AETC commander gives education update Published Sept. 17, 2004 By Tech. Sgt. David A. Jablonski Air Force Print News WASHINGTON -- Right number, right skills, right training and right quality.That is the bottom line, said Gen. Donald G. Cook, commander of Air Education and Training Command, when he gave his stakeholders’ report at the Air Force Association’s 2004 Air and Space Conference and Technology Exposition on Sept. 15.AETC’s three main missions are recruiting, training and education for the entire Air Force using more than 100,000 specialists at 13 bases.General Cook said the Air Force had its best year in recruiting in 16 years, mainly because of the decision not to directly compete against the other services, an increase of 700 recruiters and a national advertising campaign. But he said 2005 will present challenges.General Cook said, “2005 will be a challenging year because we’re going after 11,000 fewer recruits because of budget cuts. It will also be tougher because there are fewer areas for Airmen to be selected for. We’re trying to get the best and brightest, but we have to wait to get the very best people for the high-tech Air Force.”The quality of recruits is outstanding, with 99 percent having high-school diplomas, General Cook said. New recruits are also scoring in the top 80 percent on their entrance exams.Some of the advancements General Cook discussed were developing interactive classrooms, Community College of the Air Force distance learning and incorporating lessons from the war on terrorism into the curriculum. He also discussed consolidating initial flight training, developing the combat-systems officer concept, expanding professional military education and increasing international flight-training programs.New AETC training programs will focus on expeditionary combat skills for warfighters.“We need to make sure we are taking the lessons from the global war on terror and applying them to (basic military training), or elsewhere, to ensure our Airmen are as best prepared as they possibly can be,” the general said.“To do that, we must define what those skills are,” he said. “The second thing is to determine where and how that training is conducted: in BMT, technical training, on the job, as unit training or just in time for regional training centers.”The most significant development was the accreditation of schools, General Cook said.“Finally, this past year we got accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award an accredited master’s degree at the Air War College and Air Command and Staff College,” the general said. “In addition to that, we have another five year’s accreditation for the Community College of the Air Force. This is a big, big deal.”