Professional military education in the United States Air Force
Encyclopedia
The United States Air Force
provides a continuum of professional military education at Air University with Basic Developmental Education (BDE), Primary Developmental Education (PDE), Intermediate Developmental Education (IDE), and Senior Developmental Education (SDE). In the Air Force, Basic is the Air and Space Basic Course
(ASBC), Primary is Squadron Officer School
(SOS), Intermediate is Air Command and Staff College
(ACSC), and Senior is Air War College
(AWC). Typically 2nd Lieutenants take ASBC, Captains take SOS, Majors attend ACSC, and Lt Colonels or Colonels take Air War College. All officers are expected to complete their appropriate PME commensurate with their rank either by correspondence, or, if selected, in residence at Maxwell Air Force Base
. Both in-residence Air Command and Staff College and Air War College are regionally accredited Masters programs (M.A.) and take slightly less than 1 year to complete.
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
provides a continuum of professional military education at Air University with Basic Developmental Education (BDE), Primary Developmental Education (PDE), Intermediate Developmental Education (IDE), and Senior Developmental Education (SDE). In the Air Force, Basic is the Air and Space Basic Course
Air and Space Basic Course
Air and Space Basic Course is a Professional Military Education course taught by the Squadron Officer College, Air University, at Maxwell AFB, AL. It is the first level of PME for U.S. Air Force second lieutenants and is required regardless of commissioning source...
(ASBC), Primary is Squadron Officer School
Squadron Officer School
Squadron Officer School , is a five-week long Professional Military Education course for U.S. Air Force Captains. It fulfills the U.S. Air Force's requirement for primary developmental education . SOS is based at Maxwell AFB, Alabama, and the in-residence version of the course is taught there...
(SOS), Intermediate is Air Command and Staff College
Air Command and Staff College
The Air Command and Staff College is located at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama and is the United States Air Force's intermediate professional military education school. It prepares field grade and equivalent officers of all U.S...
(ACSC), and Senior is Air War College
Air War College
The Air War College is a part of the United States Air Force's Air University, headquartered at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama. Air University's higher headquarters is Air Education and Training Command headquartered at Randolph Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas. The Air War...
(AWC). Typically 2nd Lieutenants take ASBC, Captains take SOS, Majors attend ACSC, and Lt Colonels or Colonels take Air War College. All officers are expected to complete their appropriate PME commensurate with their rank either by correspondence, or, if selected, in residence at Maxwell Air Force Base
Maxwell Air Force Base
Maxwell Air Force Base , officially known as Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, is a United States Air Force installation under the Air Education and Training Command . The installation is located in Montgomery, Alabama, US. It was named in honor of Second Lieutenant William C...
. Both in-residence Air Command and Staff College and Air War College are regionally accredited Masters programs (M.A.) and take slightly less than 1 year to complete.