INBOUND STUDENTS

ACSC Commandant Welcomes Class of 2026

ACSC Class of 2026,

Congratulations on your selection to attend Air Command and Staff College, the premier Air Power School! The faculty of this renowned institution works tirelessly to educate and develop commanders, staff officers, and airpower leaders who solve problems at the operational level of war. While here, you will engage in 10 months of professional military education designed around rigorous academics, and personal and professional developmental opportunities. This is a major career milestone that affords you the opportunity to grow as an officer and leader in the profession of arms. During your ACSC experience, you will strengthen your professional network, learn from our expert faculty, widen the aperture of your operational air and space dominance lens, and prepare for the near-term challenges ahead.

ACSC prides itself in the expertise of our outstanding faculty. ACSC faculty have integrated contemporary war-fighting themes like great power competition, joint all domain operations, multi-capable Airmen, and agile combat employment throughout our curriculum to encourage discussion among our students that contribute to deterring or winning the next war regardless of location around the globe.

ACSC is also an opportunity for you to re-visit old friendships and make new ones.  We encourage you to take the initiative to engage in conversations with your ACSC classmates and fully immerse yourself with other career fields, nationalities, and walks of life. Your classmates will include the best officers from across the DoD and 60+ countries around the world, as well as civilian professionals from the DoD and other federal agencies. These service, joint, whole of government, and allies and partner nation relationships create a distinct operational advantage and promote interoperability.

The vast majority of ACSC graduates will depart Maxwell AFB for high-visibility staff assignments or command. Those jobs will require you to consume large volumes of information, think critically and creatively, and communicate thoughts to your boss both verbally and in writing. To that end, ACSC academics are unapologetically demanding. You will engage with material covering the theory of war, airpower history and application, international security, leadership, and joint planning while linking these to the contemporary security environment. The coursework will challenge you and is intended to prepare you for what lies ahead. The wisdom you gain here at ACSC will be essential in your upcoming assignments.

My staff and faculty are dedicated to preparing you to thrive in a volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous environment. To find out more about the academics, student life, inbound info, and the local community, please visit our website and look for the Academic Year 2026 (AY26) information at https://www.airuniversity.af.edu/ACSC/.

Benjamin B. Hatch, Colonel, USAF
Commandant

Preparing For ACSC

Reading and writing at a professional collegiate level will be a change for some of you.  If this is the case, do not be alarmed, you are NOT alone!  There are plenty of resources available at Air University to assist you in your academic/professional development. 

Here’s some suggested reading for those who have not been in an academic setting in quite sometime. 

Visit the AU Teaching and Learning Center

Technology Requirements

US students attending ACSC must bring their own personal computing device. International Officers are not required to bring their own device, but they may bring a personal device if it meets the required criteria.  If necessary, international officers will be issued a US government computer for their use while a student at ACSC. Each user is responsible for the maintenance and repair of their own personal computing device. Government “loaner” laptops are available on a limited basis for temporary use if a student experiences a catastrophic computer failure. ACSC recommends against the use of Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) from any outside agency, as these devices may experience compatibility issues that cannot be resolved. Personal computing devices must meet the following standards:

• Students may bring Windows-based or Mac devices. All devices must be running a fully licensed and activated version of the operating system. Additionally, all operating systems must have the latest security patches applied. 
• For Windows devices:  Windows 10 or higher
• ​For Mac devices: OS X 10.13.3 (High Sierra) or higher

ACSC BYOD IT Checklist:

Enabling your computer to authenticate to DoD websites

Visit Public key Infrastructure/Enabling (PKI/PKE) to configure systems to access PKI-protected content.

• Select Windows and execute steps 1, 2*, 3, 4 
NOTE: Windows 10 & 11 users DO NOT need to execute step 2

AF Webmail Access

https://webmail.apps.mil/

Work Email: Required to check once weekly

Set up signature block in OWA 

• Once signed into OWA click on the setting’s “gear” icon in the upper right corner 
• Select Options from the drop-down menu 
• On the left-hand side under Mail>Layout>Email signature you will find a location for entering a signature block
• Check both boxes to include the signature on new and reply/forward messages
• Use the template below with your name. Add any other (Flight/Division Academic/ Athletic/IT Rep, MDOS, Fellow, etc.) on the line below ACSC Student

FIRST M. LAST, Maj, USAF

Student, ACSC AY26

(Additional titles)

• Finally click the “Save” icon and then click the “<-“ icon in the upper left to return to the main OWA screen. 

Obtaining a virtual NIPR terminal via Desktop Anywhere 

1. Desktop Anywhere is a service that allows users to access a virtual NIPR desktop from your personal computer. It works on both Mac and Windows computers. Desktop Anywhere provides access to the full suite of AFNet applications, allowing users to send and receive encrypted email, digitally sign documents, and access SharePoint and shared drive locations as if they were operating from a .mil computer. 
▪ On your personal computer, search for “Desktop Anywhere” on AF Portal (or go to the link below):

 https://www.my.af.mil/gcss-af/USAF/content/ZAHkU

▪ Open and follow the instructions located in the “Attachments” column on the right side of the page for your system (Windows or Mac).

Uniform Requirements

1. U.S. Military Students: Bring all duty uniforms with you to ACSC

2. The primary duty uniform at Maxwell AFB is the OCP uniform (or equivalent) and/or flight suit. International Officers should bring a complete set of their country's equivalent of the camouflage fatigue/utility uniform (i.e. OCP), and a service dress uniform (coat, tie and hat)

3. Civilians are expected to comply with reasonable dress and grooming standards based on comfort, productivity, health, safety and type of position occupied. Jeans are not authorized.

ACSC In-Processing

Current as of: 13 Sep 2024

Reporting Date:   NET: 23 June 2025                           NLT: 08 July 2025

Class Dates:        Class Start Date: 17 July 2025        Class Graduation Date: 21 May 2026

Mandatory Sign-In Instructions: Inbound students will report to Student Squadron DOs in person (in uniform) to sign in, upon arrival in the local area, between the hours of 0900-1200 beginning Monday, 23 June 2025 through Tuesday, 8 July 2025 (Closed 4-7 July). Sign-in will be held in the Wood Auditorium Foyer of the ACSC Campus (Building 1402, Maxwell AFB).

An ACSC-AY26 Teams Channel will be created in early May with detailed reporting instructions, please review these documents in their entirety. 

School POC:  ACSC STUS/DOs

Email: ACSC.STUS.OrgBox@us.af.mil

Additional Instructions:

Congratulations on your selection for in-residence Air Command and Staff College! The ACSC Student Squadron staff will reach out to inbound students January - February 2025 via email to make initial contact and relay important school and local area information. Please review the following information and familiarize yourself with the appropriate inbound student checklist found at the bottom of this page. 

1. Uniforms: Be in uniform (business casual for civilian students) when signing-in and ensure all uniforms are readily available to wear as required. Those inbounds coming from OCONUS locations should not pack service dress or OCPs in their HHG or unaccompanied baggage as they will be required for the opening ceremony to start the academic year. Reference above "Uniforms" tab for further details.

2. Student Leadership Positions:  The role of the Initial Student Cadre (ISC) is to fill critical student leadership positions amongst the main body of students. Students who hold these peer leadership positions are vital in establishing the culture, morale, and developmental opportunities for the class throughout the year. A call for volunteers will be sent with initial messaging January - February 2025. If you are interested in a position (as found on the “Student Roles” page at top of this page), please send an email to ACSC.STUS.OrgBox@us.af.mil.

3. Concentrations/Specializations: Upon designation for ACSC, US civilian and military students are eligible to apply for participation in the Joint All-Domain Strategist program (JADS) or the Cyber-Focused Specialization in conjunction with traditional ACSC coursework. Application solicitation will be sent out via email February - April 2025. Students selected for JADS will require a TS/SCI clearance. 

4. Reporting Dates: Reporting prior to the Report No Earlier than Date (RNETD) or after the Report No Later than Date (RNLTD) is NOT authorized without prior coordination through ACSC and final approval from HQ AFPC/DP2LWD. Personnel that report early without prior authorization will be charged leave until the authorized reporting date and will not be reimbursed for excess lodging/per diem accrued due to early reporting. 

5. Early Reporting: Advance written permission must be obtained should early reporting be required (i.e. mandatory return from remote assignments).  Normal CONUS and OCONUS moves do not meet this intent.  Early reporting requests for personal convenience (apart from late-term pregnancy/delivery) will not be approved.  Please email STUS leadership at ACSC.STUS.OrgBox@us.af.mil to request an early report date. If an early reporting request is approved, the following statement must be included on your orders: “Early reporting authorized. Written approval obtained from the Student Squadron Commander at Air Command and Staff College.”

6. Computer Requirements: Air University schools have a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy and students will not be issued government laptops.  All students attending Air Command and Staff College are expected to bring their own personally-owned (not government-issued) device for access to course materials. 

7. Microsoft Teams: ACSC Students and Faculty will communicate via M365 Teams for the duration of the academic year. Students will have an M365 Teams account created for them NLT May. Once created, you will be receiving an email with your Teams account information as well as a temporary password. It is imperative that you access Teams and set up your account and unique password as soon as you receive this email to prevent subsequent re-requests for account activation from the AU/A6. If you are unable to login, please contact our org box.

8. Masters Degree: Students who graduate the ACSC in-residence Master's program will earn a Masters of Military Operational Art and Science. Students who previously graduated from the ACSC Online Master’s Program and have already been awarded a Masters of Operational Art and Science degree will not earn a second degree. If not previously obtained, the OLMP graduate will receive IDE in-residence and JPME I credit.

9. Leave: Inbound students should take sufficient leave prior to arrival at ACSC to avoid falling into a "use or lose" situation during the academic year. ACSC will NOT authorize ordinary leave to students on academic duty days and scheduled break periods. The academic calendar will be communicated to inbound students as soon as it is available (usually May prior to the new class start). Do NOT use a previous year's academic calendar to plan trips and do NOT make any non-refundable monetary commitments (i.e. plane tickets/convention reservations/etc) until the AY26 academic calendar is published. 

*Please check the FAQs page and send any additional unanswered questions to the Student Squadron (STUS) team via email to the ACSC STUS Org Box E-Mail: ACSC.STUS.OrgBox@us.af.mil

*Please select the appropriate dropdown below according to the category that most accurately describes you (i.e. Air Force vs. Sister Service vs. Fellow, etc.)*

ACSC Preparation for Families

Current as of: 27 Aug 2024

Congratulations on your loved one's selection for in-residence Air Command and Staff College! The ACSC Student Squadron staff will reach out to inbound students January - February 2025 via email to make initial contact and relay important school and local area information. Please review the information in the drop-down menu below. Please also check the FAQs page and feel free to send any unanswered questions to the Student Squadron (STUS) team via email to the ACSC STUS Org Box E-Mail: ACSC.STUS.OrgBox@us.af.mil

Topic 1: CHILDCARE, EDUCATION, Medical Care, EFMP and Housing

Visit the Maxwell AFB website for comprehensive information and links to resources for military-operated or military-approved child care programs, medical care, EFMP, and Housing.

Reference the School Liaison Program Manager website for comprehensive information and links to resources for public, private, and homeschool environments.

Topic 2: ACSC STUDENT EXPECTATIONS AND LEAVE

Your spouses are about to enter a rigorous academic program filled with personal and professional development opportunities. This is a major career milestone and they would not be here without your dedication and support. The mission of ACSC is to educate and develop air-minded joint leaders; therefore, your spouses who are attending ACSC will be asked to work hard and will be challenged over the next 10 months. A year assigned to ACSC is a year filled with many transitions that will directly affect you. Your spouse may be transitioning from operations or administration to academia. Regardless of where you are coming from, ACSC will provide a new daily tempo. Here at ACSC, you can expect a typical work week requires at least 50-60 hours spread between the classroom and at-home reading/study. This may mean a change in your spouse's normal work week. Additionally, because students need continuity in class to comprehend the material, leave opportunities during the academic year are typically limited to scheduled holiday breaks as well as AETC family days. More information regarding ACSC's leave and travel policies can be found below: 

AY25 ACSC Student Handbook, Sections 3.3.1., 3.4., and 3.5.

3.3.1. Duty Schedule

3.3.1.1. Students are required to attend all events on the official student schedule (i.e., ATO Calendar) unless identified as optional. Students are expected to accomplish appointments and personal business outside of daily scheduled events. Exceptions for extenuating circumstances will be addressed on a case-by-case basis with STUS leadership. STUS leadership are the approval authority if academics must be missed. Verbal approval from a course instructor alone DOES NOT authorize a student absence. The primary duty location for students is the ACSC academic building 1402. Any request to participate in academic events from an alternate duty location must be approved by the STUS leadership. 

3.3.1.2. Certain days on the academic calendar are designated as "Gray Days." Gray days allow students and faculty adequate and timely opportunities to research, read, write, and reflect. Although academic, administrative, and professional development events are infrequently scheduled during gray days, gray days are duty days. Students are expected to be in the local area.

3.4. Leave, Liberty, and Permissive TDY 3.4.1. Guidance on leave, liberty, and permissive TDY (PTDY) is in AFI 36-3003, Military Leave Program. Students should only expect to be granted leave and liberty on weekends, designated holidays, and academic breaks.

3.4.2. Leave should not be expected during your in-resident experience outside of weekends, federal holidays, AETC family days, and academic breaks. All dates are designated on the AY25 Academic Calendar. IOs may take leave on approved international holidays that align with their home nation (see IO/DO for listing).

3.4.2.1. All leave/liberty/PTDY requests are subject to STUS/CC and DO approval. All DAF students will use LeaveWeb and will update their profile in LeaveWeb to show the MAJCOM as AETC and unit as either 21 Student Squadron or 38 Student Squadron. Air Force Guard and Reserve personnel in TDY status will route hard copy leave paperwork through their DO for signature. DAF students will send all LeaveWeb requests to their STUD DIV DO as the Supervisor and the STUS/CC as the Backup Approver. Students are not authorized to approve leave for each other. Sister Service members will coordinate all requests in MS Teams for STUS approval and with their branch liaison. International officers will coordinate all requests in MS teams for STUS approval and with the IO/DO.

3.4.2.2. Local-area Liberty is approved on weekends and federal holidays. The local area is defined within a 3-hour travel radius around Montgomery, AL, traversed via personally owned vehicle (POV) (see Attachment 4). Liberty will be routed for the DO for approval and can be taken during weekends and federal holidays.

3.4.2.3. All commercial travel, regardless of distance, requires a SQ/DO and SQ/CC approved request. 3.4.2.4. Outside the contiguous United States (OCONUS) leave requests require additional paperwork that will be completed prior to submission for approval. OCONUS requests should be routed no less than one month prior to projected leave date to the ACSC Security Manager. Sister Service, ANG, USAFR, Civilians, and IOs operate under the same rules regarding when they can take leave. However, those leave requests will be approved by their respective service component representative, home unit, or International Officer School, as applicable.

3.4.2.5. All students will add their leave and liberty request to the M365 Teams Absence tracker STUS/DOs will review and approve/deny requests. Instructor concurrence is required for all requests that conflict with an academic event for all students. Sister Service members will coordinate all requests in MS Teams and with their branch liaison. International officers will coordinate all requests in MS teams and with the IO/DO.

3.4.2.6. Transportation delays during return from leave/liberty must be communicated to STUS leadership immediately. Students will make every effort to return to class after leave/liberty. Failure to communicate possibly delays property may result in disciplinary action and/or removal from the program.

3.4.2.7. When there are extraordinary circumstances that warrant leave at times other than weekend, holidays, and scheduled breaks, submit an absence request as outlined in the Attendance section below. These requests will be granted only for compelling reasons (i.e., significant life events). All requests should be submitted as early as possible to ensure approval and authorization is granted. Class absences must be routed via your STUS DO and CC for approval. Instructors do not have approval authority for absences during academics, but they must concur. In emergency leave situations, contact your respective STUS/DO and/or STUS/CC for expedited coordination/approval.

3.4.2.8. For absences removing the student from only one academic session of any class, the course instructor and student will devise a one-on-one make-up plan. For absences longer than 2 academic sessions of any one class, students must complete a tailored education plan. ACSC will accommodate students that require convalescent, maternity, and caregiver leave, in accordance with AFI 36-3003, Military Leave Program or service or country-specific guidance, but they must coordinate with their instructor and STUS team in advance. 3.5 Travel/Absence Request Procedures 3.5.1. General Absence Request: Any planned activity (to include TDYs) that results in a student missing any portion of a scheduled academic event requires an absence request and approval by the STUS leadership. Absence requests are accomplished via the M365 Teams Absence tracker in the AY25 STUS General Channel. Requests will be submitted as early as possible prior to the occurrence. Students should communicate with their STUS/DO early for any questions or concerns regarding the absence request.

3.5.2. Emergency/Unplanned Absence Requests: There are times when mishaps, illness, or family emergencies preclude students from properly routing an absence request. Under these circumstances, students must inform their STUS/DO, flight lead, and instructor of the unexpected absence request. In these situations, the Flt/LDs should expect to assist with or accomplish the absence request documentation.

Topic 3: SOCIAL AND OPPORTUNITIES

Each year, there is a robust network of spouses within ACSC and the sky is the limit on how integrated and involved you want to be. As the year kicks off, you can expect individuals to reach out to see what level of involvement you want to pursue. There is also usually an ACSC Student and Families Group pertaining to each student group that you may wish to join on Facebook. We just ask that correspondence on social media pertaining to ACSC not be considered official school policy or correspondence.