ALO's don't "vet for toughness." I've been an ALO coming up on 20 years..."toughness" isn't a tangible that can be measured. I have literally seen some of the "wimpiest" kids get into BCT and grow fangs and claws and tear up anything/everything in reach and some of the biggest bruisers curl up in tears. You can't know how BCT and then academic year will affect a person and to attempt to "vet" for that would be pointless IMHO.
What the ALO can do and should do, again IMHO, is get to know the candidate. If they speak with them only once/twice, and then meet for the interview, in my opinion, the ALO knows nothing about that candidate.
I'm not the perfect ALO, just a passionate one; but what I do is:
a. Speak on the phone, exchange e-mails, texts, etc.
b. Speak to EVERY teacher the candidate has, coaches and after school job bosses as well. Then their minister/rabbi/priest/imam if they have one.
c. I speak with the parents
d. I speak with the candidate many times; never telling them that "this" is the interview; we're just talking and I'm gathering information for this resume I want them to build
When they finally say "Colonel Steve...when do we do the ALO interview?" I usually surprise them when I ask: "Well...do we need to do another, we've met XX number of times?"
THEN they realize that by getting to know them, I've done the interview and I know what to say on their evaluation. And that time I've spent learning about them, gives me a decent appreciation for who they are and how they "should" do. Not "Will" do, just "should."
So far it's worked for me.
Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83