Lt Col Ron Dunic AF/XOWR 25 Jul 00

1. Air Force Weather (AFW) Education and Training Lt Col Ron Dunic AF/XOWR 25 Jul 00

2. Overview • Background • Weather Officer Training • Enlisted Training • Weather Training for Aircrews and Customers

3. Background • AFW relies heavily on enlisted personnel, guided by weather officers, to provide operational support • Prior to reengineering, AFW qualification and upgrade training conducted at local unit level • Units typically consisted of approximately 20 personnel • Young airmen trained first as observers then returned to forecaster school at approximately the 4-year point • New weather officers trained on the forecast counter before serving as Wing Weather Officers, etc. • Downsizing, the divestiture of Air Weather Service, and manning shortages in the 1990’s impacted training

4. Background • AFW developed a reengineering plan to better provide timely, accurate, and relevant Weather support • Regionally-focused hubs responsible for analysis and forecasting; also serve as training ground for apprentices • Brings together a “critical mass” of experienced forecasters • Training done by experienced forecasters in a team environment • Apprentices have time to learn the art of forecasting • Revised enlisted career track, improved training key to plan • Airmen learn forecasting skills first • 1st assignment is to a hub as a forecaster apprentice • Return to an advanced school before assignment to a flight/det • Experienced personnel assigned to local flights/dets • Focus is on weather’s impact to the mission and supporting the decision making process

5. Weather Officer Training • New weather officers enter AFW after earning met degree or completing the Basic Met Program • Attend an Officer Initial Skills Course (ISC) at Keesler AFB before their first assignment • Provide practical skills and knowledge to complement his/her academic work in weather concepts and theory • 61% of weather officers hold an Advanced Academic Degree (AAD) in weather or science; • Selected officers earn an AAD at civilian universities/colleges • Work to exploit new technology/techniques in production units • Integrate space weather analysis and forecasting into operations • Serve as Staff Mets supporting the acquisition process • Provide technical oversight and assistance to field units

6. Average pin-on time OFFICER CAREERS Air & Space Basic Crs Ops Met Instr Met Command Meteorologist Init Skills Crs AFIT Terrestrial/Space WX Wx Flt Crs O-1 O-3 O-4 O-2 OPS Wx SQ, Strat Ctr, Staff Met, or Wx Flt/CC Staff Off Wx Flt, AFIT, Staff Met, Strat Ctr OPS Wx SQ Entry Rqmt of B.S. in Met

7. Enlisted TrainingOverall Approach/Initial Skills • AFW trains using an integrated building block approach of schoolhouse, formal OJT, and correspondence courses • Airmen entering AFW attend a 19-week ISC at Keesler AFB • ISC teaches most topics to the “principles” level for subject knowledge, “partially proficient” level for task knowledge; topics include: • Observing fundamentals to decode and use observations • Interpretation of climatological aids • Structure and property of the atmosphere • Analysis and prognosis skills • Forecasting and meteorological watch • Basic oceanography • Space environment

8. Enlisted TrainingUpgrade and Qualification in Hubs • Forecaster apprentices receive 2-3 years of intensive supervised qualification and upgrade training in a hub • Training done by a mix of AFW NCOs and contractors • Apprentices train on core tasks (e.g., forecasting cloud height) using Qualification Training Packages (QTPs) • Each QTP contains a trainee workbook, trainer’s guide, and evaluation package • QTPs provide standardized training across the hubs • Airmen must complete 15-volume Career Development Course (CDC) prior to upgrade to journeyman • Correspondence course administered by Air University • Expands knowledge taught in Apprentice Course and through OJT

9. Enlisted Training • After upgrade to Weather Journeyman, airmen will attend the advanced Weather Flight Operations Course • Course scheduled to begin Oct 01 • Concentrates on the application of weather in the decision making process and its impact to specific missions • Teaches practical observing skills and combat field skills • After graduation, airmen assigned to field level units at Air Force Bases and Army Posts providing direct support to the warfighter

10. ENLISTED CAREERS AVG SEW-ON TIME Apprentice Journeyman Craftsman Jrnymn UGT OJT / CDC 7-level Training / Space Wx CDC / Resident Crs (2 wks) Initial Skills Wx Flt Course E-1 E-2 E-3 E-4 E-5 E-6 OPS Wx SQ Wx Flt / Det Hub, Flt / Det, Strat Center

11. Weather Training for Aircrews and Customers • Pilots receive instruction in weather during Undergraduate Pilot Training • Mostly computer-based training with some lecture • AFW officer subject matter experts assist in development of curriculum • Reengineering integrates forecasters directly into the flight planning process; two-way education between aviators and weather forecasters • Local weather units involved in the Instrument Refresher Course Program; brief seasonal weather phenomena, local effects, new capabilities (e.g., NEXRAD), etc. • AF/XOW teaches AFW capabilities at Air University’s Operations Group Commanders Course

12. Summary • AFW is reengineering to better support operations and train personnel • Officers are degreed meteorologists trained to provide military weather support; most hold AADs and work to exploit and insert new technologies and techniques • Revamped enlisted career track and training allows airmen to mature into highly capable forecasters • AFW actively involved in educating aviators and the operational community on weather and its impacts