Failing Knowledge Tests

falconfamily

5-Year Member
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Jan 28, 2011
Messages
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I have been hearing that the Cadet Squadrons have been getting scorched this year on their Military Knowledge Tests.

Just a couple of questions:

1. How important are these tests?
2. Is it typical for Cadets to have a hard time with them?

Thanks for any perspectives on this.
 
I have been hearing that the Cadet Squadrons have been getting scorched this year on their Military Knowledge Tests.

Just a couple of questions:

1. How important are these tests?
2. Is it typical for Cadets to have a hard time with them?

Thanks for any perspectives on this.

There are more important things to worry about, like your physics test the next morning.

A lot Cadets struggle with these, too.
 
It is common to struggle with these tests. I know my daughter had a hard time for awhile last year. The material must be memorized verbatim, down to the punctuation. It does count overall in there MPA grade. It is just not something they can study for 10 minutes before test and expect to do well. The new cadets have mentors that should be helping them to an extent with these tests and how they are progressing in studying for them. I know this because my C3C is a mentor, and it actually affect the mentors MPA as well, so there is incentive on both sides of table here.
 
My daughter struggled last year also. I don't know how many she took during the entire year but she didn't pass too many. She said something had to give and the knowledge tests were it. Hope springs eternal though as she did make the Superintendant's List last semester.

Deb Berg
C3C Alivia, CS-25 Rock Hard Red Eye
2014 Like a Machine, "ZEAMER"
 
The K-tests suck, but they are the easiest they have been in years. We actually have true/false questions on them, as well as only part of it needs to be verbatim. There is a lot of information to know, but if you spread it out throughout the week, it is manageable. With that being said, it is not a very high priority for us 4* until about 1700 on Sunday night.
 
Squads may restrict 4 digs on otherwise free weekends for poor performance (as a group) which could affect plans on fairly short notice.
 
Guess I will point out that my son and his squad won the knowledge bowl last year..........there were benifits to this......
 
Is is important? Kind of.
Yes, it affects MPAs, but it is not THE MPA.

It is good to know a lot of that information, but the real intent (IMO) is to get cadets ready for Boldface and Ops Limits as pilots. More than one of my friends failed a checkride in UPT for messing up Boldface or an ops limit. It is important for future pilots to be able to memorize things EXACTLY as written, and recall that info under stress.
 
Is is important? Kind of.
Yes, it affects MPAs, but it is not THE MPA.

It is good to know a lot of that information, but the real intent (IMO) is to get cadets ready for Boldface and Ops Limits as pilots. More than one of my friends failed a checkride in UPT for messing up Boldface or an ops limit. It is important for future pilots to be able to memorize things EXACTLY as written, and recall that info under stress.

You also have to be perfect on boldface if you want to be able to do the jump or soaring programs in the summer. If you cant complete the training you get stuck in the support squadron filling sandbags in Jack's Valley.
 
The tests never end. S is at IFS (Initial Flight Screening) and was very happy he passed his first test. Only one re-take then they "wash out." Some aspects of the tests are also verbatim.

So knowledge tests are there for a reason...:eek3:
 
What is Boldface and ops limit?

Thanks.

If I'm not mistaken it's Operational limitations of the aircraft you’re in and boldface is the what you should do in certain emergency situations… but the real deal guys should be able to correct me…
 
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Yes, Boldface items are things that need to be accomplished quickly during an emergency situation. These are items that you will not have time to look up. So, the AF makes you memorize them EXACTLY as the checklist specifies, including spelling, punctuation, capitalization, etc.

Ops Limits are limitations on the aircraft's systems or maneuvers. These are usually "Fill in the blank" sheets (on the reverse side of the boldface, often times).
 
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