Academy Training Philosophy

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The Academy Training Philosophy (ATP) was a military training system that started in the late 80's. It was abolished temporarily under the rule of General Weida in favor of ODS, but has since made somewhat of a comeback.

[edit] ATP concepts

ATP was focused around several guidlines for training and providing feedback to subordinates. Among these were:

  • The "sandwich approach", which was the concept of giving positive feedback before and after negative feedback. This was often shortened by cadets to "Nice tuck, you suck, nice shoes," and was sometimes known as the shit sandwich. Another suggestion about this technique was that the "sandwich" should be made up of the upperclassman, the smack and the wall.
  • The cycle of training that went: Expectation, Skills, Feedback, Consequences, Growth, which was made into the mnemonic, "Even stupid freshman can grow" or "Even stupid firsties can graduate".
  • INPUT+, the mnemonic for the guidelines for giving feedback: give Immediate feedback; No labeling the subordinate; direct the feedback to the Proper person; the feedback should be Uniquely specific to the behavior you want changed; Talk about the behavior, not the person; and end on a positive (+) note.
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