MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. -- Officer Training School is implementing a new accessions program aimed at developing Air and Space Force leaders who are prepared to compete and win in today’s strategic operating environment.
The new training program, dubbed OTS-Victory, incorporates a 5-modular approach designed to enhance the effectiveness of foundational officer development by focusing on specific knowledge, skills, and abilities in each module. The course is structured to develop an officer trainee across all foundational competencies within 60 training days.
Officer graduates will be steeped in the Air and Space Force competencies through deliberate assessments tied to leadership, mission command, warfighting, communication, and professionalism. In the end, OTS’s goal is to produce graduates ready for the challenges in an era of strategic competition.
Starting fiscal year 2024, OTS will conduct, on average, 20 classes per year with a new class starting every two weeks. The additional class start dates promote flexibility for stakeholders, reduces candidates’ wait time to attend training, and allows for increased trainee throughput when necessary. At any point, OTS will have up to five classes in session, in various phases of training.
Additionally, the new training construct allows OTS to easily surge production to meet annual production numbers set by Congress in both steady state and contingency mobilization posture. If called, the school can surge up to 26 classes per year.
"Within existing resource authorizations, we are restoring OTS’s ability to serve as the officer accession ‘shock absorber,’ meaning we have the structural agility and organizational effectiveness to respond to production demands during peace or war,” said Col. Keolani Bailey, OTS commandant. “Whether we need to increase or decrease production, we won’t compromise the quality of training.”
In terms of the instructor cadre, they are now afforded the opportunity to become subject matter experts in the two-week modular blocks of instruction versus teaching the entire 60-day curriculum.
“Instructors will receive increased reps and sets and better feedback to elevate the overall performance of the team. This reduces lesson planning, preparation timelines, and creates more opportunities for deliberate development, course updates, and instructor reconstitution time,” said Bailey. “This will allow instructors to reduce bureaucracy and concentrate on their primary mission -- building warrior-minded leaders of character focused on the future fight.”
With OTS previously offering only five classes per year, thereby limiting time off between classes, the new program builds 10 weeks “off the line” each year for instructors. Therefore, when not actively instructing a class during these time periods, instructors are afforded the necessary time to refine course delivery, attend professional development programs, and enjoy their well-earned leave with family and friends.
“Officer Training School is answering the call to produce warrior-minded leaders of character with a disciplined mindset who are willing and ready for the future fight,” said Lt. Gen Andrea Tullos, Commander and President, Air University. “Through this reimagined learning-delivery model, OTS-Victory postures the Holm Center and our newest Air Force officers to compete and win, anytime, anyplace.”
Officer Training School is answering the call to produce warrior-minded leaders of character with a disciplined mindset who are willing and ready for the future fight
Lt. Gen Andrea Tullos, Commander and President, Air University
The first class of Officer Trainees to experience OTS-V arrived on campus Oct. 10, 2023.
The purpose of OTS is to train and develop new officers to fulfill Air Force and Space Force active duty, Reserve and Air National Guard requirements, in partnership with the U.S. Air Force Academy and Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps.
Officer Training School is located at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, consisting of two academic buildings with auditoriums, four dormitories, dining facility, physical conditioning center, parade field, running track and sports fields. Additionally, OTS maintains an Air Expeditionary Force garrison training site, a 200-acre field training facility, confidence course and two expeditionary assault courses.