SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. (USTCNS) --- Many Air Mobility Command support officers may not realize they're eligible for a career broadening and development opportunity through AMC's Advanced Study of Air Mobility Program.
ASAM is a one-year program beginning each June at the Air Mobility Warfare Center at Fort Dix, N.J. At the completion of this academic course, students earn a Masters of Air Mobility degree from the Air Force Institute of Technology.
There's a misperception that this course is only for pilots and navigators, but it's for anyone with mobility experience who's looking for an in-depth study of air mobility, said Col. Richard Fitzhugh, AMC's director of personnel.
"ASAM is targeted to senior captains and junior majors, normally in the 9-13 year mark. The fact that ASAM grads have in-depth knowledge on air mobility makes them valuable to joint and unified commanders and senior leaders at HQ Air Force," Fitzhugh said.
The ASAM course is a study of all aspects of air, ground and surface mobility and is sponsored by the AMWC in partnership with the Air Force Institute of Technology. Course curricula include the Air Mobility Operations Course, Combat Aircrew Tactics Training Course, Computer Aided Mission Planning Systems Course, as well as visits to the Space Warfare Center, the Information Warfare Center and the Weapons and Tactics Center. The program also involves TDYs to overseas locations for allied air mobility orientations to receive in-depth understanding of various mobility and leadership concepts.
"ASAM is a 'win-win' for the graduates and our customers," said Gen. Charles T. "Tony" Robertson Jr., commander in chief, U.S. Transportation Command and AMC commander. "ASAM delivers a world class mobility expert to the entire joint community, while serving as a tremendous broadening experience for our officers. It's an opportunity to mold and shape tomorrow's Air Force leaders and strengthen our nation's war fighting capability."
The program prepares future leaders for mobility operations and to serve as mobility advisors to warfighting commanders and key senior leaders. It's open to Air Force rated and support officers with additional slots dedicated to the U.S. Space Command, Guard, Reserves, Army, Navy and Great Britain's Royal Air Force.
Upon completing the program, graduates are placed in selective positions commensurate with the program's goal. Previous ASAM graduates have also been placed in the United Nations, at HQ NATO, in the Air Expeditionary Force Battlelab, the AF Doctrine Center and continued on with the Intermediate Service School.
"The ASAM experience is one that is unequalled anywhere in AMC. It has provided me a picture of mobility and power projection in the USAF and other services that has been indispensable," said Maj. Bryan C. Watt, U.S. Transportation Command, Logistics Programs Division, and a graduate of the course. "This, combined with unique opportunities to broaden leadership perspective, rounds out a course that is beneficial to both rated and non-rated alike."
Applications for ASAM are due by October of each year. Nominees are then screened by AFIT to verify a minimum undergrad 3.0 GPA, and a Graduate Record Exam score of 1100 (minimum: 500 verbal and 600 quantitative) or a Graduate Management Admissions Test score of 550.
Applicants are encouraged to schedule these tests well in advance of the October application due date if they haven't taken them yet. The approved nominees are then forwarded to the Air Force Personnel Center at Randolph AFB, Texas, for assignment releasability to meet the ASAM board, which convenes each November.
Officers who have questions on eligibility should call Capt. Derrick Richardson at DSN 779-7950 and for questions concerning course curricula, call Senior Master Sgt. Yogi Garcia, Air Mobility Warfare Center's Advanced Study of Air Mobility Superintendent, at DSN 944-4101, ext 440. Also, for more information on the ASAM course, check out www.amwc.af.mil. (FROM AIR MOBILITY COMMAND PUBLIC AFFAIRS).
