This document is a cover letter and application for the position of Air Liaison Officer in the United States Air Force. The applicant summarizes the job description, which involves leading Tactical Air Control Party and Air Support Operations Center operations during deployments. The applicant acknowledges they do not yet have the required skills and qualifications since they have not completed the necessary training pipeline, but notes their physical fitness. They ask questions about deployment schedules and family care. The applicant expresses a goal of commissioning, qualifying for the job, having a family, and retiring as a colonel before working as an engineer.

1. Paper 1
The job I am applying for is Air Liaison Officer for the United States Air Force.
The job description is as follows: “The Air Liaison Officer (ALO) leads, plans, organizes,
and supervises day-to-day Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) and Air Support Operations
Center (ASOC) operations and personnel both in garrison and while deployed. The ALO
represents the Joint/Combined Forces Air Component Commander as a supporting
member of the Army Commander’s staff. The ALO provides subject matter expertise to
lead, plan, and execute Command-and-Control and terminal execution of Air, Space, and
Cyber operations in direct support of land component forces from Battalion through
Corps, or as required, as part of a coalition or joint force, or in coordination with an
interagency operation. The ALO may engage enemy forces utilizing advanced
technologies and weapon systems to direct lethal and non-lethal fires and effects in close
proximity to friendly forces as a Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC)” HQ
AFPC/DPS (2012). The skills required for the job are as follows: “Specialty
Qualifications: Knowledge. The following knowledge is required for award of the
AFSC indicated: 13L3/A/J. Joint Doctrine; Theater Air-Ground System; Theater Air
Control System/Army Air-Ground System; utilization of Joint planning products (to
include: Air Tasking Order [ATO], Airspace Control Order [ACO], Special Instructions
[SPINS], Rules of Engagement [ROE]) to support air, space, and cyber operations; CAS
and Joint Fires planning and employment tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs);
military decision making process; joint fires integration; theater air, space, and cyber
operations to include: weapons systems and munitions characteristics, capabilities and
effects; aircraft employment; radio/digital communications systems and employment. Air

2. and Space ISR, EW, and SEAD/DEAD capabilities; targeting systems; personnel
recovery; cyberspace operations; combat field skills to include tactical communications;
tactical data link systems; computer procedures and equipment; antenna theory; map
reading, global positioning equipment, navigation techniques, military symbology;
specified small unit tactics; close quarter combat; signaling and marking; individual and
crew-served weapons employment; battlefield lifesaving procedures; chemical warfare
defense equipment. Applies knowledge of operational risk management; Joint, Air Force
and Army manuals, instructions, technical orders, and regulations; physical readiness;
ASOC and TACP vehicle and support equipment operations, management, and operator
maintenance; Air Force and Army supply and mobility procedures; Air Force and Army
organization, command and unit staff functions, and taskings. 13L3A. Weapons control,
airspace and data link management, senior air director functions, or command and control
(C2) operations support of CAS, AI, EW, ISR, SEAD/DEAD platforms; air control
TTPs; radio and data link capabilities; aircraft performance characteristics and armament;
radio and telephone procedures and phraseology; operating procedures and relationship
among air, ground, and naval forces and effective use of their combined resources; inter-
operability, and integration of command, control, communications, computers, and
intelligence (C4I) systems. Terminal attack control operations; in-depth knowledge of air,
and ground system capabilities, limitations, and employment TTPs. Education: For entry
into this specialty, undergraduate academic specialization in a technical discipline with
courses in administration and management is desirable. Training: The following training
is required for award of the AFSC indicated: 13L3, Air Liaison Officer Preparatory
Course (ALOPREP) – not required for rated ALO’s (AFSC’s 11XX, 12XX, 13B), Air

3. Liaison Officer Basic Course (ALOBC) – not required for rated ALOs (AFSCs 11XX,
12XX, 13B), Air Liaison Officer Qualification Course (ALOQC), US Army Joint Fires
Observer (JFO) Course – not required for rated ALO’s (AFSC’s 11XX, 12XX, 13B),
Combat Survival Training, S-V80-A (SERE). NOTE: Completion of ALOQC is
mandatory for the permanent award of 13LXX AFSC for former 1C4X1 personnel. In
order to attend this modified 13L training pipeline, these former 1C4X1 personnel must
have performed TACP duty within the previous 5 years, and be approved by the 13L
Career Field Manager (CFM). For Rated ALOs, completion of ALOQC and SERE are
required for award of the 13LXX AFSC, Air Support Operations Center Qualification
Course (ASOCQC), US Air Force Joint Terminal Attack Controller Qualification Course
(JTACQC), or suitable substitute (must be Joint Forces Command (JFCOM)-accredited
and MAJCOM approved)” (HQ AFPC/DPS, 2012). As you see, there are a lot of
qualifications that you need to pass in order to become an Air Liaison Officer. A lot of
the qualification you get when the USAF sends you to the many school throughout the
pipeline. The School House is the many schools you have to go through in order to learn
everything they need you to learn to properly hold the job. I do not have the skill areas
yet because I have not went through the training yet. I do, however, have the extreme
physical fitness it takes to become one of these outstanding officers. I am lacking a
bachelor’s degree, which I should be getting sometime next year. I am in the AFROTC
program, and a commission is required for the position. I do lack the ability to not be so
blunt about everything. That is my biggest weakness. I am working on the balance of
indirect to direct communication with a counselor, talking about my day-to-day
interactions and learning from them. I would name my three strengths to be I am

4. physically fit, a great experienced leader, and can adapt to new situations well. I believe
that these can be applied to the Air Liaison Job well. In the AFROTC Program I have
max out my PT test, got awards for my outstanding leadership, and have received the
highest of scores on the situation reports. I would ask the interviewer where would I be
stationed? How would my future family be taken care of while I am on deployment?
How often do I deploy? Questions about the off site details of the job. My short term goal
is to graduate, commission, then qualify for the job. My long term goal is to have a
family, retire as a Colonel, and work as an engineer for a car company.

5. Paper 2
Thank you Letter:
Good Afternoon Mam,
Thank you so much for giving me a Mock Interview. I always learn a lot every
time I meet with you. I am very thankful for the advice you gave me afterword on how to
deal with my weaknesses. I will aplly those lessons in the future. I had no idea how far
behind I was in on interview skills until I met with you. I appreciate you and hope to
meet with you the next time I need to edit my resume. Again, thank you for your time and
everything that you have done for me. I am confident that I will be a better leader for
tomorrows airmen because of you.
V/R,
VINCENT R SANTINI, C/Maj, AFROTC
820th AFROTC Cadet Operations Squad 1
Texas Tech University
210.882.9078
vincent.santini@ttu.edu
1 What was the mock (phone) interview like?
The mock interview was interesting. I was expecting to kill it and know
everything straight off the bat since I have been on plenty of board and interview
before. To be honest I only wore a collared shirt since I don’t have a car and I ride
a bike everywhere on campus. If I wore a suit while riding a bike I would look
kind of ridiculous. Well when I did the interview I was more unprepared than I

6. originally expected. She asked me about leadership and I just froze. But she
helped me out and kind of switched between roles of career counselor and
interviewer. It was a great learning experience.
2 Did the prep work help? Why or why not? What would you do differently?
Yes the prep work helped. If it was any other job, I would have researched the
company values and integrated my answers with them. The prep work helped
because it showed that I was passionate and serious about the job. The interview
was so impressed that I had so much Air Force Knowledge. Of course, in my
career field, you have to be passionate in order to be successful.
3 How did you do during the interview?
Not as great as I hoped. I would have hoped that I could have killed all the
questions and kept my hands still, but I did not. The leadership question should
have been a breeze but I ended up not being so great. She gave me this leadership
question that I should have known off the bat but I did not. Reviewing more
possible questions would have been a great idea.
4 If this was a real (phone) interview, would you make it to the next step of the
interview process? Why or why not?
I would if I was dressed right. In the Air Force, all they see is paper for the first
step. Then your interview would involve physical fitness. The first impression
would have been a great deal after you passed the paper part. If I got to show off
my great physical fitness, I would have got the job easy. Of course, I would have
to have the answer to all the questions pretty well down pact.
5 Were there particular questions that stumped you? How would you answer them

7. differently now that you have had some time to think about them?
I would answer the leadership question much better next time. I would try to tailor
my questions towards a leader being their for their followers constantly. That is
the kind of leader that I would want to be. Also I would point out some leadership
traits that are favorable towards the job that I want. Picking three one worded
answers sounds like a good idea.
6 Were there any particular questions that you aced? What were those questions and
why did you answer them well?
Yes. She asked me some off the wall questions. She asked me what kind of color I
would be and why? Then I answered ‘gray’. She asked why and I told her that I
chose gray because it matches with everything. She said it was an excellent
answer. So then she asked competence or loyalty? Which one I would weigh
more? And I said competence because with knowledge comes loyalty. She also
praised that as great answers.
7 Were there any questions that surprised you?
The leadership question did not surprise me at all. I just didn’t know the right
answer. Her answer surprised me. And how she counseled me through it. She
gave me great advice towards the next interview.
8 After reviewing the resume rubric and feedback from the mock interviewer, what
have you learned?
I actually didn’t bring a resume.. That was bad on my part. Usually you have to
submit a package to the USAF before they even accept you for an interview. So
having a resume in hand isn’t exactly common practice for those kind of military

8. jobs.
9 How was writing the thank you note?
It was pretty easy. I knew her before hand and she has worked with me before. So
she knew my resume and was very personable with everything. She has always
been helpful so I wanted to take the opportunity to thank her for everything she
has done. She is a very nice lady.
10 What will you do similarly and differently for your next interview?
For a civilian job I would do the research, prepare answers for as many questions as
possible. And I would dress in a suit. And have a car to get to the interview so that
wouldn’t be a problem. Then I would go in, and kill the interview.
I didn’t answer question 11 because I did not do a phone interview.

9. Reference
HQ AFPC/DPS. (2012). Air force officer classification directory. Maxwell, AL: US Air
Force.