Anyone else taking SOS right now?

[Robert Hartigan]

I just started down the path of professional military education and wondered if there was anyone else out there doing the same?

[arajca]

Just finished International Studies section, waiting for my test results.

[AlphaSigOU]

Gotta wait until I pin on Captain this July to enroll.

[TankerT]

I finished this course a bit ago. 

Big pain.

Not that it's a poor course.  But, not much of the overall program applies to general leadership theory or what we do in CAP.  I can see how it is an essential program for the Air Force.  It also gives a good insight into how their officer's are trained to think... and why.

Anyone that has a graduate level degree will not find the material overly challenging.  (Don't confuse that for not being challenging at all...)

It is more time consuming than anything due to the amount of reading required.  (And re-reading to catch the concepts.)

Personally, if I had to do it over again, I'd take the vacation time and do Region Staff College.  It would have been less time away from family (while I was hiding studying) and whatnot.  (Plus at RSC, you get to meet/network with other CAP folks...)

[CAPLAW]

I am a Captain and wish to enroll in SOS. How do I enroll?

Thanks

[TankerT]

If you check out the CAP Knowledgebase, answer # 506 has the information you want.  (It is lenghty, so best to check it out there...)

Also, don't hesitate to contact your Wing PD Officer.  He/she should be very familiar with the process.

Good luck!

[arajca]

If you check out the CAP Knowledgebase, answer # 506 has the information you want.  (It is lenghty, so best to check it out there...)

Also, don't hesitate to contact your Wing PD Officer.  He/she should be very familiar with the process.

Good luck!

Actually, your unit PDO should be able to help you get signed up.

[Robert Hartigan]

The only hiccup that I ran into was that I had to download the AF form writer software so I could fill out the application online. Once that was done it was a breeze. National needs to confirm that you are a current member so after the AF accepts your application and says you are a student that is not 100% until National vouches for you. A few emails later and I was setup watching the briefing and on my way.

Come on in the water is fine...

[afgeo4]

What's the time commitment vs. AFIADL 0013 course?  How long do you have to study and how many exams are there?

[DNall]

Actually, your unit PDO should be able to help you get signed up.

Assuming you had one you'd seen or spoken to even once since transfering to the Sq in Aug even though they report to you.

I just got signed up & hadn't touched a thing yet. Actually, I did the AF form & have yet to log in. Can you post what you needed to do w/ NHQ to square it up?

[A.Member]

"...they torture you with briefings 'til your will to live is gone. They take 5 weeks of your short life and flush it down the john...

...between this and death by bunga-bunga, you'll surely chose death...

...S...O...S...is calling for you!"

[AlphaSigOU]

"...they torture you with briefings 'til your will to live is gone. They take 5 weeks of your short life and flush it down the john...

...between this and death by bunga-bunga, you'll surely chose death...

...S...O...S...is calling for you!"

Yay for Snooze and Trip! (Dos Gringos, that is.)

[arajca]

Actually, your unit PDO should be able to help you get signed up.

Assuming you had one you'd seen or spoken to even once since transfering to the Sq in Aug even though they report to you.

I just got signed up & hadn't touched a thing yet. Actually, I did the AF form & have yet to log in. Can you post what you needed to do w/ NHQ to square it up?

National has nothing to do with it. It's all done through AFIADL.

After emailing the form, you'll need to register for the AU Distributed Learning System. Go to the Support Desk and submit an incident explaining that you're with CAP and need access for SOS. They'll set you up and send you the instructions to login.

For the SOS-DLP FAQ's, go here.

[arajca]

Got my results back for International Studies - Passed. 77%. Not as good as I thought I'd do, but I'll take it.

[Robert Hartigan]

Congrats! 77% is respectable. Two more test and you are done, right?

[arajca]

Yep. Starting Communication Studies tomorrow, should be easier considering I just finished English Comp and Speech at my community college. At least until I get to the AF specific documents. I'm getting psych'd for a bunch of quizes - just about every reading assignment has a quiz, like 15 in all, instead of two or three for the entire course.

Then comes Leadership Studies.

[TankerT]

What's the time commitment vs. AFIADL 0013 course?  How long do you have to study and how many exams are there?

I'd say hands down, there is no comparison.  SOS contains more difficult material. 

AFIADL 13 has the one exam.  SOS has four.

I took the paper based SOS.  (I tried the CD based one.  It was soooo boring.  And, I couldn't sit down and study at lunch while at work... so... it didn't work out... so I changed.)

I spent several hours a week on the course.  (I don't recall how many.  Sometimes quite a few.  Mainly going over the materials and making flash cards.)  I took 14 months.  I probably could have done it in a year... but... I still needed time to actually do CAP stuff... as well as spend time with my family.  (But, when it comes to this type of material, which is lots of small essays and case studies, I tend to overstudy when a multiple guess test is involved.  I hate multiple guess.... I would have been done months faster if it was essay...)

[MIKE]

Multiple guess. 

[Robert Hartigan]

SOS 28 is now broken up into five areas so there are five test now. The entire course is online via web briefings and reading assignments.

My experience so far is that it is a comprehensive analysis of the basic building blocks of professional military officership and the USAF in particular.  Very interesting material and I can see how the material on the surface may seem irrelevant to CAP but I am sure that the material will be a benefit to me in my professional life and CAP volunteerism.

The added benefit of college credit is also appealing since it is free.

I recommend it to those with the self discipline and the ability to make the time for the studies.

[DNall]

Actually, your unit PDO should be able to help you get signed up.

Assuming you had one you'd seen or spoken to even once since transfering to the Sq in Aug even though they report to you.

I just got signed up & hadn't touched a thing yet. Actually, I did the AF form & have yet to log in. Can you post what you needed to do w/ NHQ to square it up?

National has nothing to do with it. It's all done through AFIADL.

After emailing the form, you'll need to register for the AU Distributed Learning System. Go to the Support Desk and submit an incident explaining that you're with CAP and need access for SOS. They'll set you up and send you the instructions to login.

For the SOS-DLP FAQ's, go [urlhttp://soc.maxwell.af.mil/sos/socadl/index.htm=]here.[/url]

Did that, initial reply didn't give me login info, but got it cleared up. Thought it was going to be more ocmplicated then that - considering CAP gave me horrible guidance & my Wg webpage is outdated on the proceedure. Got it though, off & running.

Hey, there's an AFOATS Instructor Course on here, can I sign up for that? CAP instructor program too, I didn't think that was ready yet... hey this is cool.