by U.S. Air Force Academy Strategic Communications

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – The Academy published U.S. Air Force Academy Manual 36-3526 codifying its Leader of Character Framework as standard guidance for leadership development, and launched the Superintendent’s Leader of Character Certificate Program augmenting the effort, today.

The release marks the culmination of a two-year, Academy-wide effort. The Leader of Character Framework describes how and why the Academy conducts character and leadership development. The purpose of the new manual is to provide guidance on how to foster a personal commitment to character and leadership growth for all cadets, faculty and staff. The new certificate program enhances both efforts through a focus on faculty and staff as the Academy’s leader-developers.

“This is an effort I have been passionate about for quite some time and something I believe is critically important to the future of our Academy,” said Lt. Gen. Richard Clark, Academy superintendent. “This manual will help us internalize and apply the framework as we shape the future of our Air Force and Space Force.”

Clark further addresses the importance of the new initiatives in a video posted here.

The Academy’s Center for Character and Leadership Development is leading the rollout and integration of the new programs. The manual is online now and registration for the certificate program is underway.

USAFA Manual 36-3526, Developing Leaders of Character at USAFA

“Our team is very excited about these important milestones for the Academy,” said Col. Kurt Wendt, CCLD director. “The new manual is foundational to our primary mission of developing leaders of character, and the certificate program encourages our Academy team to apply framework concepts in their day-to-day roles. The Academy has long been instrumental in developing leaders of character, and now the framework pillars of living honorably, lifting others, and elevating performance are codified guidance for all USAFA leaders and leader-developers to follow.”

The new manual includes examples from Academy cadets, faculty and staff illustrating how the Leader of Character Framework impacts them on a personal level.

“These stories reinforce and promote the framework as a lens through which our cadets can integrate education, training, and experiences across the course of instruction,” said Dr. Michele Johnson, CCLD assistant professor for officer development integration.

Superintendent’s Leader of Character Certificate Program

Parallel to the new manual, the certificate program promotes and recognizes the intentional development of faculty and staff as leader-developers. The program equips participants to prioritize focus on the development of leaders of character.

The certificate program includes a combination of core and elective workshops. The program culminates in the planning and approval of a final project designed to drive leader engagement in an individual’s organization.

The Center for Character and Leadership Development is available to assist any Academy organization with questions about the new manual or the Superintendent’s Leader of Character Certificate Program.

Dr. Jackie Hooper, Center for Character and Leadership Development assistant professor, hosts a workshop during the National Character and Leadership Symposium at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado 2022. (U.S. Air Force photo by Trevor Cokley)