Readiness Officer Technical School Graduates, Sarah E. Hobbs Mar 2005

Assessing Influences On Perceived Training Transfer: An Investigation Of Perceptions Of Air Force Logistics Readiness Officer Technical School Graduates, Sarah E. Hobbs

Theses and Dissertations

Training transfer, which is the ability to utilize training back on the job, is an important issue for all organizations. Training transfer is also a concern within the Air Force, and specifically within the Logistics Readiness (LR) domain as the new LR career field and Logistics Readiness Officer (LRO) technical school mature. This research specifically investigates how influences/attitudes/beliefs of LRO technical school graduates regarding their training influence their perceptions about the transfer of such training back to the job. This study employs a survey-based methodology and the use of Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) for data analysis. The results of the …

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The Analysis Of Air Force Institute Of Technology Theses Related To Contracting, Thomas M. Clohessy Mar 2005

The Analysis Of Air Force Institute Of Technology Theses Related To Contracting, Thomas M. Clohessy

Theses and Dissertations

At the end of March 2005, the final students will graduate from the Air Force Institute of Technology's (AFIT) contracting graduate degree curricula -- consisting at various times of both contract management and strategic purchasing course sequences -- which have been relocated to the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS). With the end of the contracting graduate programs at AFIT, it is appropriate to ask what contributions AFIT theses have made to the contracting community. Scholars (e.g., Das and Hanfield, 1997) have argued that thesis and dissertation research is one useful method of determining contributions to the field. The author conducted a …

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The Predictive Validity Of The Afit Graduate Management Program Admission Requirements: A Reassessment And Extension, Sarah E. Woods Mar 2004

The Predictive Validity Of The Afit Graduate Management Program Admission Requirements: A Reassessment And Extension, Sarah E. Woods

Theses and Dissertations

This research is based on the Air Force and AFIT balancing mission requirements of personnel needed for duty and training airmen in advanced studies. Currently, over 50% of AFIT students do not meet AFIT entrance requirements. The purpose of this research was to examine criteria to determine its predictability of graduate success, as measured by graduate GPA, as well as determine whether performance is different for students who require criteria to be waived. Current AFIT eligibility criteria include undergraduate GPA, GRE test scores, or GMAT test scores. Other variables examined in this study include: GRE-Analytical test scores; rank/grade; prior enlistment; …

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A Study Of Course Design Factors That Influence E-Learning Course Completion Rates, Edward A. Mathews Mar 2004

A Study Of Course Design Factors That Influence E-Learning Course Completion Rates, Edward A. Mathews

Theses and Dissertations

E-learning has been defined as "the use of network technologies to create, foster, deliver, and facilitate learning, anytime and anywhere" (Linezine, 2000). E-learning is one of the fastest growing services on the Internet today with revenues between 6 billion and 7 billion dollars (Bizreport, 2003). This growth comes with a peculiar problem - many students never complete their e-learning courses. Although there is significant variation among institutions - with some reporting course-completion rates of more than 80 percent and others finding that fewer than 50 percent of distance-education students finish their course...course-completion rates are often 10 to 20 percentage points …

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An Analysis Of The Air Force Basic Communications Officer Training Course: The Impact Of Trainee And Organization Characteristics On Training Effectiveness, Grace M. Beck Mar 2004

An Analysis Of The Air Force Basic Communications Officer Training Course: The Impact Of Trainee And Organization Characteristics On Training Effectiveness, Grace M. Beck

Theses and Dissertations

In 1998, the Aerospace Communications and Information Expertise (ACE) program was implemented to provide a common operational foundation for new Air Force Communications and Information officers. Training's crucial role in providing Air Force effectiveness and efficiency in the officer corps is demonstrated by the formal training courses new officers are required to attend for instruction in their jobs. The importance of training, and subsequent training evaluation, is evident for two significant reasons: the skills required by Air Force Communications and Information officers and the amount of investment in training. Investment in training includes money, time, equipment, and any other significant …

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An Analysis Of Information Referenced Testing As An Air Force Assessment Tool, Eric D. Larson Mar 2003

An Analysis Of Information Referenced Testing As An Air Force Assessment Tool, Eric D. Larson

Theses and Dissertations

The Department of Defense (DOD) has placed a great deal of importance on training and education, throughout all areas of infrastructure development and force implementation. A more knowledgeable operating unit, in any situation, is consistently the deciding factor for success. The United States Air Force, too, has emphasized this ideal and sought to employ those persons most qualified for the required task. Yet, problems within the classroom and various training venues are always present and should be continually marked for improvement. Existing assessment techniques should provide an accurate account of the quality of information learned by DOD personnel. This is …

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The Effect Of Interactivity And Instructional Exposure On Learning Effectiveness And Knowledge Retention: A Comparative Study Of Two U.S. Air Force Computer-Based Training (Cbt) Courses For Network User Licensing, Matthew J. Imperial Mar 2003

The Effect Of Interactivity And Instructional Exposure On Learning Effectiveness And Knowledge Retention: A Comparative Study Of Two U.S. Air Force Computer-Based Training (Cbt) Courses For Network User Licensing, Matthew J. Imperial

Theses and Dissertations

The United States Air Force (USAF) currently employs the use of computer-based training (CET) across a host of requirements. One such requirement is in the Information Assurance (IA) arena and involves the training/licensing of over one-million computer network end-users. USAF use of CETs has been shown to possess a potential for substantial fiscal savings. However, studies investigating the learning outcomes of learning effectiveness (initial learning) and knowledge retention (sustained learning) associated with USAF CETs are lacking.

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Admissions Criteria And Academic Performance In The Afit Graduate Cost Analysis Program, Kenneth R. Garwood Mar 2002

Admissions Criteria And Academic Performance In The Afit Graduate Cost Analysis Program, Kenneth R. Garwood

Theses and Dissertations

This research examined the admissions criteria used by the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) to determine academic eligibility for the in-residence Graduate Cost Analysis (GCA) master's degree program. Using the cumulative graduate grade point average earned at AFIT as the measure of academic performance, comparisons were made between the predictive capability of the current criteria and other potential factors. Factors considered included scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT), undergraduate cumulative and math grade point averages, applicant's age and gender, ratings of the undergraduate school's admissions competitiveness, undergraduate degree type, and various …

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The Predictive Validity Of The Afit Graduate Engineering And Environmental (Geem) Admission Requirements, Charles C. Zitzmann Mar 2002

The Predictive Validity Of The Afit Graduate Engineering And Environmental (Geem) Admission Requirements, Charles C. Zitzmann

Theses and Dissertations

Recognizing that a strong commitment to advanced technical and management education (Van Scotter, 1993, p. 1) serves to maintain the capability and strength of the United States Air Force (USAF), the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) Graduate School of Engineering and Management (GSEM) offers a full-time, eighteen-month, Graduate Engineering and Environmental Management (GEEM) program to military officers and Department of Defense (DoD) civilian employees. The AFIT uses the applicant's undergraduate grade-point average (UGPA), Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test verbal and quantitative scores, and undergraduate mathematics course grade-point average (UMGPA) to select applicants for admission. This study analyzed how …

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Going The Distance With Distance Learning: An Analysis Of Motivational Factors That Influence E-Learning Course Completion Rates, Kevin A. Reynolds Mar 2002

Going The Distance With Distance Learning: An Analysis Of Motivational Factors That Influence E-Learning Course Completion Rates, Kevin A. Reynolds

Theses and Dissertations

This research asked the following question: is there a correlation between types of organizational culture and factors influencing knowledge transfer? It hypothesized that organizations scoring high on the cultural factors of openness to change/innovation, and task-oriented organizational growth would be fertile to knowledge transfer. Second, it hypothesized that organizations scoring high on the factors of bureaucratic and competition/confrontation would be infertile to knowledge transfer. The research looked at Air Force squadrons, surveying a representative sample of the 1,495 active-duty squadrons included in the study with a 62-item, 5-point Likert-type instrument. Overall, 51 squadrons were surveyed, and 22 produced usable results. …

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A Delphi Expert Assessment Of Professional Certification Programs For Contracting Personnel, Ronald L. Tougaw Jr. Mar 2001

A Delphi Expert Assessment Of Professional Certification Programs For Contracting Personnel, Ronald L. Tougaw Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the strategic goals that were the basis for the DoDs implementation of mandatory certification for individuals serving in the contracting career field of the acquisition workforce. The study then went on to enlist panels of contracting experts to assess the extent to which two of the available certification programs meet, or fail to meet, those goals. The research method employed to gather input from experts was a Delphi discussion technique. Two separate panels, one consisting of Air Force civilian employees, the other of Air Force active duty officers, participated in eight Delphi iterations facilitated by the researcher. …

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An Analysis Of Information Technology Training Effectiveness: The Impact On Trainee Reactions, Learning, And Performance, Joseph H. Scherrer Sep 1998

An Analysis Of Information Technology Training Effectiveness: The Impact On Trainee Reactions, Learning, And Performance, Joseph H. Scherrer

Theses and Dissertations

Through its "Global Reach", the Air Force operates globally and in environments that are potentially dynamic, competitive, and lethal. "Information Dominance" has assumed a central role in such environments. In order to achieve Information Dominance, the Air Force must have trained and skilled personnel able to perform highly intensive activities using information technologies. Therefore, it is crucial that information technology training be able to deliver the requisite skills personnel need to attain and sustain performance on these systems. The importance of training gives rise to the need to determine how information technology training can be continually improved to maximize return …

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Student Assessment Selection Behavior Analysis Of Institutions Conducting Distance Education, Clayton W. Sammons Sep 1998

Student Assessment Selection Behavior Analysis Of Institutions Conducting Distance Education, Clayton W. Sammons

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis discovers issues universities use when deciding what types of exams will be used for distance education students. Many universities conduct distance education courses electronically but do not conduct the evaluation instruments electronically. Universities across the country, diversified by academic rankings, tuition, and student population were interviewed. Results generally revealed security concerns as the most prevalent reason for universities avoiding electronic exams. However, some universities have created evaluation methods to mitigate the security risks and perform electronic assessments such as projects or exams that are tailored to reduce the possibility of cheating. Examples of the tailored exam questions include …

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A Value Focused Thinking Approach To Academic Course Scheduling, Shane A. Knighton Mar 1998

A Value Focused Thinking Approach To Academic Course Scheduling, Shane A. Knighton

Theses and Dissertations

In 1997, the School of Engineering of the United States Air Force Institute of Technology began exploring ways of automating the academic course scheduling process. The administration desired an expedient approach for course scheduling which supports the institute's mission of "providing scientific and technological education" to officers from all branches of military service, as well as international military forces. The scheduling approach needed to be flexible, efficient, and represent the institute's values and principles. Decision Analysis (DA) and specifically, Value Focused Thinking (VFT), is used to decompose the complex problem of academic course scheduling and determine the factors that are …

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A Study Of The Educational, Experience, And Managerial Performance Requirements For Preparing Logistics Commanders, Thomas C. O'Malley Sep 1996

A Study Of The Educational, Experience, And Managerial Performance Requirements For Preparing Logistics Commanders, Thomas C. O'Malley

Theses and Dissertations

For some time, senior logistics leaders have been concerned that logisticians with experience in only one logistics function are unable to create and maintain an integrated, seamless logistics system. The Air Force has recently decided to consolidate logistics career fields at the Field Grade level to ensure future Logistics Group Commanders and other senior logisticians have the broad-base of skills, experience, and knowledge that is needed to effectively manage logistics activities. One important outcome of this consolidation is the adoption of a career progression model in which logistics officers will have experience in at least two logistics functions. Preparing officers …

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