How to be an Aerospace Education Officer
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An Aerospace Education Officer is a Senior Member of the Civil Air Patrol - The USAF Auxiliary. This web page will tell how to become an Aerospace Education Officer and to achieve the Technician, Senior, and Master ratings in the Aerospace Education specialty track.
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1. Talk with your unit commander.
If there is already an Aerospace Education Officer serving for the unit, ask to be assigned the duty of Assistant Aerospace Education Officer for the unit. (Check with the Aerospace Education Oficer for the unit to make sure that they are willing to have an assistant.)
If there is NOT an Aerospace Education Officer, ask to be assigned the duty of Aerospace Education Officer for the unit.
2. Ask the unit commander to put you into the specialty track for Aerospace Education.
If you are a Senior Member who is new to CAP, ask the unit commander if he can show the date that you started in the specialty track as the date that you joined CAP.
If you are a Senior Member who has been in CAP for a while, ask the unit commander if he can show the date that you started in the specialty track as the date that you joined the unit.
3. Ask the unit commander if there is anyone in the unit with a Master Rating in the Aerospace Education specialty track.
If there is, then ask that member to be you Mentor for your training to be rated in the Aerospace Education specialty track (unless there are circumstances that mitigate against this.)
If there is not, then ask the Professional Development Officer for the unit to serve as your Mentor for your training to be rated in the Aerospace Education specialty track.
If the Professional Development Officer (for whatever reason) can not serve as your Mentor, contact the Wing Aerospace Education Officer and ask for their help.
4. Do each of the items on the Technician Level Checklist (on page 9 of CAP Pamphlet 50-2). Have your mentor initial and date each item. Fill in the other information and give it to your unit commander to approve and sign.
When your unit commander approves your Technician rating, then ask that you be submitted (on a CAP Form 2A) for the Leadership Ribbon and the Yeager Award. Also, ask your unit commander to put you into the Aerospace Education Senior Rating specialty track.
You have now earned the right to wear the basic Aerospace Education Badge. Wear it with pride!
5. Now, start doing each of the items on the Senior Level Checklist (on page 13 of CAP Pamphlet 215). Have your mentor initial and date each item. Fill in the other information and give it to your unit commander to approve and sign.
When your unit commander approves your Senior rating, then ask that you be submitted (on a CAP Form 2A) for a Bronze Star to go on to your Leadership Ribbon and for the bronze star to go on the Davis Award ribbon. Also, ask your unit commander to put you into the Aerospace Education Master Rating specialty track.
You have now earned the right to wear the Aerospace Education Badge with a bronze star. Wear it with pride!
6. Now, start doing each of the items on the Master Level Checklist (on page 17 of CAP Pamphlet 215). Have your mentor initial and date each item. Fill in the other information and give it to your unit commander to approve and sign.
When your unit commander approves your Master rating, then ask that you be submitted (on a CAP Form 2A) for a Silver Star to go on to your Leadership Ribbon and for the silver star to go on the Davis Award ribbon.
You have now earned the right to wear the Aerospace Education Badge with a gold star. Wear it with pride!
7. Ask your unit commander to put you in for the Crossfield Award.
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Aerospace Education Member (AEM)
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The Aerospace Education Membership category is a special membership for educators that support and promote aerospace education. This membership category is open to any fully certified professional educator (teacher, counselor, or administrator) by the state department of education in the member's state of residence. Or a teacher who is serving, or has served as a college or university professor (full, associate or assistant) or other faculty member.
Aerospace Education Members (AEMs) are not eligible to wear the CAP uniform or serve in an authorized position within CAP, but they are eligible to receive all of the free materials from the CAP Aerospace Education directorate. AEMs can also participate in the Aerospace Education Excellence (AEX) Award Program. Additionally, they can apply for grants through our Air Force Association (AFA) grants program. Many AEMs take advantage of the opportunity to participate in these programs, as well as our Teacher Orientation Program (TOP) flights. There are many other privileges and benefits of being an AEM and they are covered on our AE website at http://ae.capmembers.com/.
Because of the teaching done by AEMs, the CAP Aerospace Education message is reaching and making a difference in the lives of students all across the country.
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Civil Air Patrol Aerospace Education Materials
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STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) KITS
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The Civil Air Patrol (CAP) has many books about aviation from Kindergarten thru
12th Grade. They also have a program for teachers: the Aviation Education Member
(AEM). AEMs have the ability to get kits to use in the classroom.
http://www.gocivilairpatrol.com
The flyer for the STEM kits follows.
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Teacher Orientation Program flights
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The TOP (Teacher Orientation Program) flights are Orientation Flights for teachers. Any Aerospace Education Member who is a teacher is eligible, as well as any Regular Senior Member who is a teacher. The TOP flights can be used as a recruiting tool. BUT, each teacher must be a member of CAP (AEM or Regular Member) with a CAP ID card in order to fly.
The Teacher Orientation Program includes an Aerospace Workshop with training, Aerospace Materials that are given to the teachers to use in teaching, and an orientation flight a some time after the workshop. The Orientation flight includes a full safety briefing (including a walk around of the aircraft). The Orientation flight usually uses the 1st powered flight sylabus as a general pattern.
TOP flights are coordinated between the Wing Director of Aerospace Education and the Director of Aerospace Education at CAP Headquarters. CAP HQ reimburses the cost of fuel and maintenance for TOP flights. The TOP flight missions are coded as "C" missions in WMIRS, and they require the Wing Commander's approval.
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Aerospace Connections in Education (ACE)
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The Aerospace Connections in Education (ACE) Program is for CAP teacher members in grades K-6. The program is designed for teachers to implement during the school day. ACE provides engaging and meaningful cross-curricular aerospace lessons that support science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) initiatives and enrich the school curricula. The ACE curriculum is grade level specific and alligned with National Academic Standards. The aerospace theme-related lessons support academics, character development, and physical fitness. This program is designed to help foster good-natured and healthy citizens who will develop an interest in and appreciation for aerospace as we seek to inspire the aerospace workforce of the next generation. Specifics about this program can be found on the AE website at http://ae.capmembers.com/.
Upon completion of this program, the teacher receives student completion certificate and a classroom plaque. AEOs are encouraged to support ACE classrooms by assisting with ACE lesson implementation, organizing class field trips, serving as aerospace speakers, or making a presentation at the school with the certificates and plaque. The AEO may want to use AE funding to sponsor ACE classrooms in the community. For more information, contact ace@capnhq.gov.
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Aerospace Education Excellence (AEX) Award Program
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The Aerospace Education Excellence (AEX) Award Program is the hands on aerospace activity program from CAP that consists of five books. Two of these books are aimed at grades K-5, and two of the books are aimed at grades 6-12. The fifth book was actually written for adults because adults enjoy AEX too. Even though each book was written for a particular audience, the activities can be adjusted for different age groups.
The AEX program is free for AEM and AEO members. In order to be eligible for the award portion of the program, the unit participants must complete 6 activities and a 2-hour AE Day within the fiscal year they received the AEX books. A fiscal year runs from October through September. So, any time you receive the books after October 1, you have until September 30, to complete the requirements. If you complete the requirements within the specified time limits, each participant will receive a certificate and the unit will receive a plaque. The classroom of an AEM qualifies as a unit for the purposes of the AEX program.
The 2-hour AE Day can be spent in many different ways. For example, you could use the time launching rockets, or going on a field trip to a local aerospace museum. Or, you can view videos, or movies, with an Aerospace theme.
Not all of the activities have to be from the AEX books. There are other excellent sources for aerospace activities, so be creative. If you are unsure as to whether a particular AEX lesson (not from our AEX books) is acceptable, email HQ CAP/AE at aex@capnhq.gov.
Applications for AEX are completed on-line in CAP e-services. Follow the instructions and order the AEX books. The CAP mailroom will receive this information and mail the books to you. Upon completion of your activities, go to CAP e-services again and enter the data on the completion form. The CAP HQ
AE staff will send blank individual certificates for the cadets, or students, and a plaque for the unit. Only one award can be earned per year.
AEX is a wonderful program for all ages. It is enjoyable and it reinforces many of the important laws, principles, and ideas associated with
aerospace. It supplements whatever lesson the instructor is teaching. DAEs and AEOs should encourage their wings, groups, squadrons and AEMs to get involved with AEX. Even if your unit doesn't complete 6 activities within the fiscal year, these activities are a great way for the cadets and students to learn more about aerospace and have fun doing it. This program offers another excellent way to spend time in aerospace.
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Aerospace Education Officer Tool Kit Slides
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Carolyn Bitner-Collins Aerospace Foundation
402 Kingston Dr
Grand Prairie, TX 75051
972-262-0423
info@aeftx.org
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