Squadron Officer School research program helps shape future Joint Staff operational research

MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala.-- What began as a voluntary research opportunity for a small group of Squadron Officer School students has grown into a model for connecting professional military education directly with operational challenges facing the Department of War.

Following the 2026 Joint Staff Academic Research Challenge, senior Pentagon leaders reinstated the national competition for Academic Year 2026-2027 after recognizing the operational value of research produced by Air University students. Among the top-performing projects was a Squadron Officer School Air University Advanced Research team whose study examined the employment of autonomous target recognition and loitering munitions in a Taiwan contingency.

The recognition reflects Air University's continued emphasis on connecting education with operational outcomes by empowering students to solve real-world problems while attending professional military education.

"Air University curriculum already does a great job preparing students for the real-world challenges they face as warfighters," said Dr. Margaret Sankey, director of the Air University Advanced Research program. "AUAR makes the direct connection between that preparation and putting student-generated answers into the hands of Department of War sponsors who want them."

The winning Squadron Officer School team—Capt. Kurt Clauder, Capt. Gregory "Soapbox" Lee, Capt. Youngjun Park, Capt. Alex Richard and Capt. James Shifflett—earned one of four top recognitions during the competition for research examining autonomous target recognition and loitering munitions as part of a Taiwan defense scenario.

The Joint Staff Academic Research Challenge invites students from the nation's senior military education institutions to develop operationally focused research addressing some of the Department of War's most pressing strategic challenges.

Air University accounted for three of the competition's top four projects. Maj. Ashley Klase, Air Force Global College, received recognition for research supporting Agile Combat Employment, while Lt. Col. John Schade, Air War College, earned honorable mention for research exploring crowdsourced intelligence models.

Although the recent recognition highlights the program's success, Sankey said AUAR has steadily evolved since its creation in 2019 while maintaining a consistent mission.

"AUAR has always been built around the same idea—Squadron Officer School students volunteering to tackle additional research on problems important to the Department of the Air Force, the Department of War and Squadron Officer School," Sankey said. "As the program has matured, we've integrated student research into Air University's Research Task Forces, allowing captains to contribute meaningful pieces of larger operational research efforts."

Unlike traditional academic projects, AUAR connects students with operational sponsors who continue using and refining research after students graduate.

"Air University is an incredible concentration of operational expertise across every career field," Sankey said. "Programs like AUAR capture that expertise while students are here, pair it with experienced mentors and operational sponsors, and develop research that can continue to evolve long after the classroom."

Capt. Youngjun Park said the experience demonstrated how diverse operational perspectives strengthen military problem-solving.

"AUAR was one of the most valuable experiences I had at SOS," Park said. "The program brought together tactical experts from across the Air Force and gave us an opportunity to apply that experience toward solving real operational challenges."

Park said the experience reinforced an important lesson that extends beyond research.

"Leadership isn't just about having the right answer individually," he said. "It's about understanding how to leverage the expertise around you. Complex security challenges require perspectives from multiple disciplines, and AUAR creates an environment where those perspectives can come together."

For Air National Guard Capt. Gregory "Soapbox" Lee, the program expanded both his understanding of leadership and the value of professional military education.

"AUAR shifted our experience from discussion-based learning to practical problem-solving," Lee said. "It challenged us to think beyond our career fields and develop solutions that could have relevance across the joint force."

Beginning with the Fall 2026 Squadron Officer School class, Air University will further integrate AUAR into the university's Research Task Forces through the Office of Sponsored Programs. Under the updated model, Squadron Officer School students will collaborate with Air Command and Staff College planners and Air War College strategists while supporting research sponsored by organizations across the Department of War.

The approach reflects Air University's commitment to developing joint-minded leaders capable of translating operational experience into research that informs future military decision-making.