Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve members have the opportunity to enhance their eSchool distance learning experience via the Air Reserve Component Seminar (ARCS) program. This program provides an "in-residence" experience for majors and lieutenant colonels enrolled in the Air Command and Staff College or Air War College online programs.
ARCS is a blended-learning program which will allows Guardsmen and Reservists a dedicated period of TDY to focus on portions of the ACSC or AWC distance learning programs. Conducted each June at Maxwell AFB, AL, the two-week seminar uses a combination of online collaborative learning, guest lectures, and exercises facilitated by AU resident and distance learning faculty to enrich learning and provide a resident-like student experience.
There are two ARCS Programs, one for Air Command and Staff College and one for Air War College
For ANG officers, NGB/HR releases a Course Announcement/Call for Applications to Base Education and Training Managers (BETMs) and Unit Training Managers (UTMs) in early March. The course announcement will include all application directions and specific program details.
For Air Force Reserve officers, specific application instructions for the ARCS program will be included in the Fall Reserve School Selection Board (RSSB) announcement.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Students currently enrolled in ACSC distance learning who have already completed the IDE-30B Applied Leadership in Command (ALC) course are ineligible to apply for the seminar.
Students selected for ACSC ARCS must complete two courses BEFORE attending the program at Maxwell AFB.
Failure to complete these pre-requisites will result in disenrollment from the program. Candidates are strongly encouraged to begin working on their pre-requisites BEFORE official ARCS selection notification.
During the resident TDY portion of ACSC ARCS, students will complete three courses in the classroom environment:
After completion of the resident TDY, students are expected to complete the remainder of the ACSC distance learning curriculum requirements at home station. Upon completion of all requirements, distance learning IDE credit will be reflected in a student's personnel records.
Students that start/complete the Self-Paced Leadership & Command AND the Self-Paced Warfare Studies are ineligible to attend ACSC ARCS.
Funding
For ANG and full-time Reservists, the ARCS TDYs are unit-funded. For IMAs, TRs, and ART Reservists, ARCS attendance is centrally-funded by AFRC.
To Learn More
Contact the ARCS Program Advisors:
For ANG officers, those desiring to enroll must provide a signed memorandum from their Wing/CC or equivalent that states the Wing will fund the required TDYs for course completion. This memorandum, as well as a memorandum requesting enrollment in the AWC ARCS program, must be emailed to the AWC ARCS Advisor (see contact info below).
Students selected for the AWC ARCS program must complete two courses BEFORE attending the program at Maxwell AFB.
During the resident TDY portion of AWC ARCS, students will complete three courses in the classroom environment:
After completion of the resident TDY, students are expected to complete the remainder of the AWC distance learning curriculum requirements at home station. Upon completion of all requirements, distance learning SDE credit will be reflected in a student's personnel records.
eSchool of Graduate PME 51 East Maxwell Boulevard Maxwell AFB, AL 36112
