If you join the Air Force with a college degree already in hand, you’ll begin your career with Officer Training School.

Officer Training School

Find the leader in you

Phase 01:
Indoctrination Phase 02:
Development Phase 03:
Application Phase 04:
Transition

If you join the Air Force with a college degree already in hand, you’ll begin your career with Officer Training School. This rigorous, nine-and-a-half-week program is organized into four phases designed to challenge you both mentally and physically. Throughout the course of the program, you’ll develop the skills and confidence you need to lead the men and women of the United States Air Force as a Second Lieutenant.

In the first phase of your training, you’ll focus on teamwork, discipline and standardization. You’ll acquire the skills you need to form and operate as a team as you begin to learn the fundamentals of leadership, military management and Air Force culture.

Phase two of your training allows you to further develop your understanding of the fundamentals of leadership, military management and the profession of arms. You’ll focus on learning the history of the Air Force, basic combat skills and the importance of cross-cultural competence as it relates to the Air Force mission.

Phase three focuses on the practical application of the lessons learned in the first two phases. You’ll experience the pressures of leadership and command by training in the new lower class, as well as by leading your peers through officer trainee wing positions. At the end of this phase, you’ll be required to pass individual leadership evaluations at the Leadership Reaction Course in order to advance to the final phase of Officer training.

The final phase of the program prepares you to make the transition from training environments to the operational Air Force. This phase concentrates on mentoring and the practical transition into the traditions and everyday life of an Air Force Officer and culminates with your graduation from Officer Training School.

Training and academics

Here are some of the training and academic courses you may complete during the Indoctrination phase of your training:

Training and academics

Here are some of the training and academic courses you may complete during the Development phase of your training:

Training and academics

Here are some of the training and academic courses you may complete during the Application phase of training:

Training and academics

Here are some of the training and academic courses you may complete during the Transition phase of your training:

TRAINING:
Blue-Line Ceremony
In-processing
Uniform Purchase
Dorm Instruction
Drill Block
Confidence Course
Project X
Physical Fitness
ACADEMICS:
Academic Orientation
Military Customs and Courtesies
Profession of Arms
Air Force Leaders
Airman’s Creed
Personal and Group Goals

TRAINING:
M-9 Weapons Qualifications
Basic Expeditionary Leadership Problem Solving (BELPS)
Air Force Combatives Program (hand-to-hand combat)
ACADEMICS:
Military Briefings
Airpower from Pre-WWI to Present Day
Handling Culture Shock Effectively
Military Law
Leadership Authority and Responsibility
Standards and Accountability

TRAINING:
Assault Course
Small-unit Tactics
Preparation for the Arrival of the Lower Class
Leadership Reaction Course (LRC)
Base Defense Field Exercises
ACADEMICS:
Leadership and Management Case Studies
Group Dynamics
Professional and Unprofessional Relationships
Advocacy Briefing Measurement
Air and Space System Capabilities

TRAINING:
Air Expeditionary Force Exercise (AEF)
First Officer Assignment
Career Day
Dining Out
Graduation
ACADEMICS:
Army, Navy, Marine Corps Panel
Oath of Office
Senior Officer Perspective
Financial Briefing

Responding to covid-19

Officer training school update

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Air Force has made updates to Officer Training School to ensure the safety of our new recruits, our active-duty Airmen, and their families. OTS has now been accelerated from nine and a half weeks to eight weeks.

Learn more