Airman Leadership School

The Max-Gun ALS Academy prepares our Senior Airmen, joint-force, allied national, and civilian students across the Maxwell-Gunter community for their next step in their leadership development. This rigorous, five-week professional military education (PME) curriculum-the foundational milestone for emerging leaders-forges mission-ready warfighters and strategic enablers equipped to lead high-performing teams in contested environments. Our Academy cultivates tactical decision-making, synchronizes joint and coalition communication, and reinforces the profession of arms, directly aligning with integrated global operations.

Resources

Eligibility

Must be a Senior Airman (E-4) with a minimum of 36 months Time in Service (TIS), or any E-4 possessing an active promotion line number for Staff Sergeant (E-5). Additionally, all active-duty candidates must have successfully completed the Junior Enlisted Foundations Course 300 (JEFC300) prior to the class start date. To secure enrollment, students must maintain a current, passing physical fitness assessment through the graduation date and possess at least six months of active retainability from the projected graduation date (Reserve and Guard components require 24 months).

Awards

USAF NCO PME Graduation Ribbon – Mandatory award and wear upon successful completion of ALS.

John L. Levitow Award – This is the highest honor awarded at PME. This award is presented to the student who achieves the highest overall standing from a combination of academic scores, performance evaluations, and leadership qualities.

Distinguished Graduate (DG) Award – The award is presented to the top 10% of the class, based on standing from a combination of academic scores, performance evaluations, and leadership qualities.

Academic Award – This award is presented to the student who excelled as a scholar and is based on all summative objective and performance evaluation scores.

Commandant Award – This award is presented to the student who, in the commandant’s judgment made the most signification contribution to the overall success of their class. The John L. Levitow Award winner is not eligible for this award.