Academic calendar
Fall 2026 runs Sep 1, 2026 – Jan 31, 2027. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.
- Fall 2026Relevant now
- Spring 2027
- Summer 2027
Campus language
Search the full glossary. Nothing is sampled or hidden when the search field is empty.
Showing 18 of 18 terms
A
- ACSC
- Air Command and Staff College; the mid-level professional military education college.
- AFIT
- Air Force Institute of Technology; though based in Ohio, it is a major component of Air University.
- AWC
- Air War College; the senior-level professional military education college.
C
- CCAF
- Community College of the Air Force; the federally chartered degree-granting institution for enlisted members.
D
- Direct Commission
- Refers to students (often medical or legal) who attend a shortened version of OTS.
O
- OTS
- Officer Training School; the initial commissioning program for officers.
- OTS Dorms
- The specific residential barracks located on the Officer Training School side of the base.
P
- PME
- Professional Military Education; the general term for the curriculum taught at AU.
R
- Rits
- The Ritz-Carlton-managed dining services often associated with the high-end catering at the Maxwell Club.
S
- SOS
- Squadron Officer School; the primary leadership course for Air Force Captains.
T
- TDY
- Temporary Duty; the status of most students who are at AU for a short duration rather than a permanent move.
- The Circle
- Short for Chennault Circle, referring to the heart of the academic campus.
- The Club
- The Maxwell Event Center or Officers' Club, used for formal meals and social gatherings.
- The DFAC
- The Riverfront Dining Facility, the main cafeteria for students and enlisted personnel.
- The Gunter Side
- Refers to Gunter Annex, the secondary portion of the base located a few miles from the main Maxwell campus.
- The Shoppette
- The AAFES convenience store and gas station where students get quick snacks and essentials.
- The VOQ
- Visiting Officers Quarters; the primary lodging for students attending short-term courses like SOS.
V
- Vigilant Hall
- A primary lodging facility often used by students and transient personnel at Maxwell AFB.
Places and practicalities
Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.
- CAC
- Common Access Card; the mandatory military ID required for building access and computer login.
- Canvas
- The Learning Management System (LMS) used for course materials, assignments, and grades.
- Chennault Circle
- The main academic loop where the major colleges (AWC, ACSC) are located.
- Day Street Gate
- The main 24-hour entrance to Maxwell AFB.
- Fairchild
- The Fairchild Research Information Center, which serves as the main university library.
- main_cafeteria
- Main Cafeteria
- NIPR
- The unclassified computer network used for standard coursework and communication.
- Polifka
- Polifka Auditorium, a frequent site for large-scale briefings and guest speakers.
- The Blue Monster
- The nickname for the challenging obstacle course used by OTS students.
- The IT Help Desk
- The central service for resolving issues with AU-specific accounts and software.
Quick answers
Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.
- What academic term is relevant now?
- Fall 2026 runs Sep 1, 2026 – Jan 31, 2027.
- How much campus context is included?
- 18 approved campus terms and 10 local details are included in full.
- Are all approved campus terms included?
- Yes. The complete approved glossary is available in the scrollable, searchable campus-language section.
- Where does this guide come from?
- Calendar dates, campus terms, and local details come from DormWay's approved campus reference library.