This document contains an informational interview assignment conducted by Vincent Santini with an Air Force Officer, LTC Petuee. During the interview, LTC Petuee discussed his role as an Air Liaison Officer, including enjoying bringing his people home safely and the strong brotherhood within the career field. He noted Air Force pilots receive faster promotions than other roles. The interview also covered topics like base locations, deployment frequency, healthcare benefits, and typical work days. Santini thanked LTC Petuee and expressed increased excitement about pursuing the career field.

1. Running Head: INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEW
Informational Interview Assignment
Vincent Santini
Texas Tech University
My career of choice to interview was for an Air Force Officer. There is a lot for jobs in the Air
Force. Many of which have many complex jobs that are really hard to describe on paper. So getting a
first-hand account of those jobs is a valuable learning experience to see what you want to do in the Air
Force. Of course, all the airmen that you deal with and ask about their jobs make it sound so cool. So it is
really hard to choose what you want to do because when you interview a pilot, you want to be a pilot
afterword. When you interview an Explosive Ordinance Disposal guy, you want to be in the elite of the

2. Running Head: INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEW
civil engineering squadron with the Explosive Ordinance Disposal certification. Side Note: I do
understand that this assignment did not want a written transcript of the interview, but I feel that my
interpretation of his answers is just too good not to post on this assignment. Because of this interview I
am super excited to apply for this career in the Air Force. The thing I like the most was the brotherhood
aspect of the job and environment. The thing I like the least was being away from your family and friends
because of deployments, and the divorce rates. I got a document detailing it but it is way too much to put
on this assignment.
What is your job in the Air Force? Air Liaison Officer(ALO),13L (13 Lima)
What is it that you enjoy about your job? He said he enjoyed that he was the tip of the spear when he did
his job. He enjoys bringing his people home and when the infantry have no where else to go and they are
pinned down, the ALO gets them out of the fix by calling in Air Strikes and other forms of fire. They
enjoy the training and the type of people that come out of the career field. The brotherhood is what he
noted the most. I would love a job that had that kind of brotherhood. You have a select group of
individuals that are high speed, motivated, and passionate about what they do. They go through ‘the suck’
with these airmen, and that creates a bond unlike any other. In the civilian world, you will see the people
are career oriented. Some are so career oriented, that they will step on whoever they need to in order to
get ahead. With a brotherhood that is in the military you know that your battle buddy has your six no
matter what. That is what I look for in a career to retire from. I feel that my physical fitnees can line up
perfectly with this career field. I need to have a bachelors degree to start.
Do you get promoted fast like the pilots do? He told me that the Air Force is a pilot’s world, and that the
pilots do get promoted more often and faster than anyone else in the Air Force. Since the Air Force is not
a service that has a primary focus of ground combat, positions in the Air Force that are related to ground
combat don’t usually promote past Lieutenant Colonel. The flow chart that he showed me showed as you
get promoted and move up the chart,the positions get less. That is the nature of the Air Force.

3. Running Head: INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEW
What bases would you go to state side? Medina Air Force Base,Army Airborne in Fort Benning, and
really any Army camp, fort, or base. When we are deployed, we are wherever they need us.
How often do you get deployed? Pretty often he says. When they are stateside they do a lot of paperwork
and training. Their job is to be deployed with the Army Units so they can bring Air Power to the fight.
And that can only happen in the Area of Operation
What is your political state of affairs on what you are doing in the other side of the world? He declined to
answer,saying that if he talked bad about his commander in chief, that he could be seen as a traitor, and it
is not wise to make the people you swore an oath too angry. He said that is a common thing throughout
the Armed Services. It is a cultural norm.
How does the military take care of you and your family? The Air Force will take care of all your moving,
housing, food, uniforms, and anything else you may need. That is stateside though. There is a whole
process that you have to go through so the Air Force makes sure that you and your affairs are taken care
of before you deploy. That involves your family also.
What is the health care for military, and what is it like? Tricare is amazing. I myself have used in the past
when my father was deployed. It is awesome. You pay 15% of your premium and your good for the rest
of the year. Cheapest medical payments I have ever paid. They accept that in most places, and you don’t
have to register health care professionals on the card,which in my opinion is stupid. For as long as you
serve,you and your family get those benefits.
How long is the training, and what do you do? This one was a lengthy one. He said if you are enlisted you
have to go through basic training and Technical Job School. They call it the school house on base. If
you’re an officer, you have to go through either Air Force ROTC or you have to go through Officer
Candidate School.
What do you do on a day-to-day basis? He says he does officer stuff. Like awards,decorations, and
evaluation. He also runs the training schedule for his squadron.

4. Running Head: INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEW
What would you want a cadet to know about deploying in your AFSC? ALOs are now doing 9 month
deployments and TBD time off. So be prepared for that.
How long are your workdays? Stateside it is from 9am till 5pm. But really they stay till the work is done.
What do you do during your free time? He plays video games and goes shooting. And he likes watching
TV and movies. He has a weird obsession with League of Legends though.
Thank you Letter:
Thank you LTC Petuee for meeting with me for the information interview. You got me reall excited about
the career field and I am excited to try out. I hope you get promoted soon.
From, Cadet Santini
Email:
Good AfternoonSir,
CouldI please meetwithyoutoaskyouquestionsaboutALO?
From,CadetSantini
HeyVincent,
Yes youcan. Meetin the detachmentat3pm Friday
Good AfternoonSir,
Thank youSir
From,VincentSantini
LTC Petuee,AirLiaisonOfficerCommander

5. Running Head: INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEW
Criteria
Points
Possible
Points
Earned
General
Paper adheres to APA formatting (title page, citations, references
page, etc.). Headings are appropriately labeled. Filename is correct.
This rubric pasted at the end of the assignment.
10

6. Running Head: INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEW
Writing is clear with appropriate grammar, spelling, and
punctuation.
10
Interview information and reflection
Student clearly identifies an occupation 4
Student provides foundational knowledge about the occupation 16
Student provides a copy of an effective e-mail request 4
Student provides a copy of an effective thank you note 4
Student discusses what was learned through the interview (5A-D) 16
Student reflects on interview and responds to evaluation prompts
effectively.
30
Student provides a copy of their 12 informational interview
questions.
6
Total 100