Squadron-Centered Learning - The Why
In his 2016 speech to the AFA, General David Goldfein shared, "It is at the squadron level where we succeed or fail as an Air Force. The squadron is where Airmen are developed. It's where Airmen and families thrive. It's where training and education occurs."

This site is designed to support the development of exceptional leaders and the efforts to revitalize squadrons as centerpieces of learning. The lessons are designed to equip Squadron Command Teams with materials that will foster communication and trust between leaders and their Airmen. Use them as a starting point for conversations with your Airmen. The lessons should be used in small-group environments and should take no longer than 30 minutes to execute from start to finish.

The Air University Squadron-Centered Learning Team values your feedback on how we can continue to enhance these resources for you. Please contact us at [email protected]. with questions or feedback. We look forward to hearing from you!

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BUILDING TEAMS & ESPRIT-DE-CORPS

  • military working dog

    Leading a Discussion With Your Airmen on "Trust"

    Module Overview:  Discussion on the importance of trust in the squadron including ways to build trust and the definition of personal and organizational trust.


    Intended Audience: All squadron personnel


    Timeframe: 30 minutes

  • Members of the 149th Civil Engineer Squadron work to build a cabin.

    Leading a Discussion With Your Airmen on "Team Building"

    Module Overview:  Effective teams are critical to performance, effective squadron operations and meeting the AF mission


    Intended Audience: All squadron personnel


    Timeframe: 30 minutes

  • Soldiers participate in airborne operations during Operation Devil Storm.

    Leading a Discussion With Your Airmen on "Esprit De Corps"

    Module Overview:  Discussion about esprit de corps and its importance in the squadron in building strong teamwork and trust between members to support each other and more effectively accomplish the mission.


    Intended Audience: All squadron personnel


    Timeframe: 30 minutes

Leadership Development

  • An Airman holds the U.S. flag during retreat on Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., Jan. 26, 2017. All ALS students participate in reveille and retreat every day as part of their duties during the five-week leadership course. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Tammie Ramsouer)

    Leading a Discussion with your Airmen on “Airmanship: Are You a Johnny Bravo?”

    Module Overview:  What does it mean to stand for something bigger than ourselves? What does it mean to lead with empathy? Lieutenant Colonel Mike “Johnny Bravo” Drowley shares the story of who he is as an attack pilot, leader, and Airman.


    Intended Audience: All squadron personnel


    Timeframe: 30 minutes

  • Male civilian staff member tutoring a female military officer

    Discussing "Mentoring"

    Module Overview:  Discussion about mentoring and its importance in the squadron in developing the next generation of leaders. Often we do not think about our legacy and this is something that without proper thought can have lasting effects.


    Intended Audience: All squadron personnel


    Timeframe: 30 minutes

Air, Space, & Cyber Space

  • Cyber

    Leading a Discussion with your Airmen on “Cyber as a Warfighting Domain”

    Module Overview:  This discussion addresses some of the key concepts of Cyber as a warfighting domain.  Airman with an appreciation for the all-encompassing nature of cyber and the dependencies of all Air Force missions on cyber will be critical to the successful completion of our core missions.

    Intended Audience: All squadron personnel

    Timeframe: 30-45 minutes

Leading SCL

  • People seated in small auditorium with theater and conference room seating

    How to Lead a Group Discussion

    Module Overview:  This module introduces the basic guidelines and methods for facilitating a group discussion. The purpose is to help provide squadron leaders with the knowledge and skills necessary to lead an effective group discussion.

    Intended Audience: Squadron Leadership Team

    Timeframe: 30 minutes

PROFESSION OF ARMS

  • A U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II assigned to Marine Fighter Attack Detachment 211, 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, is displayed during at a media day at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, during a regularly scheduled deployment of Essex Amphibious Ready Group and 13th MEU, July 21, 2018. The Essex ARG/ 13th MEU team is a strong, flexible, responsive, and consistent force capable of maneuver warfare across all domains; it is equipped and scalable to respond to any crisis from humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to contingency operations. The Essex ARG and 13th MEU is the first continental United States Navy/Marine Corps team to deploy with the F-35B.

    Discussing the "Profession of Arms"

    Module Overview:  The profession of arms has unique traditions, characteristics and responsibilities that makes it different from all other professions and every Airmen should proudly know them and strive to continue them.


    Intended Audience: All squadron personnel


    Timeframe: 30 minutes

  • Graphic of two booklets with words Core Values, Integrity First, Service Before Self, Excellence in All we Do on same graphic.

    Discussing "Core Values"

    Module Overview:  The AF Core Values provide a framework for behavior that is critical for squadron members to know and follow members of the profession of arms.


    Intended Audience: All squadron personnel


    Timeframe: 30 minutes

Thinking Skills

  • U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Lewis Hampton and Nichalos Apsens, 18th Contracting Squadron contracting officers, portray the roles of a contracting officer and a vendor during an operational contracting support joint exercise Jan. 24, 2017, at Camp Foster, Japan. In this scenario, contractors met with vendors, figured out how to communicate in Japanese without translators and negotiated contracts within 24-hours. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Omari Bernard)

    Leading a Discussion With Your Airmen on "Understanding Thinking"

    Module Overview:  This module introduces your Airmen to a model of thinking that defines two systems;

     (System 1 - Fast Thinking and System 2 - Slow Thinking) and is intended to help them make better decisions by learning how the brain works as we consider problems and decisions.


    Intended Audience: All squadron personnel


    Timeframe: 30 minutes

History & Heritage

  • Medal of Honor

    Discussing "Valor and Service"

    Module Overview:  What does it mean to lead with honor? Technical Sergeant John Chapman is the first Airman since the Vietnam War to be awarded the Medal of Honor since the Vietnam War.


    Intended Audience: All squadron personnel


    Timeframe: 30 minutes

Current AF Initiatives