Leadership Attribute Survey

From USAFA Folklore

Since the beginning of USAFA, the Leadership Attribute Survey (LAS) has been administered to cadets. In this survey, cadets rank each other based on perceived quality as a cadet. Originally called "Peer Rating", the survey is known in cadet slang as "Rate your Neighbor", "Top 4/Bottom 4", or more cynically "Rape your Neighbor".

The survey normally requires every cadet in the squadron identify his or her top four cadets and bottom four cadets in each class in the squadron, then give up to three reasons for each cadet so ranked. The reasons would be selected from a set of a dozen or so canned characteristics(e.g., "military bearing", "physical fitness", "uniform standards", or "leadership ability") that could cut either way depending on whether the person was ranked in the top or bottom.

The ratings would be anonymized, combined and tabulated, and the rated cadet (and the cadet's AOC) would get a print-out showing how many of each class ranked the cadet in the top 4/bottom 4 and how many times each reason was given as a basis for the ranking. Depending on the squadron and the rules in place at the time, the ratings could potentially affect a cadet's MPA.

Understandably, some cadets did not feel comfortable being made to bottom-rank fellow squadron classmates. With the understanding that possible repercussions on MPA may result, cadets have been known to make agreements with each other to intentionally rate each other at the bottom, then provide bogus or humorous justifications (e.g., "He borrowed my ramen noodles and never got me another one".) which would be read by the unknowing AOC during the recipient's performance feedback session.