Aerospace and Interstellar Institute
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The Aerospace and Interstellar Institute (AII) is a major aerospace military academy located in the Draconis Combine. Based on the planet Midway, AII turns out aerospace personnel, including DropShip and JumpShip crew-members, for the Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery. The school's colors are orange, black and red, and cadets are allowed to wear the insignia patch on their flight suits but not dress uniforms.[1][2][3]
Enrollment into AII requires the usual proctor recommendations, although the academy also accepts a limited number of independent petitions. Depending on the course curriculum, training programs at AII can last anywhere from six months to two years. All students receive the same basic training program, including small arms and first aid skills, before advancing on to advanced individual training with additional courses and electives from which to choose.[2][3] Competition is intense at AII, especially among JumpShip and DropShip cadets: being largely non-combatants, JumpShips only need replacement crew when someone retires or dies, and while DropShips tend to go down with all hands new ones are built at an agonizingly slow pace.[1] Because of this nearly all AII students receiving training as Aerospace Fighter pilots, with approximately one hundred and forty graduating each year.[2][3]
Working together with the Draconis Combine Admiralty, AII helped create a new training program for WarShip crews in 3056. While the DCA is slowly building up its WarShip fleet, AII is turning out more trained personnel than there are WarShips to be crewed. However, a number of these graduates go on to universities for additional training as line officers to captain future WarShips and other large vessels.[2][3]
As a standing force, AII maintains two regiments for aerospace fighters and several DropShips for training purposes.[3]