SOBs Flashcards
Describe the three characteristics of a profession according to Samuel P. Huntington.
- Expertise
- Responsibility
- Corporateness
Explain the country’s expectations of its officers.
- Patriotism
- Honor
- Integrity
- Loyalty to service above all else
- Competence
- Self-sacrifice
Explain why the United States has its officers take an oath to support and defend the Constitution.
- More stable than a person
Differentiate among the Air Force Core Values.
- Integrity first o Single most important o Willingness to do what’s right even when no one is looking o Not shifting blame o Acting with confidence o Self-determination o Courage o Accepting criticism o Delivering criticism o Self-control o Humility - Service before self o Enduring commitment o Selfless dedication to duty at all times in all circumstances o Willingness to set aside self o Putting in time to properly execute with precision o Non-indulgence in self-pity, discouragement, anger, frustration, or defeatism o Keeping faith in the system - Excellence in all we do o Professional and moral responsibility o Team excellence o Protect and manage human & material assets o Continuous innovation o Seek out and complete education o Physical, mental, and moral shape o High standards – meet or exceed expectations
Identify the importance of Air Force Core Values to Airmen.
BEACONS VECTORING US BACK THE PATH OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT
Summarize the impact of Air Force Core Values on personal and professional growth.
- Personal growth and development
- Professional growth and development
- Human relations
Describe the three tiers of the enlisted force structure.
Airmen Noncommissioned Officers - Work without supervision - Understand complex job-related problems - Train subordinates Senior Master Sergeant & Chief -Master Sergeant Ranks - Opened up promotions - Promote highly qualified NCOs
Identify the special positions a senior noncommissioned officer (SNCO) can hold.
- First Sergeant
- Command Chief Master Sergeant
- Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force
Identify the types of pay
Basic o Based on grade and time in service Special o Individuals who use specialized skills or assigned to specific locations Incentive o Individuals who perform dangerous activities Toxic fuel handlers parachuters
Recognize the different types of allowances
BAH o Designed to help offset cost of housing o Based on: Grade Dependency status Geographic location BAS o Subsistence allowance for officers’ food Uniform and Equipment o $400 one- time payment for officers o Annual payment for enlisted FSA: Family separation allowance o FSA I – stationed overseas o FSA II – TDY over 30 days o Comes in paycheck - Not taxable (except CONUS COLA) Travel Allowances: - mileage o $.23 per mile - $129 per diem o 75% dependents over 12 o 50% dependents under 12 Dislocation Allowance - Designed to offset expenses associated with relocating the household - Automatic lump sum payment - Nontaxable - Flat rate TDY allowances - $0.575 per mile Station Allowances - To defray costs in certain situations o Overseas TLA Temporary lodging allowances – for example, staying in a hotel before moving into new house
State how leave is accrued and used
Earn 2.5 days of leave per month
Must be used by 30 September
o use or lose: 75 day carryover
Define “servant” in terms of being a servant of the nation
To make a voluntary choice to place the Nation’s needs above one’s personal desires
Describe the relationship between servitude, the Constitution, and our second Core Value of Service Before Self.
Swearing to uphold the constitution makes us servants and constitutes service before self
List the rights on which the Declaration of Independence is based.
- Life
- Liberty
- Pursuit of happiness
Describe the purpose of each article of the Constitution
- Article I: The Legislative branch
- Article II: The Executive branch
- Article III: The Judicial branch
- Article IV: Full Faith and Credit
- Article V: Amendment
- Article VI: Supremacy
- Article VII: Ratification
Describe the benefits and potential problems of a diverse workforce.
Potential problems: o Overprotection of women o Difference consequences for different actions o Failure to train and coach o Language barriers Benefits o Creativity and innovation o Broad range of skills o Better service to diverse customers o Ability to recruit best talent from entire labor pool
Explain the importance of managing diversity in the military
- Increase productivity and mission accomplishment
- Recruiting pool more diverse
- Competition with corporations for workers
- Reduce instance of discrimination
- Overseas operations
Explain the purpose, application, and scope of Air Force Doctrine Volume II—Leadership
- Purpose: establish doctrinal guidance for leadership and force development
- Application (total force)
o Active duty
o Air force reserve
o Air National Guard
o Civilians - Scope:
o Baseline for all AF leaders
o Essential for mission success
o Describes proper use of air and space forces in military operations
o Guide to exercise professional judgment rather a set of inflexible rules
Identify the different types of leave a military member can take
Ordinary - Convalescent o Does not come off leave balance - Emergency - Paternity leave o Does not come from leave balance
Describe the fundamental elements of Air Force leadership
Airmen – Execute and accomplish the mission
Mission – Why we are here!
Primary Task
Motivate, influence, and direct people to carry out the mission
Institutional Competencies: Qualities coupled with occupational skill sets that Air Force leaders develop as they progress along levels of increased responsibility
Summarize the components of Air Force leadership
As leadership level goes, up, institutional competencies are more organizational and less personal
[Personal Leadership Competencies]
- Embodies Airman Culture
- Ethical Leadership
- Followership
- Warrior Ethos
- Develops Self
[Communicating]
- Speaking and Writing
- Active Listening
[Organizational]
- Employing Military Capabilities
- Operational and Strategic Art
- Unit, Air Force, Joint, and Coalition Capabilities
- Non-adversarial Crisis Response
- Enterprise Perspective
- Enterprise Structure and Relationships
- Government Organization and Processes
- Global, Regional, and Cultural Awareness
- Strategic Communication
[Organizational]
- Managing Organizations and Resources
- Resource Stewardship
- Change Management
- Continuous Improvement
- Strategic Thinking
- Vision
- Decision-Making
- Adaptability
[Leadership Actions – Decisive actions leaders use to influence and improve their units in order to accomplish their military mission]
[Influence]
[Communication]
{Motivation]
[Standards]
[Decisiveness]
[Improve Development and Learning]
[Accomplish - Enhanced by influence & improvement]
Summarize the objective of the Eight-Step Problem-Solving Process.
- Remove waste and inefficiencies
- Increase
o Productivity
o Asset availability - Improve
o Response time
o Energy efficiency - Sustain safe and reliable operations
Explain the Eight-Step Problem-Solving Process
- Observe
- Orient
- Decide
- Act
Identify the steps in the Problem-Solving Process
- Clarify the problem
- Break down problem
- Set improvement target
- Determine root cause
- Develop countermeasures
- See countermeasures through
- Confirm results and process
- Standardize successful processes
Describe the five personal conflict management styles
- Forcing
o High assertiveness, low cooperation (high concern for self, low concern for others) - Accommodating
o Low assertiveness, high cooperation (little concern for self, high concern for others) - Avoiding
o Low assertiveness, low cooperation (little concern for self, little concern for others) - Compromising
o Medium assertiveness, medium cooperation
o Best way? - Collaborating
o High assertiveness, high cooperation
Identify sources of conflict
- Personal differences
- Informational deficiencies
o Instructions interpreted differently - Role incompatibility
o Different entities have different goals
o A common superior usually has to mediate - Environmental stress
o Shortage of resources
o uncertainty
Distinguish between the five needs in Maslow’s hierarchy
- Safety o Physical safety o Psychological Job, healthcare, security, savings - Belonging o Love, acceptance, approval, friendship - Esteem o Recognition, worth, status, respect Simply say “great job” - Self-actualization o Self fulfillment, personal growth, realizing potential o People strive to reach their ultimate potential … have a sense of doing their best o More internal than external
Identify ways to motivate people using Maslow’s needs theory
- Lower level needs to be satisfied before the next one becomes important
- Figure out which level of needs aren’t being met
Distinguish between McGregor’s three motivational approaches
Theory X: external motivation (Knuckleheads)
o People don’t like to work
o Lack ambition and must be coerced or forced o work
o Prefer to be told what to do
o Resist change
o Hard approach:
Coercion
Micromanagement
o Soft Approach
Satisfy desires
Manipulative
• Relaxing standards (apparently relaxing standards)
• Permissive attitude
Theory Y: interior motivated
o Create environment
Positive atmosphere
Participation in decisions and goal setting
Integration of personal/organizational skill
Opportunities for increased responsibility
Identify ways to motivate people using McGregor’s theory Y approach
- Recognize achievements
- Don’t make promises you can’t keep
- Be a good role model
- Remove roadblocks
- Make the task clear
Explain the concepts of efficiency and effectiveness as they relate to management
– Effectiveness: accomplishing the mission
– Efficiency: minimizing resource costs
Identify the four basic management functions
- Planning
- Organizing
- Leading
- controlling
Differentiate between the three primary roles of managers
Interpersonal o Figurehead Symbolic routine duties o Leader o Liaison Informational o Monitor – seeks and receives veriety of info, acts as nerve center o Disseminator – transmits information received to o Spokesperson Decisional o Entrepreneur – search for opportunities o Disturbance handler o Resource allocator - o Negotiator
Explain the universality of the manager’s job
- Level in the organization
- Profit/non-profit
- Transferability across borders
- Making decisions and dealing with change
Identify examples of general managerial skills
o Conceptual: mental ability to coordinate interests + activities
o Interpersonal: understand, mentor, motivate
o Technical: tools, procedure, technique
o Political: build power base & est. connections
Identify examples of specific managerial skills
o Controlling organization’s environment and resources o Organizing and coordinating o Handling info o Provide growth and development o Motivate and handle conflicts o Strategic problem solving
Define Sexual Assault as defined by the Department of Defense
- Intentional sexual contact characterized by use of force, threats, intimidation, abuse of authority or when the victim does not or cannot consent
- Includes rape, forcible sodomy, and other unwanted sexual contact that is aggravated, abusive, or wrongful (to include unwanted, inappropriate sexual contact) or attempts to commit these acts.
- Consent: words or overt acts indicating a freely given agreement to the sexual contact where competent person (lack of consent through words or conduct means there is no consent)
o Cannot give consent under threats of violence
o Cannot give consent under age
o Cannot give consent if unconscious or asleep or incapacitated - A current or previous dating relationship does not by itself or manner of dress by victim does not constitute assent
Describe the roles of perpetrator, facilitator, bystander, and victim
- Perpetrator: assaults
- Facilitator: enables or encourages perp
- Bystander: observes the situation and chooses whether to act (or not)
- Victim: assaulted by the perpetrator
Explain the significance of a Wingman as related to sexual assault prevention and response
- Help others to lead the air force core values
- Combat sexist jokes
- Support responsible drinking
- Listen empathetically with them
o Make and maintain eye contact
o Avoid distractions and fidgeting
o Use open body language
o Ask questions and encourage the speaker to articulate their feelings
o Keep an open mind and reserve judgment
o Let go of the idea that you need to be right - Reserve judgment
- Refrain from gossip
- Ride above idle talk
Describe the roles of the Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC) and link this role to the Victim Advocate
- SARC addresses immediate and ongoing needs
- VA provides support to the victim
State the importance of displaying empathy to a victim of sexual assault
- Address safety and medical needs
- Contact the SARC
- Listen without judging
- Offer to stay with the person
- Protect privacy and refrain from gossip
Explain how gender relations and sexism can impact trust and mission accomplishment
- Respect
- No one owes anyone sex
- Men don’t “need” sex
State commander/supervisory responsibilities regarding sexual harassment
Enforce zero tolerance
Explain the various forms of sexual harassment
Verbal
Nonverbal
physical
Differentiate among the four stages of group growth
Forming o Deciding acceptable behaviors o Building trust o No clear focus o Answer Qs or complaints Norming o Feelings: acceptance, cooperativeness, bonding, conformity, relief about direction o Behaviors: Confiding, common goals, realistic parameters cohesion o overcoming groupthink keep leader opinions silent initially form subgroups outside experts assign critics, challengers second chance visits of issue Storming o Feelings: consensus turns to resistance, members’ personalities come out o Behaviors: Arguing and competing Bid for power Formation of cliques Disagreement with leader’s approach Testing boundaries Performing o Feelings: insightfulness, satisfaction o Behaviors Constructive self-change Conflict management teamwork
Describe the differences between groups and teams
Teams:
o Stronger sense of identification
o Common goals or tasks
o Member and task interdependence
Identify the characteristics of effective teams
- Defined missions, tasks, objectives
- Cooperation and communication
- Interdependence
Identify the principles of effective teams
Principles
o Trust + confidence
o Communication & clarity
o Clear, direct, concise, active listening
Describe the AF Equal Opportunity Program
- Each Air Force installation has a base EO office which administers and manages the program.
- developed to foster and support equal opportunity, the AF Core Values and Airman’s Creed
- includes informing commanders when they become aware of problems that may adversely affect behavior, health, duty performance, or mission
Describe the Air Force and Air National Guard policies on Equal Opportunity
The AF will not tolerate unlawful discrimination and sexual harassment or reprisal against individuals who engage in protected activity
State the objective of the Military Equal Opportunity Program
Improve mission effectiveness by providing an environment in which service members are ensured an opportunity to rise to the highest level of responsibility possible in the military profession, dependent only on merit, fitness and capability
Identify the five key services of the AF Equal Opportunity Program
- MEO formal/informal complaint processing
- Civilian EO informal complaint processing
- Out and about assessments (process used to gather additional EO/human relations information that may impact installation personnel)
- Human relations education (as specifically requested by commanders)
- Quarterly statistical reporting
State the difference between discrimination and prejudice
- Discrimination is a type of behavior in which people are treated according to a category rather than individual prejudices
- Prejudice is what we feel or believe
Explain the concept of Full-Range Leadership
- FRL involves a wide variety of behaviors
- Solves problems that arise in a dynamic environment
- What is displayed depends on the situation
Identify elements of the Full-Range Leadership Model
- Laissez faire
- Transactional
- transformational
Summarize the characteristics of laissez-faire, leadership
o Hands-off leadership o Tends to be disconnected o Causes frustration in subordinates o Shows a lack of control o Indicates abdication of command o Most passive, least effective
Summarize the characteristics of transactional leadership
o Day to day workings o Two methods Management by exception (MBE) * Active o Leader constantly monitors performance o Focus on mistakes o Immediate correction * Passive o Most reactionary MBE o Leader waits for things to go wrong o Constantly putting out fires - exhausting Contingent reward (CR) • Compensated for doing things well
Summarize the characteristics of transformational leadership
o Most active and most effective
o Focus on motivating and inspiring followers
o Methods:
Individual consideration (IC)
•
Intellectual stimulation (IS)
• Leader stimulates outside-the-box thinking
• Question established procedures
o Double edged sword
• Must be willing to take risks
• Improved ownership of the process increases performance
Inspirational Motivation (IM)
• Leader inspires and motivates
• Articulation of vision and expectations is key
• Subordinates gain confidence and have a sense of purpose
o Important for people to have a sense of purpose
o Must know where they fit in the bigger picture
Idealized Influence (II)
• Leader is the role model
o Actions and attributes are important
• Actions align with core values
• Attributes drive subordinates to emulate leader
o Dedication to mission
o Persistence
o Courage
Describe task and relationship behavior
Relationship o Listening to people o Providing support and encouragement o Facilitating involvement in problem solving and decision making Task o Clearly telling people What How Where When o Supervising o performance
Explain how to assess followers’ performance readiness
Ability o Knowledge o Skill o Experience Willingness o Confidence, commitment, motivation
Describe each performance readiness level in the Situational Leadership Model
R1: unable, and insecure or unwilling o New people o Unable in the sense of untrained o Need Telling Leaders need high task behavior, low relationship behavior One-way communication Leaders solves problems, makes all key decisions Leader directs, then guides roles of followers as they progress R2: Unable, but confident or willing o Might also be new people o Need selling High relationship, high task Two-way communication Leader has decision making Hears suggestion, ideas, and opinions Maintains decision making Employs persuasion Explains actions R3: Able, but insecure or unwilling o Need participating High relationship, low task Focus on control shifts to follower Follower has ability and knowledge to complete task Leader actively listens & knows confidence R4: Able, secure, and willing o Need delegating Low relationship low task Follower makes key decisions Leader gets • Updates • Offers resource support
Identify the leadership style appropriate for each performance readiness level
Unable, insecure/unwillling - Telling
Unable, confident/willing - Selling
Able, insecure/unwilling - Participating
Able, Willing - Delegating
State the mission of the United States Air Force
Mission: to fly, fight, and win in air, space, and cyberspace
State the function of the Secretary of the Air Force
- The secretary does not become directly involved in military operations.
- Conducts the administrative affairs of the department and is directly responsible to the SECDEF. In the overall administration of the department, the secretary handles matters relating to fiscal spending, production, procurement, and legal plans and programs.
State the function of the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force
Represents the highest enlisted level of leadership in the AF and represents their interests, as appropriate, to the American public, and to those in all levels of government. He serves as personal adviser to the Chief of Staff and SECAF on all issues regarding the welfare, readiness, morale, and proper utilization of the enlisted force.
State the function of the Secretary of the Air Force Chief of Staff
- Military head of the Air Force and is directly responsible to the Secretary of the Air Force for the efficiency and operational readiness of the Air Force.
- The CSAF is also a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).
- The Chief of Staff delegates virtually all functions as the US Air Force military head to the Vice Chief of Staff when demands of JCS duties necessitate such actions
List the USAF organizational structure from the President to the flight level
- President
- Department of defense
- SECAF
- AF Chief of Staff
- Headquarters
- MAJCOMs
- numbered AF
- wings
- groups
- squadrons
- flights
Identify key elements within and related to a typical Air Force Wing structure
Wing Commander
Wing Staff - Comptroller Squadron
Operations - Maintenance - Mission Support - Medical Group
State the priorities of the US Air Force
o Continue to strengthen nuclear enterprise
o Partner with joint and coalition team to win today’s flight
o Develop and care for Airmen and families
o Modernize air and space inventories, organization, and training
o Recapture acquisition excellence
State what the principles of war provide to Airmen
Combined with the Tenets of Air Power, they provide the basis for a sound and enduring doctrine for the air, space, and cyberspace forces of America’s joint forces.
Serve as valuable guides to evaluate potential courses of action
Define each principle of war
- Unity of Command:
- Objective: political and military objectives should be complementary, clearly defined, and achievable
- Offensive: offensive action provides the means for forces to dictate the time, scope, intensity, and pace of tactics
- Mass: concentrating combat power at decisive time and place – superior concentrated necessary to achieve decisive results
o For airpower, not necessary quantity
o Lethal or nonlethal - Maneuver: place the enemy at disadvantage through flexible application of power
o For airpower, not sacrificed to achieve mass - Economy of force: minimum combat power should be devoted to secondary objectives in order to ensure overwhelming combat power is available for primary objectives
- Security: friendly forces and operations should be protected from enemy attack
- Surprise: leverage security principle by attacking enemy in time or place where they are not prepared
- Simplicity: guidance, plans, and orders that are as simple as the objective will allow
List the tenets of airpower
- centralized control/decentralized execution
- flexibility/versatility
- synergistic effects
- persistence
- concentration
- priority
- balance
State how the tenets of air power complement the principles of war
While the principles of war provide general guidance on the application of military forces, the tenets provide more specific considerations for the employment of air, space, and cyberspace capabilities. They reflect the specific lessons of air, space, and cyberspace throughout history.
Describe each Air Force Function
Counterair
o Integrates offensive and defensive operations to attain and maintain a level of air superiority
Air parity: a condition where one force does not have air superiority
Air superiority: degree of dominance in the air battle of one force over another that permits the conduct of operations at a given time and place without prohibitive interference by the opposing force
Air supremacy: degree of dominance in battle
Counterland
o Airpower operations against an enemy land force capabilities to create effects that achieve joint force commander objectives
Command and control
o Exercise of authority and direction by a properly designated commander over assigned and attached forces in the accomplishment
Strategic attack
o offensive action specifically selected to achieve national security objectives
o seek to weaken the adversary’s ability/will or engage in a conflict by striking the heart of the enemy
Air Mobility Ops
o A force multiplier
o Expands commander’s employment options
o 4 types
Air refueling
Airlift: operations to transport and deliver forces and materiel throughout the air in support of strategic, operation, or tactical objectives
Air mobility support: provides command and control, aerial port, and maintenance for mobility air forces
Aeromedical evacuation: provide en route care of regulated casualties to and between medical treatment facilities using aircraft with medical aircrew trained explicitly for that mission
• Can operate across entire range of military operations (ROMO)
Nuclear Ops
o operates to train, organize, equip, and sustain forces with the capability to support the national security goals of deterring adversaries from attacking the US and its interests with nuclear arsenals or other WMD
o dissuading competitors from developing WMD
o assuring allies and partners of the US’ ability to protect them
o holding at risk a specific range of targets
Space Ops
o involve space superiority and mission assurance
o control the ultimate high ground
o focused on mission assurance rather than owning space
o maintain our space capabilities when contested and ensure unhindered mission continuity through conflict
Cyberspace Ops
o employment of cyberspace capabilities where primary purpose of achieving military objectives in or through cyberspace
Define the three levels of Air Force doctrine
Basic Doctrine
o Most fundamental and enduring beliefs that describe and guide the proper use, presentation, and organization of forces in military action
Operation Doctrine:
o More detailed how to organize and employ military forces. Applies principles of basic doctrine to military actions
Tactical Doctrine
o Most detailed: describes proper employment of specific AF assets – specific tactics to accomplish specific missions
o Codified in AFTTP 3-series manuals
o Applies to us!
Identify the operations associated with the functions of Counterland and Air Mobility
Counterland - Interdiction - Close Air Support o Air action by aircraft against hostile targets close proximity to friendly forces Air Mobility - air refueling - airlift - air mobility support - aeromedical evacuation
Identify the role of the President
- Commander-in-chief
- The President, along with the National
Security Council (NSC), determines the security needs of the nation and then takes courses of action to ensure that those are met. The NSC is chaired by the President
Identify the role of the Secretary of Defense
Oversight
o provides responsive, forward-thinking, and insightful policy advice and support to the Secretary of Defense, and the Department of Defense, in alignment with national security objectives.
o Plan, advise, carry out the nation’s security policies
Identify the role of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
o Members of the JCS serve as the communications chain of command and military staff to the unified and specified commanders.
o Prepares strategic plans and provides for the strategic direction of the Armed Forces.
o reviews the plans and programs of unified and specified commands, considers major personnel and logistic requirements of the Armed Forces, and establishes unified doctrine.
o The JCS is also responsible for the assignment of logistic responsibilities to the military services, the formulation of policies for joint training, and the coordination of military education.
o consist of the CJCS; Chief of Staff, US Army; CNO; Chief of Staff, US Air Force; the Commandant of the Marine Corps; and the Chief, National Guard Bureau.
o The CJCS not only serves as a member of and presides over the JCS, but also furnishes the recommendations and views of the JCS to the President, the NSC, or the Secretary of Defense. Other members of the JCS may also provide advice to these bodies, when requested.
State the role of the Armed Forces Policy Council
o most important policy advisory body working directly with the Secretary of Defense
o advises the Secretary of Defense on matters of broad policy relating to the Armed Forces,
o considers and reports on any other matters that, in the opinion of the Secretary, need attention.
o consists of the Secretary of Defense (Chairman); the Deputy Secretary of Defense; Secretaries of the Army, Navy, and Air Force; the CJCS; the Under Secretaries of Defense; the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition; the Army and Air Force Chiefs of Staff; the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO); and the Commandant of the Marine Corps.
Define unified command
Having a broad continuing mission, a unified command comprises forces from two or more military services and falls under one commander.
Define specified command
Having a broad, continuing mission, a specified command is normally composed of forces from one military service. Currently there are no Specified Commands in existence
List the primary missions of the six geographically based unified combatant commands
USEUCOM conducts military operations, international military engagements, and interagency partnering to enhance transatlantic security and defend the United States forward by establishing an agile security organization able to conduct full spectrum activities as part of whole of government solutions to secure enduring stability in Europe and Eurasia.
USPACOM protects and defends, in concert with other US Government agencies, the territory of the United States, its people, and its interests. With allies and partners, USPACOM is committed to enhancing stability in the Asia-Pacific region by promoting security cooperation, encouraging peaceful development, responding to contingencies, deterring aggression, and, when necessary, fighting to win.
USCENTCOM promotes cooperation among nations, responds to crises, and deters or defeats state and nonstate aggression, and supports development and, when necessary, reconstruction in order to establish the conditions for regional security, stability, and prosperity.
USSOUTHCOM Ready to conduct joint and combined full-spectrum military operations and support whole-of-government efforts to enhance regional security and cooperation in Latin America and the Caribbean.
USNORTHCOM partners to conduct Homeland Defense and Civil Support operations within the assigned area of responsibility to defend, protect, and secure the United States and its interests.
USAFRICOM protects and defends the national security interests of the United States by strengthening the defense capabilities of African states and regional organizations and, when directed, conducts military operations, in order to deter and defeat transnational threats and to provide a security environment conducive to good governance and development.
State the three enduring truths that describe the fundamental nature of war
- War is an instrument of policy, strategy, or culture
- War is a complex and chaotic
- War is a clash of opposing wills
Define war according to Clausewitz
“War is therefore an act of violence to compel our opponent to do our will”
Identify the basic themes of war
- Politics and violence are intertwined
- War is policy “…that fights battles instead of writing notes”
- War is the continuation of politics with the addition of other means
Differentiate among the four viewpoints on war:
Pacifism, Realism, Holy War, and Just War Theory
Realism: o End justifies the means o Military necessity/nation’s self-interest trumps moral constraints o Burning of Atlanta o Bombing civilian centers in WWII Holy War: o God is on our side o Wars aren’t merely human affairs Divine instrument of judgment Authorized by God God responsible for outcome o Good vs evil Pacifism o Darkness cannot drive out darkness o Opposes war as a means of settling disputes o Advocates for arbitration, surrender, migration o Spectrum: Avoidance of war at all costs War as last resort Just war theory o When war is morally justified, define actions that are permissible o Focus on protection of civilians
List the three factors that dominate war
Fog o Used to be literal o Now figurative Too much happening Misinformation Conflicting/distorted info Friction o Causes slight differences in inputs, so outputs change Chance o Plain dumb luck and fortune
Describe the evolution of warfare according to Alan Beyerchen’s taxonomy of four world wars
World War I: the chemists’ war
o Haber-Bosch process
World War II: the Physicists’ war
o Radar
o Wireless communications
World War III: the Information Researcher’s war (The Cold War)
o Information, surveillance, recon capabilities
World War IV: the Social Scientists’ war
o Cross cultural awareness key to success
o win hearts and minds before the enemy does
o understanding and empathy
Describe Building Partnerships
- Airmen interacting with international airmen to develop, guide, and sustain relationships for mutual benefit and security
- Purpose: reduce instability, prevent terrorist attacks, build partner capacities, reduce potential for expanded conflict
Identify the Air Force definition of culture
Culture is the creation, maintenance, and transformation across generations of semi-shared patterns of meaning, sense-making, affiliation, action, and organization by groups
Identify knowledge, skills and attitudes that lead to Cross-Cultural Perspective-Taking
The ability to see things from the perspective of another culture
- Knowledge: of factors that cause persons from other cultures to behave differently
- Skills: for dealing with culture shock along with effective problem solving and interpersonal communication skills
- Attitude: of openness an willingness to learn about and accept cultural difference
Define Cross-Cultural Competence
Culture- General: The ability to quickly and accurately comprehend and then effectively act in any culturally complex environment to achieve the desired effect for the mission
Culture-specific: an approach that emphasized specific aspects of particular culture, affording Airmen of the knowledge and or skills necessary to interact
State the three skills of the Air Force Cross-Cultural Competence (3C) Development model
- Relate: understanding others in order to develop a social or sympathetic relationship
- Communicate: transmitting thoughts, feelings, and information to other people
- Negotiate: utilizing a deliberate process to solve a difference or problem with two or more people or groups
State the definition of cultural domains
12 universal categories of interaction, belief, and meaning shared by all cultures but dealt with differently by each
Recognize examples of cultural domains
- Time & space
- Family & kinshp
- Language & communication
- Aesthetics and recreation
- Technology and material
- Learning and knowledge
- History and myth
- Economics and resources
- Political and social relations
- Religion and spirituality
- Sustenance and health
- Sex and gender
Identify the three elements of cross-cultural communication
– Paralanguage – tone (how we say what we say)
– Nonverbals – touch, space, time, movement and gestures
– Cultural Context – conditions or circumstances that impact communication
Explain sources of cross-cultural conflict
– Values: Divergent interpretations of situations, relationships and events influenced by cultural beliefs
– Relationships: Clashes at the interpersonal, intergroup or international levels (often caused by misperceptions)
– Data: Differences in data interpretation driven by information gaps, misinformation, or contrasting perceptions
– Interests: How parties compare and measure the worthiness of their interests and the interests of others
Assess a situation and decide whether a particular conflict management style is appropriate
• How important is the issue • How important is relationship o Critical o Ongoing o One-time transaction • How large is the power gap • How quickly should parties settle
