The goal of the Associate of Science in the Department of the Air Force Leadership and Management Studies Program is to help DAF civilians reach their full leadership potential. Courses have been designed to teach skills and competencies deemed critical to the Department of the Air Force and are based upon the DAF's Foundational Competencies. Course learning activities are designed to positively impact the student’s work center as well as their own professional development. Completion of the program results in an Associate of Science Degree in the Department of the Air Force Leadership and Management Studies. The degree is awarded by Air University and accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. Eligible DAF civilians can complete the program at little or no cost to the student.

• A permanent full-time appropriated and non-appropriated fund Air Force civilian in all grade levels
• High school diploma, GED or equivalent (Applicant must submit an official copy of the high school transcript and college transcript(s), if applicable)
• May have some college credit, but most NOT have been awarded a postsecondary degree from a regionally accredited 2 of 4 –year college or university
• Supervisor coordination with agreement to provide up to 3 hours per week of duty time for class attendance

This 60 credit hour program allows students to achieve an Associate of Science in the Department of the Air Force Leadership and Management Studies. It is designed to be completed in 2 years 5 months in a fully online format.  Students will take:

- Term 0 – Orientation, and Academic Writing courses to begin working on General Education requirements (Length: 5 months)
- 10 core classes taught online by Air University (see Program Major Curriculum) and 10 general education/elective courses completed through funded credit by exam or transfer credit from another educational institution (Length: 2 years)

AU core classes consist of a mix of scheduled live classes along with out-of-classes readings and assignments.  Students will attend live webinar (class) sessions at scheduled times.  Class times will be available before, during, and after the duty day (this may vary depending upon your geographic location).  All other coursework can be completed during evenings or weekends, whenever it works best in the student's schedule. 

General education/elective requirements will be completed at the same time as AU core classes.  Students may have previous college credit that can transfer into the program.  Academic advisors will review transcripts of students and help them develop a degree plan during the initial orientation phase of CADP.  Students needing to complete requirements will be guided to select the best CLEP, DSST, or available local/online course from an outside college or university to transfer into the program.  Note: If a student has an unmet elective requirement then they must take available CADP electives to meet the requirement. The DAF CivTA will pay for one attempt at credit by exam for each of the 10 general education/elective course requirements.  CADP students may also receive 100% civTA for courses taken to complete CADP requirements.  The amount of civTA used each year cannot exceed the annual civTA cap.  Hence, using CLEP and DSST may help students best accomplish this portion of the degree requirement.

Classes required for the program:

First 6 weeks of the program
Student Orientation and Advising (SOAR) is considered a preparatory course.  Successful completion of this course is required to move into the Core Curriculum. SOAR is designed to orient students with the program, walk students through the process of studying for, requesting civTA, and taking a CLEP or DSST exam.

These classes are taught by CADP using online systems for both "classes" and coursework.

These requirements will be transferred into the program.  They can be:

- College credits transferred into the program from a different college (previously completed OR completed while in CADP)
- Credit by exam (CLEP/DSST) completed while in the program 

Please Note:  CADP is working towards offering all general education and elective courses directly from CADP.  CADP began offering elective courses in 2024 and expects to offer at least 5 electives in 2025 and potentially offer all general education courses in 2026. Students are highly encouraged to work simultaneously on their program core courses and electives/gen eds. To graduate on time, students may spend up to 10 - 15 hours a week of off-duty time focused on program requirements (both program major and general education/elective requirements).

Some Other Testimonials

“Gaining a CADP degree is more than just a piece of paper to me; it’s a significant accomplishment that reflects the priority I’ve placed on my education through my journey to continue growing and improving personally and professionally.”

“This degree means a lot to me. I am continuing my education to obtain my bachelor’s degree to further improve myself as a person and an employee.”

“The Civilian Associates Degree Program taught me a lot about myself. I discovered that I enjoy learning about leadership, and it made me rethink my career goals and where I want to go. I am very thankful for the opportunity this program gave me to learn and grow as a future leader.”

“I applied for the CADP in order to further my career, education and provide a better example for my kids. With being the first Cohort to experience the program we really were trail blazers. Knowing the effort Cohort 1 and the staff put in has led to a smoother and more focused program gives me as much joy as the degree itself. I am looking forward to the next step in my education and life. Thanks to everyone who played a role in my success.”

“I am very thankful to all the Professors and Instructors who helped us along the way. It was a great learning experience. I look forward to the journey that it has started for me.”

“I am so grateful for the opportunity to have participated in the Civilian Associates Degree Program offered by the Air Force. The lessons I learned were invaluable to me as a leader in my organization. After every course, the added knowledge only helped me improve my leadership skills. It was also a great way to ease me back into the college learning environment after so many years out of school. I have continued on in school to obtain my bachelor’s degree. I cannot thank the Air Force enough for helping me make my dream a reality almost completely free. Having a bachelor’s degree will help me excel in my career as a Community Readiness Consultant in the Family Programs arena.”

"Completion of this degree enabled achievement of a personal education goal and allowed me to be an example for my children. Professionally, this Associates is a step towards completion of an undergraduate degree, which is a pre-requisite to enroll in any Professional Military Education courses that I've wanted to complete as a civilian employee."

“The CADP program has taught me how to become an effective leader in my organization. This program is a valuable investment, and a powerful tool in the Air Force's career development program. Hopefully, the Air Force will utilize me because I feel that I am an asset after having gone through this rigorous, yet vital leadership development program.”

“I am the first person in my immediate family to complete any type of degree. I wanted my son to understand that education is important and if I can do it working full time, he can too. I have applied for the CDE bachelor’s program and am hoping I’ll be selected so that I can finish my degree in the next two years debt free. Either way, I will be finishing my bachelors soon.” 

“CADP was a great experience I wish I would have had this opportunity earlier in my career. It has helped me in many areas of leadership and how I approach difficult scenarios with people and processes. It’s given me a new refreshed attitude in my career and new confidence when approaching unknown or difficult situations. I’ve had the opportunity to help mentor 2 other CADP students since I have completed my classes and it’s very nice to see them growing as well. I hope this opportunity is here to stay and all airman get the chance to go through it and expand their knowledge of leadership.”

“Obtaining my Associate Degree has opened a pathway to higher education that I did not think was possible for me. I was one of 20 students in the original beta test group, and I must say, being the first came with it challenges. However, even those challenges taught me how to advocate for myself, and the importance of not giving up when things become difficult. This opportunity allows me to continue to pursue my education, and this summer I will resume classes to obtain my Bachelor’s Degree in Public Administration.”

“The CADP program provided an amazing opportunity to push me to finish my associates degree. Through the process I was able to glean an understanding of what the Air Force expects of its leaders in all capacities. CADP helped me to become not only a better employee but also manager in the future! I am forever grateful for this opportunity and the privilege to be selected for this amazing degree.”

“This degree means a lot to me. I chose to finish up my degree for myself and for my children to show them that hard work pays off. That even though times may get tough and obstacles get in your way, that all things are possible through Christ first, integrity, determination, belief and a dream. Support is a big thing that is needed but if you want it you have to go and get it and praise yourself.”

“What this degree means to me is “accomplishment.” My immediate plan for using this degree is to apply what I learned, especially when it comes to leadership, to all aspects of my professional and personal life. My future plan for this degree is to use it as a stepping stone for advancing my education in the areas of leadership and management.”

“The Civilian Associate Degree Program provided a breadth of information focused on Air Force leadership. Courses covered team building, writing skills, etc. and provided the tools I will need in my USAF civilian career. The instructors and producers of each course were amazing, very knowledgeable and always made themselves available to each student. I will definitely recommend this program to my civilian counterparts seeking to pursue higher education.”

“Going back to school after 30 years was a struggle but at the same time it was all worth it. This degree is a major accomplishment for me.”

“When I retired from the U.S. Navy with 20 years of service, I had completed 58 credit hours of college courses throughout various locations without attaining a college degree. When this opportunity was presented in 2018, I applied and was accepted into the very first, newly developed program to help Air Force civilians achieve an Associate Degree in Air Force Leadership and Management Studies program. Most of my courses were transferrable to the electives that were required. It was imperative to my success that every one of my supervisors were fully supportive of my involvement in this program. This program has helped me professionally by being promoted twice in the last two years and has taught me invaluable leadership and management skills.”

“My CADP experience was empowering and has given me greater confidence to work more “effectively and efficiently.” Learning and working with others in a virtual team environment has aided me significantly as we navigate our “new normal”/virtual telework space. As a member of the inaugural class, my hope is that students coming after us will benefit from all the lessons learned to get us to graduation.”

“I'm thankful for the opportunity provided to me by the Air Force to pursue and obtain this Associates Degree. I've always wanted to pursue a degree but life events seem to take priority whenever I started the process. This is a proud moment for me and a goal I've longed to achieve. You are never too old to learn, I've learned a lot during this 2 year program; it's taught me how to be a better person and boosted my confidence in pursuing a leadership position in the workplace, but also in dealing with many of life's challenges. Just goes to show that no one is ever too old to learn.” Thank you!

“This degree is hopefully the opening of a door to a bright new future where I can continue to learn, lead and express my desire to help others excel in their careers. If there is one thing I could pass on to current and future students is do not put off your electives to the end, it is so easy to just add one class into your normal class schedule and before you know it, you’ll be done with all of it and not have to stress at the end of the program.”

This is a super exciting day that I thought could never happen. I am a graduate of an Air Force academic program. The CADP opportunity changed my life. It made me realize my worth and how important I am to the AF mission.  It developed my leadership skills along with my competencies. I now say, “I can do it!”  It showed me how dedicated the Air Force, my supervisors, and co-workers were to my success. For that, I am so very thankful!” 

“This degree is important to me for many reasons.  First, I learned many things about leadership.  I hope that those lessons will prepare me for the opportunity to lead others.  Secondly, it allowed me to set an example for my grandchildren and show them that learning is a lifelong venture, and you are never too old to learn. Finally, earning this degree taught me that I am capable of doing anything I set my mind to, even when it is not easy.”

“The Civilian Associate Degree Program (CADP) afforded me an excellent opportunity in continued professional development. I was able to overcome my past young adult negative experience with education through the positive experience of online learning with CADP. This allowed me to obtain and meet my personal goal of completing my Associates’ Degree.”

“This degree means so much to me.  It shows that my leadership had the faith and confidence in me based on my work ethics.  It was an honor to be nominated and selected for the first ever CADP offering. I was able to accomplish this program and receive a degree, which was on my bucket list.  I will continue to use the materials taught in both my personal and professional life. Thank you for the opportunity and assistance.”

“This degree means I created additional career opportunities that my family will also benefit from. It has helped me grow leadership skills to use at work as well as at home. The degree program was an opportunity (more of a blessing even) that I am thankful for having the courage to commit to.  What seemed as an unreachable goal is a stepping stone to becoming a lifelong learner.”

“This degree means a lot to me on both a personal and a professional level. Personally, I am excited and proud to have completed a higher education program. It helps show my children that it is never too late to have dreams and goals, and that if you work hard you can achieve them. Professionally, has provided new and better ways to simultaneously broaden my career and be a part of the ever growing/evolving Air Force. CADP has improved my leadership skills and enabled me to enhance our organizational culture. I plan use the knowledge I gained from CADP to further pursue consistent growth and learning opportunities not just for myself, but also for my team and organization. I hope to continue my education and complete a bachelor’s program in management.”

“The Civilian Associate Degree Program is an excellent curriculum that helped develop additional leadership and management skills. The knowledge provided by the diverse courses has influenced, not only my leadership style but my career as well. During the two years of instruction, I employed various methods depending on the situation. Suffice to say, without the knowledge provided by the CADP program, many of the unique leadership challenges would have ended differently. I am very happy with the overall program and the broad-based knowledge our instructors provided. It definitely made a huge difference in my career.”

“I was honored when I found out I was selected for the CADP program. Having a college education was something I had wanted to obtain for many years and felt incomplete by not having a college degree. The CADP gave me the opportunity to achieve this dream and I am very grateful for this. Now that I have completed my Associate Degree, I can now complete my Bachelor’s degree and hopefully open up more opportunities for job growth.”

“When I learned of the CADP, I immediately thought this would be an opportunity to finish what I had started almost 20 years ago. There was always something alluding to my degree plans, whether it be family, work, financial, or just life in general. When the notification came out about 3 years ago that I had been selected as an alternate for the CADP, I was disappointed and figured that was the end of a path to a degree until a short time later when I was bumped up to a primary. Now that I’ve completed the first step and obtained an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Air Force Leadership and Management, I want to continue with a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Oklahoma in Organizational Leadership.”

“Receiving my degree is the culmination and pinnacle of two years of hard work, trials and tribulations, and learning Air Force leadership and management practices. It never failed that the current class had something to do with what was going on at the time at the office. I was learning and using objectives for class by connecting them to the current situation. The program helps to relate and understand management and leadership ideas, practices, and problems not just for supervisors but for anyone that has the drive to excel.”

“This degree is another stepping stone on my path to professional development; for many years, I took a college course with no real way ahead. This program allowed me to focus my energies on one concentration and afforded me accountability. I will now be pursuing my Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with a Human Resources emphasis. I will continue to use what I have learned throughout the program within my organization to better it. Thank you for the opportunity.”

“I am honored to have been allowed to participate in the inaugural CADP Cohort. While achieving this is advantageous to my work setting, I also pursued the degree for my own personal goals. I’ve always taught my children that education and getting your degree are extremely important, so I needed to do a little practicing what I preach and obtain my degree. This Associate degree is the first big step in obtaining my B.A. in Organizational Leadership.” 

“This degree was focused on AF leadership and management skills, so it was an excellent professional development opportunity. I learned so much and have improved my skills tremendously. For example, I am a better communicator and organizer and learned how to make better decisions. These skills have not only helped me with my career but with my everyday life too!”

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If you are a current or previous CADP student or supervisor with a story you’d like to share, please contact us at:  eakercenter.afcue.af@us.af.mil

- Open Enrollment ...................................... Applicants can apply at any time.
- DAF Employees Submits Application (click application link)  Must use CAC Card to access the application following the below steps:

• Step 1: Click the application link
• Step 2: Enter or Select. mil email address
• Step 3: Sign in with CAC/PIV

(Note: students can apply to the program at any time).

The online admission application is created by the applicant in AUSIS using Google Chrome to apply to the program.   (CADP Application Guide)

Apply for admission online: (Click Here)

- The steps are as follows:

1. Applicant completes the online admission application in AUSIS.

2. Applicant complete the Supervisor/Student Learning Agreement and uploads the completed document in the AUSIS, (Click here to Download Supervisor/Student Learning Agreement Form).

3. Applicant requests an official copy of high school transcript and college transcript, if applicable. Note: Official transcript(s) must be sent directly from the school and not the student.

4. Applicant submits the application and awaits AU Registrar's communication. All required documents must be received before acceptance in the program (application, official high school and college transcript(s) if applicable, and supervisor/student agreement). Note: Applicants are unable to return to their original application to add missing information or documents. **Applications missing information or required documents will not be processed.**

5. Student Official high school and college transcripts (if applicable) must be received by the AU Registrar before the student is officially admitted to the program. Note: Please have the respective high school send your official transcript electronically (preferred method) to: AU.admission@us.af.mil

AU Registrar are now accepting transcripts by mail again. 

Mail transcript to:
Air University Registrar  
Attn: Admissions
60 W Shumacher Ave
Maxwell AFB, AL  36112-6337

OR

Send electronically to:

AU.admission@us.af.mil (no “s” on admission)

What new students should expect (dates/events):

- Submits Online Admission Application

(a) Upload Student/Supervisor Learning Agreement
(b) Request an official copy of their high school transcript be sent to AU Registrar and college transcript (s), if applicable. Note: Official transcript(s) must be sent directly from the high school and not the student. Additionally, AU Registrar must receive and verify the official high school transcript before applicant is accepted in the program.

- Acceptance letter from AU Registrar
- CADP Orientation Class:
- Student Orientation & Academic Readiness (SOAR)...…………… 6 weeks
- Complete CADP Core Courses
- Complete General Education & Electives Courses

Transfer credit process:  CADP Academic Advisors and students will discuss transfer credits during SOAR.  All students will have a personalized degree plan completed by the end of SOAR.  Please note:  Due to limited staffing, we cannot process transcripts for interested applicants before acceptance in the program at this time.

What new students should expect (dates/events):

- Submits Online Admission Application

(a) Upload Student/Supervisor Learning Agreement
(b) Request an official copy of their high school transcript be sent to AU Registrar and college transcript (s), if applicable. Note: Official transcript(s) must be sent directly from the high school and not the student. Additionally, AU Registrar must receive and verify the official high school transcript before applicant is accepted in the program.

- Acceptance letter from AU Registrar
- CADP Orientation Class:
- Student Orientation & Academic Readiness (SOAR)...…………… 6 weeks
- Complete CADP Core Courses
- Complete General Education & Electives Courses

Transfer credit process:  CADP Academic Advisors and Students will discuss transfer credits during SOAR.  All students will have a personalized degree plan completed by the end of SOAR.  Please note:  Due to limited staffing, we cannot process transcripts for interested applicants before acceptance in the program at this time.

Mentoring:  Once the CADP program major classes start, we ask that you spend 10-15 minutes a week talking with students about what they are learning in class.  While students are always responsible for completing all work assignments for this program, your weekly mentoring sessions create an effective learning scaffold by providing guidance and mentoring that enlightens their answers, particularly for students’ learning labs.  As students read one another’s discussion boards posts, your guidance and knowledge is shared and its positive effects are multiplied!

Contact with the program:  Your contact with the program is limited.  You are not required to provide feedback to us, although it is always appreciated if you desire/have the time.  Your actions do not affect the students’ grades, nor do you have any assignments to complete.  We do ask that you contact us if the student encounters a situation where they cannot attend classes and cannot contact us themselves.  We may occasionally contact you to provide feedback.  This could include informing you that your student won an award or was otherwise recognized for quality work.  You will also be brought into the loop if your student is on academic probation or has been missing classes.  We will also Cc you on our newsletters if you are interested in knowing what is happening in the program.

Duty time for classes:  The program does ask students and supervisors to discuss whether the mission allows for students to use up to 3 hrs. of duty time each week to support class accomplishment.  This is NOT a requirement for students to participate in the program.  Webinars are offered at various times throughout the day so that, ideally, students have at least one off-duty time option.  Additionally, students must understand that the majority of the time involved in fulfilling program requirements will be done on their off-duty time.

- Duty time reference:  DODI1400.25V630_AFI36-815 14 NOVEMBER 2019. Full DODI at: https://static.e-publishing.af.mil/production/1/af_a1/publication/dodi1400.25v630_afi36-815/dodi1400.25.v630_afi36-815.pdf
- “6. (Added)(AF) ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE.    (2) (Added)(AF) Educational development.  As part of the Air Force commitment to employee education, installation commanders, heads of serviced organizations, or designee in writing (e.g. unit commander), may excuse civilian employees for educational activities up to three hours per week, based on mission and workload requirements. Employee participation is strictly voluntary.  Educational activities must be sponsored by recognized organizations (T-0).  These organizations include, but are not limited to: Office of Personnel Management; Department of Defense; Air Force Air University; and accredited post-secondary institutions.  Employees must notify supervisors in advance of the class to ensure attendance does not conflict with work center requirements (T-3).    (a) (Added)(AF) For classes exceeding three hours in a single week, the employee is to submit a leave request for all time in excess of three hours spent at the event(s).  In advance of the employee's request, the employee is expected to coordinate with the supervisor regarding time off for an educational activity and a signed agreement is to be executed by both the employee and supervisor to memorialize the agreement.”

Contact Us:  If you cannot find the answer to your question or need additional assistance, please contact Student Support at: (571) 609-1857; (571) 609-1858 OR eakercenter.afcue.af@us.af.mil

What Is CLEP?

The College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) offer students an opportunity to receive college credit by showing proficiency in college-level courses earning college credit by examination. CLEP consist of 34 intro college level course examinations. Over 2,000 colleges and universities in the U.S. award college credit to students with a passing CLEP score.

Benefits of CLEP test:

- Earn college credits for passing CLEP examinations
- Save money on college tuition cost
- Earn your degree early
- Reduce the number of undergraduate prerequisites to complete degree program.

CLEP Testing Center

- To locate the nearest testing location, visit the College Board CLEP Testing Center Search tool.
- CLEP testing is now available at home https://clep.collegeboard.org/clep-exams-remote-proctoring/take-clep-exam-remote-proctoring 

What is DSST?

The DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DSST) offer students the opportunity to take college subject examinations, to earn college credits based on knowledge learned in a nontraditional classroom setting. DANTES offers over 30 subject exams in subject areas such as: Social Sciences, Math, Applied Technology, Business, Physical Sciences, and Humanities.

Benefits of DSST test:

- Earn college credits for passing DSST examinations based on knowledge developed in nontraditional settings (on-the-job training, military occupation field, and independent study).
- Save money on college tuition cost.
- Reduce the number of undergraduate prerequisites to complete degree program.
- Earn your degree early.

DSST Testing Center

To locate the nearest testing location, visit the DSST Testing Center search tool.

Tutor.com for U.S. Military Families is available at no cost to all U.S. military service members, DoD personnel, and their dependents. The program provides 24/7 online tutoring in more than 100 academic subjects for grades kindergarten through college. For more information visit www.tutor.com/military

Writing Lab 

https://www.airuniversity.af.edu/tlc/

https://www.learningprofessionals.af.mil/Resources/Student-Success-Center/Writing/

Library

Air University Library https://www.airuniversity.af.edu/library

Student Support office
Email: eakercenter.afcue.au@us.af.mil
Phone: Ms. Ebona Reed (571) 609-1857 or Ms. Ashley Elliot at (571) 609-1858

APPLY TO: The Civilian Associate Development Program (CADP) TODAY!!!

You can view a recording of the 2023 CADP graduation ceremony here. (NOTE: You will need to use a non-government computer to be able to access the link to this stream.)

Dr. Anthony Chris Cain is the former Chief of AU Academic Affairs and current contract Instructional System Designer for the Civilian Associate Degree Program(CADP) and published author of the book Mission Essential: Civilian Airmen and the USAF (Note: The Forward of the book was written by our Eaker Center Commander, Col Frank Shifflett). The book will be used throughout the Civilian Leadership Development School including as the primary textbook for CADP Civilian History of the Air Force course.

Download Mission Essential: Civilian Airmen and the United States Air Force

Click here to view/download the Academic Calendar.