For the most part it seems like the cover letter doesn't depend on me, it depends on where the company is going and what the company wants from me. I want to relate myself to them in a way that they see beneficial. For the cover letter project I will research my company and find out what their intentions are for people in their company that have the training and goals that I would have. In my case I can contact a friend with the same position and find out what he knows about the job. If it involves getting certain certificates or training (which I already know it would) to get advanced in the company or something along those lines then I will certainly have to look into it and see if it is something I would want to do.
I will try to relate to them in a personal way that highlights the fact that my passions in life are parallel with what their industry is doing. I would also try to keep in mind that the human resources person that is looking at this would not be a technical wizard in my field. So, I will keep the terminology simple but still make it clear that I know what I am doing in this career. I would most certainly use my current and past experiences with the military to draw parallels of their company. I would highlight my time in ROTC and my knowledge of dealing with military flight and civilian flight as the job relates heavily to all of these things. ROTC would show my leadership and training ability and the different flight experiences would relate to their need to relate to all sects of flight. Above all, I will keep in mind that this is selling myself to them and I will hit on the main reason they are hiring for this job.
Perfect Fit
I think relating to the HR person is the key to the cover letter. I am sure that they will see plenty of cover letters that just restate what is already said in the resume. The best way to stand out from the rest is to catch the readers attention by writing like you would be having a conversation with them. Showing that you are passionate about the field is a great way to relate to someone hiring in that field. Using language that they understand and showing how your experience relates to their company are great ways to stand out from all the other letters that they will be reading.