Expeditionary, Survival and Evasion Training

Cadet Maas spent the first of his three summer sessions at USAFA jumping out of planes. As a reminder, Graham's summer at the United States Air Force Academy is segmented into three different three-week periods. 

1. Summer Session #1 was June 1 through June 22. During this time period, Graham was in training for parachuting.
2. Summer Session #2 is June 22 through July 14. During this time, Graham will be in Expeditionary, Survival and Evasion Training (ESET). Basically, survival training turned up to ten.
3. Summer Session #3 will be July 14 through August 3rd. Graham will enjoy three weeks at home of actual vacation. 

He is just wrapping up Summer Session #2, Expeditionary, Survival and Evasion Training (ESET). Partnered with ESET, summer training for rising 3^rd Class Cadets now includes the Adventure Based Learning (ABL) evolution.

ABL/ESET is this year’s version of “camping in the wilderness” and has two components.  The ESET focus is combat/survival related.  It is run by the Cadet Wing Training division.  The other part is team building and problem solving in a small group setting.  It is run by the Center for Character and Leadership Development.  Both teach leadership but focus on different skill sets.  

Much of the time in ESET is spent either doing things in undisclosed locations, doing things that cannot be shared. Remember the E in EST stands for “Evasion”. The USAFA WebGuy team of photographers were not able to take pictures, since taking photos of people who are “evading” kind of defeats the purpose. 

So, here’s a bit about Adventure Based Learning.   The Class of 2022, led by approximately three hundred 1^st & 2^nd class cadets, will take the training during the one of the three assigned summer periods. The ABL training lasts five days and takes place in the Cadet area, the Ropes course area; and across the massive USAFA reservation which consists of a 28-hour race. Yes, 28-hours. You read that right.  The goal is to offer Cadets a challenging developmental experience that Involves Choice, Stress, Failure, Uncertainty and Risk vs. Reward.  

Here’s the Overview: 5 Days of ABL

• 5x Days of Academics (Focus is on Interpersonal Leadership, Warrior Ethos, Teambuilding Skills)
• 1x Day of Ropes Course 
• A 28-hour Team Challenge (Basically a cross-country adventure race, solving problems on the way)
• 5 Day to Debrief and reflect on the ABL/ESET Experience

Cadet Maas, given his experience shooting for the US Modern Pentathlon team, did earn his Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon during ESET.  The U.S. Air Force awards a single ribbon, known as the Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon, for an expert qualification on either the M16 rifle, M4 carbine or the individual's AFSC (duty) designated pistol. The ribbon is issued in only one degree; however, a ​³⁄₁₆ inch bronze star may be worn on the ribbon for those who have qualified expert on both the service rifle and pistol. The ribbon was authorized by the Secretary of the Air Force on Aug. 28, 1962, and was awarded to all Air Force members who qualified after Jan. 1, 1963. Prior to the conception of a ribbon, Air Force members were awarded with the United States Air Force Small Arms Marksmanship Certificate of Achievement (AF Form 1193 Jan 1961). The ribbon has a very wide center stripe of laurel green, flanked on either side by a thin yellow stripe, with a wide light blue stripe at the edges.

The Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon

To earn this ribbon, Cadet Maas was required to secure 41 hits out of 45 rounds on target, with at least 25 hits within a 10-inch circle on the torso of the target and six hits within a six-inch circle on the head of the target. As stated earlier, he's quite used to pistol shooting at a high level. 

Cadet Maas at the 2016 US Modern Pentathlon National Championships, where he secured a national championship for the second time. 

His uniform is starting to fill out with accolades. The ribbon inside of the marksmanship ribbon is the National Defense Service Medal. The outer ribbon is the Air Force Training ribbon. 

The marksmanship ribbon can be seen between two other ribbons.

Below the ribbons is a silver star enclosed in a wreath between two small lightning bolts. This is given to those cadets who are on the Superintendent's List, as defined below. 

The gold badge opposite is the German Proficiency Badge, which was written about back in December in this blog entry. The shoulder boards now reflect a rising Third-Class (sophomore) cadet.