AFCEA Educational Foundation

Future Heroes

ROTC Experience Tours

ANNOUNCEMENT - Update for 2013

We regret to announce that the Future Heroes Experience Tours program
has been temporarily suspended for summer 2013.

Background

The AFCEA Educational Foundation in partnership with Future Heroes, a private, non-profit organization founded by Mr. Kyle Fisher, launched a unique Experience Tour program in 2007 for AFCEA ROTC Scholarship applicants.  As a result of the success of the program in 2007, the 2008 program was doubled to support 12 Experience Tours. There were 10 Experience Tours in 2009, a hiatus for summer 2010, and 9 Experience Tours in summer 2011, including 3 in Europe.

The program has the concurrence of the Army, Air Force and Navy ROTC Commanding Officers and the approval of the Foundation’s Board of Directors. 

                          **  Summer 2011 TOURS

                          **  Summer 2009 TOURS

                          **  Summer 2008 TOURS

                          **  Summer 2007 TOURS

Mission

To provide exceptional ROTC cadets and midshipmen practical, real-world leadership experience through an intensive summer internship with senior military leaders.

Description

Future Hero Experience Tours are offered to ROTC cadets and midshipmen between their junior and senior years of college.  Recipients are competitively board-selected by senior Active Duty officers and retired General Officer advisors.  The Tours last one week (Sunday-Saturday) and are scheduled during summer break.  See here for important details.

Course of Action

Future Hero Tour awardees will be assigned in pairs to major military commands where they will shadow senior military leaders as well as closely interact with other commanders and enlisted leaders. 

Students will participate in the day-to-day routines of the senior leaders they are shadowing, including attending high-level meetings and planning sessions.  They will also have the unique opportunity to engage in practical experiences alongside officers and enlisted at various levels meeting the daily rigors of command.

By being functionally assigned in pairs, students will have a peer with whom to measure experiences.  This pairing has the dual added benefit of creating peer networking opportunities for students.

Goal

Those selected for this highly competitive program earn the unique opportunity to witness pivotal leaders in action.  Over the course of a week, students are immersed in the daily challenges, deliberations and decision-making situations that confront senior military leaders.  In turn, participants will gain first-hand insight into applying professional military education in real-world situations.

Participants will work on achieving the following three goals:

     1)  Strengthen their leadership skill set;

     2)  Sharpen their understanding of day-to-day military operations and

          challenges; and

     3)  Develop their professional military network.

Partnership

The AFCEA Educational Foundation will identify placement opportunities and oversee the administration of the Experience Tours with individual ROTC units.  Future Heroes will cover the expenses for Tours to include:  travel to and from the commands/corporations, housing, meals, local transportation, etc. 

In order to both maximize the efficacy of the experience for students and to minimize any impact on command mission accomplishment, an AFCEA representative will coordinate the timing of Experience Tours with designated sponsoring command representatives.  Students are prepared to report on a Monday morning and work through Friday close of business.  If the opportunity arises, participants also will be prepared to attend evening command functions.

Command feedback is critical to the success of this program.  Sponsoring commands will be asked to fill out a brief feedback form within five days of the completion of their Experience Tours.