Air Training Officers (ATO) were specially selected

commissioned officer An officer is a person who holds a position of authority as a member of an armed force or uniformed service. Broadly speaking, "officer" means a commissioned officer, a non-commissioned officer, or a warrant officer. However, absent context ...

s who served as surrogate upperclass cadets at the

United States Air Force Academy The United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) is a United States service academy in El Paso County, Colorado, immediately north of Colorado Springs. It educates cadets for service in the officer corps of the United States Air Force and Uni ...

Establishment of the Air Force Academy

The original Air Training Officers were commissioned junior officers who served as a surrogate upperclass for incoming cadets before there were actual upperclass cadets to conduct training and oversee the Cadet Wing.

Admission of Women to the Academy

In 1976, the ATO program was revived in a modified form when women were allowed to attend the Air Force Academy. The Academy brought in a number of female junior officers to learn about Academy life and act as surrogate upperclassmen specifically for the new female cadets. Before taking on their roles, the new ATOs underwent Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) training, physical conditioning, various

airmanship Airmanship is skill and knowledge applied to aerial navigation, similar to seamanship in maritime navigation. Airmanship covers a broad range of desirable behaviors and abilities in an aviator. It is not simply a measure of skill or technique, b ...

programs, field training at Jacks Valley and audited academic courses. Special counseling courses enabled the ATOs to help women cadets with potential personal problems.

External links

AFMC General First to Introduce Women to AF Academy Life
AFMC Public Affairs article United States Air Force Academy {{USAF-stub