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A program to provide a Master’s Degree in Aeronautical Systems for student naval aviators was recently approved by the Secretary of the Navy. This program resulted from the desire of Vice Admiral A. S. Heyward, Jr., Chief of Naval Air Training, to provide future leaders of naval aviation with an educational background that would prepare them to deal with the complexities and sophistication of modern aircraft weapons systems.
This exciting new program will be a cooperative effort of the University of West Florida and the Navy. Students, while in the basic training command and after matriculation, will spend about half of their time on campus at the University and the other half at N.A.S. Whiting Field in the Pensacola area. The University will be responsible for the graduate-level academic instruction and the Navy will be responsible for all instruction in flight training and flight support academics. A joint board consisting of representatives from the University of West Florida and the Naval Air Training Command will monitor the program and make recommendations as required to the Chief of Naval Air Basic Training and to the President of the University of West Florida on matters of mutual concern.
Through the years, the academic training of student naval aviators has been constantly updated and revised to meet Fleet requirements. However, the varied educational background of students and the non-constant academic background of available “in-house” instructor personnel established practical upper limits to the scope of academic training that could be accomplished, to say nothing of being accredited. The relationship of current student naval aviator academic achievement and the academic objective of the Master’s Degree Program is set forth in Figure 1.
Through an interdisciplinary, graduate- level education, the academic objective of the new Master’s Degree Program is to provide the student naval aviator with the knowledge and ability to:
• Break down, through scientific analysis, the problems encountered in the operation of aircraft weapons systems.
• Synthesize the elements of a problem
into one or several solutions.
• Evaluate various problem solution evolving from analysis and synthesis.
Naval aviator graduates of the Masters Degree Program in Aeronautical System5 will be expected to fill the knowledge gaP now existing between the operator and the designer of complex aircraft weapons system3. One immediate benefit that should rest'F from the graduate program is the realization of a greater operational potential of weapon3 systems operated by program graduate3. This can be expected, since program grade ates will have been disciplined in the system3 approach during their participation in d>e Master’s Degree Program. A significant long range benefit that should be realized, afte‘ program graduates have gained operation3 experience, will be their capability to recog nize, define, and express the requirement5 and characteristics desired for improved air , craft weapons systems.
Evaluating the results of interviews vvn student naval aviators, it can be assumed to3 this volunteer program, even though initial y limited in numbers participating, has grea appeal to the prospective naval aviator 'v'llCI is interested in an opportunity for gradual level academic education early in his nav career, particularly since the master’s de gree can be earned concurrently with and m approximately the same time frame reqi>me for the conventional flight training progr3'1,1'
In view of the requirement that an ado tional year of obligated service will be re
Figure 1
Above the present achievement level of con'e(j tional flight training are analysis, synthesis, evaluation, the program’s academic object1'
Adapted from B. S. Bloom's Taxonomy
EVALUATION
I
SYNTHESIS
ANALYSIS
APPLICATION
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COMPREHENSION
KNOWLEDGE
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cluired of those who volunteer to participate, js program will help somewhat to ease the '^tical aviator-retention problem faced by
While the need for a master’s degree pro- Srarn for student naval aviators has been aPparent for many years, the ability to meet ls need was not available until the University of West Florida was established in . ensacola. The University of West Florida ls a part of the university system of the State Florida and is the system’s newest member, his university is unique in that it is a senior "diversity offering only the last two years of “ridergraduate education and graduate-level ^cation. Eighty per cent of the faculty ave doctoral degrees.
The University is situated about halfway p?tween N.A.S., Pensacola, and Whiting . h, making it easily accessible to student gators from both locations. The President 'V Wc University of West Florida, Dr. Harold ‘ Crosby, who was an Army Air Corps pilot ^Uring World War II, fully appreciates the avy’s requirement for, and has given his V'V'Pkte support to, this graduate academic Rctive for student naval aviators.
Since 1966, all prospective Navy student ^ lat°rs have had to have college degrees to pC admitted to the flight training program. ‘Sure 2 shows the selectivity possible for
IQ , r°gram participants must have a baches degree in the physical sciences; i.e., ‘h, engineering, physics, etc., and meet the p Quttance criteria of the University of West unda. However, selection of candidates 1 not be determined solely on academic ^acellence. The Flight Aptitude Rating (FAR) ^ scores, which measure an individual’s °nautical adaptability, and demonstrated : allties of leadership will also be considered
February 1967, after the University of it would be in participation in a graduate aviators, Vice y 1111 ml Heyward authorized the Chief of Pro^^ ®as‘c Training to establish a test §rnm. The test objective was to prove or , sProve the concept that the academic work- Cn i lnv°ived in graduate-level education *d be accomplished concurrently with and
in the same time frame as the conventional flight training program. The program was conducted with volunteer students and inhouse academic instructors, including reserve officers with the appropriate academic background who voluntarily accepted recall to active duty. The test program, concluded in December 1967, proved the feasibility of the concept.
The curriculum of the Master’s Degree in Aeronautical Systems is based on the desired academic objective. It was developed by representatives from the Naval Air Training Command, the University of West Florida,
Figure 3
Curriculum for the Master’s Degree in Aeronautical Systems
First Quarter Hours
1 -1 Aerodynamics 5
1- 2 Aeromedical Factors 5
1- 3 Environmental Sciences 5
Second Quarter
2- 1 Thermodynamics & Propulsion 5
2- 2 Advanced Navigational Concepts & Computers 5
2- 3 Elements of Operations Research/Systems
Analysis 5
Third Quarter
3- 1 Aircraft Performance 5
3- 2 Sensors & Detection Systems 5
3- 3 Methods of Operations Research/Systems
Analysis 5
Fourth Quarter
4- 1 Advanced Flight Systems Laboratory 6
4- 2 Synthesis of Weapons Systems 5
4- 3 Politico/Economic Factors in National
Defense 4
Total Quarter Hours of Academic Credits 60
40 U. S. Naval Institute Proceedings, February 1969
the Bureau of Personnel, and the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey. Figure 3 is an outline of the curriculum that will be presented.
The systems approach was emphasized in the development of the curriculum. It will provide the basic knowledge necessary for graduates to fully appreciate the functional parameters of the various elements comprising aircraft weapons systems; viz., man, vehicle, environment, sensors, navigation systems, computers, and weapons. Elements and methods of operational research and analysis are also emphasized in the curriculum. During the last quarter an awareness of politico- economic factors as related to national defense will be obtained by seminar-type instruction.
The program has been approved for a two-year trial period. With 120 graduates per year (30 per quarter), 240 graduates will have completed the program at the end of the trial period. Figure 4 compares the time phasing for students in the conventional flight training program and those in the Master’s Degree Program.
As shown in the comparison of Figure 4, the student in the Master’s Degree Program will complete flight training in approximately the same time as the student in the
Figure 4
Training dme for Master’s Degree Program.
FLT PREP | VT-1 | BASIC TRAINING | CQ VT-5 | ADV TRAINING |
& SURV |
| 23 WKS VT-2 3 | 3 WKS | 18-20 WKS |
6 WKS |
|
|
|
|
|
| ------ 26 WKS — ------ 58 WKS — |
|
|
279 HOURS FUGHT TIME
Training time for conventional program.
FLT PREP & SURV 2 WKS | VT-1 SOLO 4 WKS | THREE QUARTERS BASIC TRAINING 33 WKS VT-2 3 | CQ VT-5 3 WKS | FOURTH QUARTER ADV TRAINING 18-20 WKS |
|
| ------ 60 WKS — |
|
|
279 HOURS FUGHT TIME
conventional program. Students in the conventional program will proceed through training on an individual basis after completing Flight Preparation in the Naval Aviation Schools Command, while students in the Master’s Program will proceed in classes of 30. Although flight support and certain other conventional program academic subjects will
A graduate of the U. S. Nava! Academy with the Class 0 1941, Rear Admiral served in the USS Milwauki1 until 1943, when he enters the flight training progranT- Assigned to VF-94, he flew 0" the USS Lexington in the Pac}' fic theater. Since 1947, ^lS commands have include Fighter Squadron T wo-'
(1947 to 1948): VC-3 (1954); Carrier Air Group S>* (1956 to 1957); USS Rigel (1962 to 1963); LfSh Forrestal (1963 to 1964); Carrier Division Four (1965)> and, since May 1967, Naval Air Basic Training.
be necessary for the Master’s Degree student) the bulk of academics given in the convefl' tional program will be replaced by the cur' riculum of the Master’s Degree Program. ^ should also be noted that candidates will not) for obvious reasons, be matriculated in d>e program until they have soloed at Training Squadron One. It is anticipated that student inputs into the program will be initiated 1,1 January 1969, with the first graduates arri'" ing in the fleet in the summer of 1970.
The Master’s Degree in Aeronautical Sys' terns offers benefits comparable to the I*11' mediate Master’s Degree Program recently initiated in 1967 for Naval Academy grad11' ates. Since the participants in both program15 will be entering graduate programs imme' diately upon completion of undergraduate studies, refresher courses in various pre” requisites and reacquisition of study habits will not be required.
The graduate program in Aeronautical Systems will require intense concentration and considerable effort on the part of th® participants. However, with the anticipate strong student motivation and a high degree of student selectivity available, the program is considered to be well within the capabil1' ties of those who may volunteer and bc selected. It is expected that the program result not only in greater retention of dm participants, but also will serve as a stimulao1 for graduates to seek additional NaV>" sponsored postgraduate education available at the Naval Postgraduate School at M°,r terey and at other co-operating institution® of higher learning, after they have complete
l^e'r operational tours in the Fleet.
Participants in the program during the hial period will be given basic training in ne T-28 aircraft. Upon reporting to the Advanced Training Command at Corpus Christi, e*as, students will have the option of confining training in propeller aircraft or of 'positioning to jet aircraft. Upon completion o the two-year trial period, it is anticipated at the program, if successful, can be °ubled to accommodate up to 60 students Per *
quarter, or 240 graduates per year. At
that time, some of the participants would remain at Whiting Field while the others would undergo basic training at the jet base in Meridian, Mississippi.
The Master’s Degree in Aeronautical Systems Program is new in concept and dynamic in nature. Those of us who have been privileged to participate in the program’s development believe it to be a milestone in the progress of higher education for the military officer which will generate both intense interest and early emulation.
I Never Told Him
While serving as Chief of the Bureau of Ships with the rank of rear admiral, I was returning by train from a duty trip to Philadelphia. It was near the end of the Korean episode and officers were permitted to travel in civilian clothes. At an intermediate stop, a number of young sailors from the Bainbridge Naval Training Station came aboard and were having some difficulty in finding seats. I invited one of them to share the double seat which I occupied, and we were soon engaged in pleasant conversation. I learned that his home was in the Bronx and that he was now en route to San Diego.
The young man assured me that he had enjoyed the Navy so far, despite some hardships, rigorous training, and stern discipline. He said that the food was excellent and the treatment was good. He displayed much loyalty to the service and pride in the academic and technical training which he had received. Because of his high standing, he had been selected for specialized training at the San Diego Navy Electronics School.
Our train was late and it became clear that he would have only a few minutes to transfer to the Chicago sleeper. Since he was unfamiliar with Union Station in Washington, I offered to guide him and to assist him with his baggage. By that time, I had become quite impressed with the fellow, and admired his enthusiasm and general outlook.
As we were hustling along the station platform, we met a naval officer in uniform. My new friend shifted his baggage as best he could and rendered a snappy salute. Then, with an air of confidence and pride, he said to me: “That was a lieutenant commander.”
—Contributed by Vice Admiral Homer N. Wallin, U. S. Navy (Ret.)
(The Naval Institute will pay $10.00 for each anecdote published in the Proceedings.)