Word: hendersons
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...subject broached, Henderson goes on to explain his grading philosophy. Leadership "is not only part of your training, it's also part of your mark," he explains. "You spend two days a week in leadership, and three days in flight science. So two-fifths of your grade will be in leadership. That's roughly 40 per cent, but I only deal in ballpark figures, 'cause in leadership we've got to be flexible...
INTEGRITY, responsibility, honesty--those sound a little hard to grade. Fortunately, there are objective criteria. "Appearance, now appearance counts quite a bit, the number of times you wear your uniform and all," Henderson explains. The U.S. government provides the uniforms free of charge, small, baggy replicas of real Air Force clothes. More importantly, they provide decorations. At the front of the class, all the pins and badges--right up to four-star general--are glued on a piece of cardboard...
...kids get this one here," Henderson says, pointing to a miniscule emblem in the corner. "And some of them get this one, and a few this one here," he says, pointing to slightly gaudier decorations. "Can I get this one?" a kid asks, pointing at the four stars. "Maybe, if you sign up when you get out of school," Henderson says. Officers--squadron leaders and others--are chosen from among the students; at the end of each class, several volunteers come up to say they wouldn't mind the responsibility...
Snappy dressing counts, true, but it isn't enough. To excel requires proficiency in what Henderson calls "your military courtesies:" Courtesy here means avoiding first names; "in class, you can call each other cadets or Mr. Smith and Miss Jones." Unfortunately, there is a Mr. Jones in this class, so the explanation provokes some giggles. "You may address yourself by your cadet rank--Cadet Lieutenant Smith, Cadet Jones," Henderson adds...
...girl in the back row interjects, "the simulator is ticking. I think it's going to blow up." Indeed, the simulator, a black screen with handles and dials that looked closely related to vanguard "amusement devices" is ticking, and it does sound a little ominous. But Henderson didn't say anything, just stared, until he was saved by the main office, which called to remind him to send in the attendance. So the girl stood up and smacked the simulator hard, and the ticking stopped...