Chief of Air Force Fellowship Program 2011

Nominations are sought from officers of any specialisation interested in filling a CAF Fellowship post at the Air Power Development Centre (APDC) in 2011. The APDC is located in Canberra and the fellowship will be of 12 months duration, commencing January 2011.

For suitably qualified applicants, this will be an opportunity to undertake research on emergent capability requirements for Air Force and to direct their findings towards facilitating decision-making about the future of air and space power for Australia.

While nominations are open to all officers, preference will be given to those personnel whose qualifications, experience and reported performance demonstrate they are both able to complete a significant paper and to work in demanding staff appointments.

Sponsors

Any individual applying for a Fellowship will need a sponsor for their research program. The sponsor will be the one who agrees to the work program initially, provides a watching brief on the work throughout the year, and - most importantly - agrees that that particular Fellow will go and work in their organisation to implement the results of their research after the Fellowship ends.

What to Expect When Undertaking a CAF Fellowship

The APDC website [www.raaf.gov.au/airpower], is the place to look for more information, but a few salient points are:

• There will only be one CAF Fellow selected for 2011 so competition should be intense.
• Members between the ranks of Flight Lieutenant and Wing Commander from any category are encouraged to apply.
• Applicants must have demonstrated excellent performance in their annual reports.
• Applicants must be individually ready.
• Applicants must have a sponsor for their research project [commanders please note – if you want something studied and implemented and are prepared to sponsor one of your staff then the APDC is the place for you to direct your questions].
• It would be an advantage to have completed post-graduate study before undertaking the CAF Fellowship.Applicants are expected to produce a significant report at the end of their Fellowship, as well as providing briefings and updates through the course of the Fellowship.

Applying for Fellowships

Applications close on 16 July 2010.

In applying for a CAF Fellowship the following points need to be considered:

• You should have a realistic research project to study while you are a fellow.
• DGPERS-AF has agreed that your posting as a Fellow will include a warning order that sends you to a position in the sponsor’s organisation after you have successfully completed your Fellowship.
• The Fellowship stresses air power. It would be advantageous to have completed the on-line Advanced Air Power Course or ACSC before undertaking the Fellowship.

The format of the application should set out:

• The proposed area of your research;
• How the proposed research will benefit Air Force;
• How the research links in to the development of air power;
• What qualifications and experience you have to undertake a Fellowship; and
• Details of your sponsor.

Guidance on the format of applications for CAF Fellowships is provided here, or can be obtained from the Air Power Development Centre. General guidance is that applications are submitted through a General Application (PE 57).

Applications should go through your sponsor, up your chain of command and on to DP-AF for initial consideration. Those considered suitable and available will be interviewed at the APDC in August 2010. A short paper [750 words] on the research topic and its value to the RAAF should be supplied with the application for CAF Fellowship.

COs and Section Commanders are requested to provide detailed comments on the applicants’ suitability to undertake the CAF Fellowship.

Successful fellows would be posted to the APDC for duty starting January 2011.

Interested officers are requested to contact GPCAPT Richard Keir at the APDC, ph (02) 62661055 or at richard.keir@defence.gov.au.

Applications are to be submitted electronically through Air Force People Central by COB 16 July 2010. Members and Unit ADMINOS are requested to read EOI GUIDANCE FOR SUPERVISORS AND COs located on People Central prior to contacting the DP-AF POC, FLTLT Jeroen Ruardij on Tel: 02 6265 2289. Late applications will not be accepted.