All of the military services have procedures and policies in place that entail a formal process prior to any of their member’s receipt of commissioning into the officer ranks. Military organizations do not follow a democratic process as it is generally known. If that were so military units would not be as efficient as need be in order to comply with their primary mission – the defense of our country. The strict structure of military units is essential. A chain of command that unquestionably defines a rank system and establishes priorities as to responsibilities has always been in order in the military. War time situations are not the place where a majority vote or a variety of opinions would enhance the best possibility of success of any given battle mission.
In the 1950’s there were three formal courses whereby one could gain the status of a commissioned officer in the United States Air Force. The U. S. Air Force Military Academy was coming into existence and graduates from this prestigious school gained a commission as a Second Lieutenant. The Reserve Officer Training School (ROTC), a course available at many colleges and universities, was also an option. The other possibility was through active duty completion of the Officers Training School (OTS), a condensed curriculum whereby enlisted members or other recommended individuals were selected to gain an officer’s commission. During wartime when attrition or casualties dictated, a fourth possibility, although not commonly used, was the direct awarding of a battlefield commission.
During the decade of the 1950’s the Aviation Cadet program, designed for the training of Air Force pilots and the receiving of an officer’s commission, was still in existence. Upon entry into that program the first three months, of the fifteen months spent as a Cadet, were dedicated to the Officers Training School at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. It was there that my experience into the making of an officer began. I had joined the Air Force under a regular four year enlisted commitment in 1952, with the full intention of attempting to gain entry into the Aviation Cadet program. At that time individuals with only a high school diploma were accepted and, with no college background, that was my only option to pursue my goal of becoming a pilot and officer. Following the completion of basic airman training at Sampson AFB, Geneva, New York, I was accepted as an Aviation Cadet, but had a six months delay before a class opening became available. That period of time was spent at Craig AFB, Selma, Alabama performing flight line mechanic duties.
I eventually received assignment to what was designated Class 54-M, which was comprised of many higher ranked enlisted members seeking status as officers. Some were Master and Technical Sergeants who had up to twelve years of prior service, but most were of lower ranks similar to me as an Airman Third Class. Exposure to the strict regimen of this curriculum, the hazing by upper class men, and the lowest of the low treatment directed to the new heads was more than many of the former enlisted men could handle. As a result almost half of those fell by the wayside, and chose to resign or quit the program. They knew they could resume their former rank and enlisted status and avoid any more of this “chicken s…” exposure. Daily inspections, marching everywhere from classroom, to dining hall, to quarters, and to the parade grounds became routine. Uniform violations, crooked gig lines, stray threads from a button hole, haircut deficiencies, shoes possessing less than a glistening shine, beds and footlockers not properly presented, and failure to respond from memory items such as the Definition of Discipline were all cause for after hours walking tours. Those one hour marches were the method by which one had to learn to abide by the military methods or suffer the consequences. If one did not quickly learn to comply and fully comprehend the meaning of discipline and responsibility, then life would be extremely miserable as any free time you might have expected became punishment time.
Having only recently completed the six weeks Basic Airman Training Course, I found the strict discipline of OTS more challenging and difficult to endure, but I was dedicated to a successful conclusion. I persevered and proceeded to complete primary and basic flight training at Goodfellow AFB, Texas and Williams AFB, Arizona. The strict military protocol and procedures continued at both of these bases, but became easier as the training progressed, especially since the flight training aspect was the major point. It was Williams AFB that the receipt of Air Force pilot wings and the commissioning as a Second Lieutenant was finally awarded. The long process was over and the awarding of pilot wings and receipt of a certificate confirming the status as a commissioned officer did seem to make the effort all worth while.
The text of the commission charter dates back to the days of George Washington. The wording has been modified only slightly over the ages and is common within the other military services. The officers commission document, in the days of the Continental Army, was required by military regulations to be carried on your person at all times. This proved unfortunate for Nathan Hale, who was dispatched by General Washington on a secret mission to locate British forces around Long Island. A cousin, sympathetic to the British, recognized the disguised Hale and turned him in to the enemy. Nathan Hale’s commission, hidden in his sock, revealed him as a Continental Army officer, and on the next day he was hung as a spy.
The certificate presented to all newly commissioned officers is officially known as Department of Defense Form 1 (Air Force). A reading of the text reveals by its phraseology that it has been in existence for a lengthy period. The actual wording of an officer’s commission, remembered by few, is hereby quoted.
“To all who shall see these presents, greeting: Know ye, that reposing special trust and confidence in the patriotism, valor, fidelity and abilities of Charles William Armstrong, I do appoint him Second Lieutenant in the Reserve United States Air Force to date as such from the eighth day of July, Nineteen Hundred and Fifty-four. This Officer will therefore carefully and diligently discharge the duties of the office to which appointed by doing and performing all manner of things thereunto belonging.
“And I do strictly charge and require those Officers and other personnel of lesser rank to render such obedience as is due an officer of this grade and position. And this Officer is to observe and follow such orders and directions, from time to time, as may be given by me, or the future President of the United States of America, or other Superior Officers acting in accordance with the laws of the United States of America.
“This commission is to continue in force during the pleasure of the President of the United States of America, for the time being, under the provisions of those Public Laws relating to Officers of the Armed Forces of the United States of America and the component thereof in which this appointment is made.
“Done at the City of Washington, this eighth day of July in the year of our Lord One Thousand Nine Hundred and Fifty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the one hundred and seventy-ninth. By the President:”
The document was jointly signed on behalf of the President of the United States by E. O’Donnell, Lieutenant General, USAF, Deputy Chief of Staff, Personnel and by Harold E. Talbott, Secretary of the Air Force.
My original commissioning was in the Reserve Status of the Air Force. In 1968, when selected for appointment for Regular Status as a Major, I received a second document so affirming my later commissioning. This assured me of career status within the military structure. The only difference between the two documents, fourteen years apart, are the words, Regular versus Reserve, and Major versus Second Lieutenant.
In remembrance of the days at the Officers Training School and during my time as an Aviation Cadet I retained those items that had to be memorized and, when called upon to do so, had to be stated in a clear, firm voice. Questioning the reason why this memorization was necessary was not the answer – it was to be done – and it was for a worthy endeavor. Here follows those memorized items, ingrained in my mind at that time, but now a distant memory.
OFFICER’S CODE: “Duty well performed, Honor in all things, Country before self.”
DEFINITION OF DISCIPLINE: “The discipline which makes the soldiers of a free country reliable in battle is not gained by harsh or tyrannical treatment. On the contrary, such treatment is far more likely to destroy than to make an army. It is possible to impart instructions and to give commands in such a manner and such a tone of voice as to inspire in the soldier no feeling but an intense desire to obey, while the opposite manner and tone of voice cannot fail to excite strong resentment and a desire to disobey. The one mode or other of dealing with subordinates springs from a corresponding spirit in the breast of the commander. He who feels the respect which is due to others cannot fail to inspire in them regard for himself, while he who feels, and hence manifests disrespect toward others, especially his inferiors, cannot fail to inspire hatred against himself.” Taken from an address by Maj. Gen. J. N. Schofield to the graduating class at the United States Military Academy.
GENERAL WASHINGTON’S ORDERS: The General is sorry to be informed that the foolish and wicked practice of profane cursing and swearing, a vice heretofore little known in an American Army, is growing into fashion. He hopes the officers will, by example as well as influence, endeavor to check it, and that both they and the men will reflect that we can have little hope of the blessing of heaven on our arms if we insult it by our impiety and folly. Added to this is a vice so mean and low, without any temptation, that every man of sense and character detests and despises it.
GENERAL ORDERS:
- To take charge of this post and all government property in view.
- To walk my post in a military manner, keeping always on the alert, and observing everything that takes place within sight or hearing.
- To report all violations of orders I am instructed to enforce.
- To repeat all calls from posts more distant from the guard house than my own.
- To quit my post only when properly relieved.
- To receive, obey, and pass on to the sentinel who relieves me, all orders from the commanding officer, officer of the day, officers and non-commissioned officer of the guard only.
- To talk to no one except in the line of duty.
- To give the alarm in case of fire or disorder.
- To call the corporal of the guard in any case not covered by instruction.
- To salute all officers, and all colors and standards not cased.
- To be especially watchful at night and during the time for challenging, to challenge all persons on or near my post and to allow no one to pass without proper authority.
CORRECT TIME: “Sir, since the inner workings and hidden mechanisms of my chronometer are not in accord with the great celestial movement by which time is commonly reckoned, I cannot safely state the correct time, but without fear of being too far wrong I state that the time is approximately _ minutes, _ ticks, _ tocks, past ___ hours.”
POSITION REPORT: “Identification – AF Jet 1152. Type Aircraft – F86. Time -1300 hrs. Altitude – 6000 ft. Proceeding VFR. Destination – Primary. ETA – 10 Jul 1953. Remarks – Hope to make Basic Training.”
PHONETIC ALPHABET: Alfa, Bravo, Coca, Delta, Echo, Foxtrot, Golf, Hotel, India, Juliett, Kilo, Lima, Metro, Nectar, Oscar, Papa, Quebec, Romeo, Sierra, Tango, Union, Victor, Whiskey, eXtra, Yankee, Zulu.
POSITION OF ATTENTION:
- Heels on the same line and as near each other as the conformation of the man permits.
- Feet turned out equally and forming an angle of 45 degrees.
- Knees straight without stiffness.
- Hips level and drawn back slightly, body erect and resting equally on hips, chest lifted and arched, shoulders square and falling equally.
- Arms hanging straight down without stiffness so that the thumbs are along the seams of the trousers, back of the hands out, fingers held naturally.
- Head erect and squarely to the front, chin drawn in so that the axis of the head and neck is vertical, eyes straight to the front.
- Weight of the body resting equally on the heels and balls of the feet.
CHAIN OF COMMAND:
- Commander in Chief – President Dwight D. Eisenhower
- Secretary of Defense – Mr. Charles E. Wilson
- Secretary of the Air Force – Mr. Harold Talbott
- Chief of Staff U. S. Air Force – General Hoyt S. Vandenberg
- Commanding General, ATRC – Lt. General Robert W. Harper
- Commanding General, TTAF – Maj. General Eugene Eubanks
- Commanding General, Lackland AFB – Brig. General Wycliffe E. Steele
- Commanding Officer, 3740 PFTG – Colonel William E. Stewart
- Commanding Officer, 3740 PFTS – Captain Gordon H. J. Fleisch
- Military Training Instructor – Captain Cook
Above information compiled in 1953 and 1954 during Officer Training at Lackland AFB, TX, Primary Flight Training at Goodfellow AFB, TX and Basic Training at Williams AFB, AZ. Received 2nd Lieutenant Commission and Pilot Wings at Williams AFB, AZ on 8 July 1954.
Wings Over Cumberland 