The Outstanding Flight Award is awarded at the end of each semester. The Top Flight Award is presented monthly. The Outstanding Flight Award consists of a certificate and the appropriate guidon streamer. Additionally, the Outstanding Flight ribbon is awarded to each winning flight member. The flights are graded based on performance in academics, PT, community service, uniform wear, job performance, and other special events as determined and announced by the instructors and corps leadership.
Scoring:
All flights will compete for the honor of Top Flight and Outstanding Flight. Flights will be scored in their group performance in academics, PT, community service, uniform wear, job performance, and other special events as detailed below. Other special competitions will have event specific rules and are published prior to the event.
Top Flight points will reset at the beginning of each month. Outstanding Flight points will carry over until the end of each semester's judging period. While a Corps Commander program, the instructors are the final arbitrators and will resolve any disputes. The Corps Commander will declare the winners.
Academics:
All graded evaluations are averaged to produce their flight score. Cadets who are absent are not counted in the average. Makeup grades are not included in Top Flight scores.
Physical Training (PT):
During months that have scheduled PFT days, all individual cadet grades are averaged to produce their flight score. Zero points for not wearing a PT uniform will count and cannot be made up. Cadets who are absent or who do not participate due to medical reasons are not counted in the average. Additionally, a PT Challenge may be issued at the instructor’s discretion. Rules will be event specific. The winning flight will earn 10 points, 2nd place will earn 5 points, and 3rd (yes, last) place earns will earn no points.
Community Service:
Because each flight has around 23 students in it, community service is simply calculated by adding up the total number of community service hours performed by the entire flight for the given month.
Uniform Grade:
During scheduled uniform wear days, all individual cadet’s uniform grades are averaged to produce their flight score. Zero points for not wearing the uniform will count and cannot be made up. Cadets who are absent, and/or cadets who are not in uniform for having participated in something like, say, a color guard detail are not counted in the average.
Job Performance:
Each month, each cadet will have a job performance grade that will be a depiction of how well they supported corps goals by doing their jobs. The average grade for each flight will be calculated, and that average grade will serve as the job performance grade for the flight for the month.
Flight Standings:
Flight standings will be reported to the corps each month to the announce the Top Flight.
Reward:
As stated previously, winning Top Flight and Outstanding Flight earns flight members privileges. All members of an Outstanding Flight receive a ribbon for their superior performance at the end of the semester. They also will earn a certificate to display with pride. All members of the monthly Top Flight program will earn hero points. Hero points are bonus points to bolster the flight's job performance grade.