LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT THROUGH AIR FORCE RESERVE OFFICER TRAINING CORPS (AFROTC)

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of leadership development through Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC). Since Air Force ROTC produces the largest number of future military leaders for the Air Force, these programs must provide the ultimate in leadership development. The motto of Air Force ROTC is "Leadership begins here".;Efforts also examined the relationship between the cadets ratings of two assessment instruments (the Sixteen Factor Personality Questionnaire and the Leader Behavior Description Questionnaire) and the ratings of Air Force ROTC faculty and the ratings of career successful officers of the same instruments.;The research questions investigated in this study were the following: (1) there will be a significant difference in the traits and behaviors between lower and upper division cadets; (2) there will be a significant difference in the traits and behaviors of the cadets in six months; (3) there will be a significant difference in the means between the cadets' (real) ratings of their traits and behaviors and the faculty's (ideal) ratings of the traits and behaviors; and (4) there will be a significant difference in the means between the cadets' (real) ratings of their traits and behaviors and the career successful officers' (ideal) ratings of the traits and behaviors.;The two questionnaires were administered twice to sixty cadets, once to thirty faculty, and once to forty-six officers. The responses were subjected to t tests to determine the degree of congruence between the groups. Results indicated that the cadets, faculty, and officers identified leadership traits and behaviors with a high degree of correlation. Results also indicated no change in the cadets' ratings in six months. Results further indicated no difference between the lower and upper division cadets' ratings.;This study evaluated the effectiveness of one such program through the investigation of the relationship among standardized test scores in cadets enrolled in each class of Air Force ROTC. The long range purpose of this endeavor was to enhance the understanding of the leadership process and thereby develop better leaders. While the focus was military leadership, the approach was both analytical and descriptive as leadership is an art which can be developed.;This study determined the effectiveness of leadership development in Air Force ROTC cadets as defined by certain traits and behaviors. Secondly, it indicated the greatest strengths in the program and provided guidelines for program development. Finally, it illustrated the extent to which these standardized tests discriminated among cadets, faculty, and officers and provided invaluable information for application to the selection process.