DAF CGOC Mentorship Program Sign up
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DAF CGOC · Mentorship Program

Go from cadet to Lieutenant with a wingman who's been there.

The jump from cadet to active-duty Lieutenant is a massive shift in responsibility, culture, and operational tempo. The DAF Company Grade Officers' Council pairs you with an experienced CGO at your first duty station. It's guidance, not oversight.

Find my mentor How it works

A mentor is not a sponsor. See the difference

DAF CGOC · Mentorship Program

Give the next Lieutenant the wingman you wish you'd had.

You cleared the cadet-to-CGO transition a few years ago. Spend one virtual check-in every 4–6 weeks passing that hard-won context to a cadet or brand-new Lieutenant. It's guidance, not oversight.

Volunteer as a mentor How it works

A mentor is not a sponsor. See the difference

The first thing to know

Your mentor is not your sponsor.

When you get your first assignment, your gaining unit assigns a sponsor to handle your PCS logistics. Your mentor is here for the long game: leadership, networking, and officer development. Two different jobs.

This program

The Mentor

Primary focus
Networking, leadership, career progression, and officer development
Timeline
Long-term. Pre-commissioning through your early CGO years.
Key topics
Leading Airmen, evaluations (OPBs), peer-to-peer mentorship, AFSC/SFSC nuances
The "why"
Learning how to be an officer, and the peer connections you make right out the door.
Gaining unit

The Sponsor

Primary focus
PCS logistics, base in-processing, and unit orientation
Timeline
Short-term. Pre-arrival through in-processing.
Key topics
Base housing, local area info, reporting instructions
The "why"
Figuring out where to park and live

How it works

Four steps to a mentor in your corner.

  1. 01

    Sign up

    Tell us who you are and what you're looking for. Two minutes, right from this page.

  2. 02

    Get matched

    We match you with a CGO (or a cadet) by career field, goals, and preference.

  3. 03

    Connect

    Meet virtually at least once every 4–6 weeks, through commissioning and your first months on station.

  4. 04

    Grow

    Build a network across the force before you ever pin on your gold bars.

What a cadet gets

The unvarnished truth, from someone who just lived it.

Straight talk, no filter

What active duty is actually like, from officers who hit the same challenges a few years ago. The stuff nobody writes down, shared straight, before you need it.

A network before your gold bars

Connections across the Air & Space Force, not just your first base.

The "unwritten rules"

The stuff you're not taught at ROTC, OTS, or the Academy, from working with Senior NCOs to reading squadron dynamics.

A safe space for "dumb" questions

A sounding board for what you'd hesitate to ask your first commander or flight chief.

Career navigation, day one

An early read on assignment processes, deployment tempo, and setting yourself up in your AFSC/SFSC. Plus CGOs who want to welcome you into the community from the moment you arrive.

Why it matters

No new Lieutenant should show up to their first assignment not knowing a single face.

The commitment

It works both ways.

One virtual check-in every 4–6 weeks. A call, video chat, or a detailed email, through commissioning and your first months on station.

Mentees drive it

  • Come with specific questions, goals, or scenarios.
  • Respect your mentor's time and operational schedule.

Mentors give it straight

  • Honest, candid feedback, and they share failures as readily as wins.
  • Show up for the cadence you signed up for.

"The relationship is what both parties are willing to make of it."

1 Your details

Optional

We only use this to match you.

2 I'm signing up as

3 Anything else

Questions

Good to know.

Who's eligible?
Senior cadets and newly commissioned officers sign up as mentees; active-duty CGOs sign up as mentors. AFROTC and USAFA cadre can refer cadets directly through the sign-up form.
How much time does it take?
One virtual check-in, a call, video chat, or a detailed email, at least once every 4–6 weeks. The relationship is what you make of it.
Is this a sponsorship program?
No. Your gaining unit assigns a sponsor for the logistics of your PCS. Your mentor is for your development, networking, and career. See the comparison near the top of this page.
Who can refer cadets?
ROTC detachment and Academy cadre can submit cadets directly through the sign-up form. Just choose "Mentee" and enter the cadet's details.
Does this come with anything else?
After you sign up we'll point you to a free basic membership with the Military Officers Association of America, a DAF CGOC partner. It is open to junior and senior cadets and to commissioned officers, it costs nothing, and it keeps you current on the benefits and legislation that affect you and the Airmen and Guardians you will lead. More about MOAA and the partnership.
What happens to my information?
Your information is used only to match you within the DAF CGOC Mentorship Program. Submissions go into a protected database that is not publicly accessible, and they are visible only to DAF CGOC Executive Council program administrators and, once you are matched, to your mentor or mentee. Your information is never sold, shared outside the program, or published, and you can request an update or removal at any time by contacting the council.