preview

Air Force Rotc Field Training Essay

Decent Essays

One of the toughest group settings I have ever found myself in was Air Force ROTC Field Training. Field Training is a 5 week course for young college students in the ROTC program to learn how to become officers in the US Air Force and particularly how to lead people in a field setting. Our textbook defines leadership as the ability to influence a group toward the achievement of goals (Robbins & Judge, 2009, Ch. 12). Now, imagine yourself dropped into the environment I was put in. I am one of 400 or so cadets in this encampment, over one thousand miles away from my home. My only communication with my family or the outside world is via hand written letters. It is the middle of the Summer in Southern Alabama, and the heat is so intense it was melting the shoe polish off of my shoes. I am constantly being yelled at by military drill instructors about all of the things I am doing wrong. And now, I am suddenly tasked with being the flight commander for the 20 other cadets in my flights that all come from different backgrounds, and all of whom I am meeting for the first time. In this research paper, I will talk about a few of the core concepts that I feel I applied very well to help me be the best leader I could be in this situation.

Trait Theories

In Lesson 6, Dr. Fischer explores the ideas of whether leaders are born or made. In some cases certain traits such as extroversion, conscientiousness, openness, and emotional intelligence can suggest that leaders can in

Get Access