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United States Air Force

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"USAF" redirects here. For other uses, see USAF (disambiguation).
"The U.S. Air Force" redirects here. For the song, see The U.S. Air Force (song).

Template:USAF The United States Air Force (USAF) is the aerial warfare branch of the armed forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. Initially born as the United States Army Air Corps, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947.Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page). consisted of:

  • Active duty forces:
    • 57 flying wings, 8 space wings, and 55 non-flying wings
    • 9 flying groups, 8 non-flying groups
      • 134 flying squadrons, 43 space squadrons
  • Air Force Reserve
    • 35 flying wings, 1 space wing
    • 4 flying groups
      • 67 flying squadrons, 6 space squadrons
  • Air National Guard
    • 87 flying wings
      • 101 flying squadrons, 4 space squadrons

The United States Air Force and its Air Reserve Components field a total of 302 flying squadrons.[1]

Operational organization

The above organizational structure is responsible for the peacetime Organization, Equipping, and Training of aerospace units for operational missions. When required to support operational missions, the National Command Authority directs a Change in Operational Control (CHOP) of these units from their peacetime alignment to a Regional Combatant Commander (CCDR). In the case of AFSPC, AFSOC, PACAF, and USAFE units, forces are normally employed in-place under their existing CCDR. Likewise, AMC forces operating in support roles retain their componency to USTRANSCOM unless chopped to a Regional CCDR.

Aerospace Expeditionary Task Force

CHOPPED units are referred to as "forces". The top-level structure of these forces is the Air and Space Expeditionary Task Force (AETF). The AETF is the Air Force presentation of forces to a CCDR for the employment of Air Power. Each CCDR is supported by a standing Component Numbered Air Force (C-NAF) to provide planning and execution of aerospace forces in support of CCDR requirements. Each C-NAF consists of a Commander, Air Force Forces (COMAFFOR) and AFFOR/A-staff, and an Air Operations Center (AOC). As needed to support multiple Joint Force Commanders (JFC) in the COCOM's Area of Responsibility (AOR), the C-NAF may deploy Air Component Coordinate Elements (ACCE) to liaise with the JFC. If the Air Force possesses the most strategic air assets in a JFC's area of operations, the COMAFFOR will also serve as the Joint Forces Air Component Commander (JFACC).

Commander, Air Force Forces

The Commander, Air Force Forces (COMAFFOR) is the senior Air Force officer responsible for the employment of Air Power in support of JFC objectives. The COMAFFOR has a special staff and an A-Staff to ensure assigned or attached forces are properly organized, equipped, and trained to support the operational mission.

Air Operations Center

The Air Operations Center (AOC) is the JFACC's Command and Control (C²) center. This center is responsible for planning and executing air power missions in support of JFC objectives.

Air Expeditionary Wings/Groups/Squadrons

The AETF generates air power to support COCOM objectives from Air Expeditionary Wings (AEW) or Air Expeditionary Groups (AEG). These units are responsible for receiving combat forces from Air Force MAJCOMs, preparing these forces for operational missions, launching and recovering these forces, and eventually returning forces to the MAJCOMs. Theater Air Control Systems control employment of forces during these missions.

Vocations

The vast majority of Air Force members remain on the ground. There are hundreds of support positions which are necessary to the success of a mission.

The classification of an Air Force job is the Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC). They range from flight combat operations such as a gunner, to working in a dining facility to ensure that members are properly fed. There are many different jobs in fields such as computer specialties, mechanic specialties, enlisted aircrew, medical specialties, civil engineering, public affairs, hospitality, law, drug counseling, mail operations, elite security forces, and search and rescue specialties.[2]

Perhaps the most dangerous Air Force jobs are Security Forces, Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD), Combat rescue officer, Pararescue, Combat Control, Combat Weather and Tactical Air Control Party, who deploy with infantry and special operations units who disarm bombs, rescue downed or isolated personnel, call in air strikes and set up landing zones in forward locations. Most of these are enlisted positions. Other jobs have seen increasing combat, and have been billed "Battlefield Airmen." These include EOD, vehicle operators, and OSI.

Nearly all enlisted jobs are "entry level," meaning that the Air Force provides all training. Some enlistees are able to choose a particular job, or at least a field before actually joining, while others are assigned an AFSC at Basic Military Training (BMT). After BMT, new Air Force members attend a technical training school where they learn their particular AFSC. Second Air Force, a part of Air Education and Training Command, is responsible for nearly all technical training.

Training programs vary in length; for example, 3M0X1 (Services) has 31 days of tech school training, while 3E8X1 (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) is 1 year of training with a preliminary school and a main school consisting of over 10 separate divisions, sometimes taking students close to 2 years to complete. Some AFSCs have even shorter or longer training.

Aircraft

Main article: List of active United States military aircraft
B-2 Spirit
F-22 Raptors
CV-22 Ospreys
C-17 Globemaster III

The United States Air Force has over 7,500 aircraft commissioned as of 2004. Until 1962, the Army and Air Force maintained one system of aircraft naming, while the U.S. Navy maintained a separate system. In 1962, these were unified into a single system heavily reflecting the Army/Air Force method. For more complete information on the workings of this system, refer to United States Department of Defense Aerospace Vehicle Designations.

Current aircraft of the USAF[3]:

Attack (air to ground)

Bomber

Transport, Special Operations

AWACS, Electronic Warfare

Fighter

Helicopter

Tanker

Reconnaissance

Trainer

Training

All enlisted Airmen must undergo basic military training (BMT), which takes place at Lackland AFB, Texas.

Air Force Fitness Test

Main article: United States Air Force Fitness Test

The US Air Force Fitness Test (AFFT) is designed to test the body composition, muscular strength/endurance and cardiovascular respiratory fitness of airmen in the United States Air Force. As part of the Fit to Fight program, the Air Force adopted a more stringent physical fitness assessment; the new fitness program was established on January 1, 2004, and replaces the annual ergo-cycle test that the Air Force had used for several years. In the AFFT, Airmen are given a score based on performance consisting of four components: waist circumference, the crunch, the push-up, and a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) run. Airmen can potentially earn a score of 100; a passing score is anything over 75 points.

Culture

Uniforms

Main article: United States Air Force uniform

United States Air Force personnel wear uniforms which are distinct from those of the other branches of the United States Armed Forces. The current uniform is an olive drab/black/brown and tan combination called the Battle Dress Uniform (BDU). Members deployed to an AOR wear a variation of the BDU, tan and brown in color, called the Desert Camouflage Uniform (DCU). A new uniform called the Airman Battle Uniform (ABU) is scheduled to completely replace the BDU and DCU by November 2011. The ABU is currently readily available at most Base Exchanges or Military Clothing Stores.

Awards and badges

In addition to basic uniform clothing, various badges are used by the USAF to indicate a job assignment or qualification-level for a given assignment. Badges can also be used as merit-based or service-based awards. Over time, various badges have been discontinued and are no longer distributed. Authorized badges include the Shields of USAF Fire and Rescue, and Security Forces

Grade Structure and Insignias

See also: United States Air Force officer rank insignia
See also: Warrant Officer (United States)

(Discontinued)

See also: United States Air Force enlisted rank insignia

The standard USAF uniform is also decorated with an insignia to designate rank. USAF rank is divided between enlisted airmen, non-commissioned officers, and commissioned officers, and ranges from "airman basic" to the commissioned rank of general. Promotions are granted based on a combination of test scores, years of experience, and selection board approval. Promotions among enlisted men and non-commissioned officers rankings are generally designated by increasing numbers of insignia chevrons. Commissioned officer rank is designated by bars, oak leaves, a silver eagle, and anywhere from one to five (only in war-time) stars.

For cadet rank at the U.S. Air Force Academy, see United States Air Force Academy Cadet Insignia.

Slogans & Creeds

The United States Air Force has had numerous recruiting slogans to include "No one Comes Close" and Uno Ab Alto. For many years, the U.S. Air Force used "Aim High" as its recruiting motto; more recently, they have used "Cross Into the Blue", "We've been waiting for you" and "Do Something Amazing",[5] and the newest one, "Above All".[6] Each wing, group, or squadron usually has its own motto(s). Information and logos can usually be found on the wing, group, or squadron websites.[7]

The Airman's Creed is a statement introduced in the spring of 2007 to summarize the culture of the Air Force.

Air Force Core Values: Integrity First, Service Before Self, Excellence In All We Do

To help further knowledge of their mission and functions, the Air Force has also produced videos, such as "Setting the Conditions for Victory" and "How We Fight",[8] to outline the Air Force role in the war on terrorism and how the service succeeds in its domains of air, space and cyberspace. The Above All campaign continues to support the message of "air, space and cyberspace" dominance.

See also

Wikisource has original works by or about:
United States Air Force

References

  1. ^ "2007 USAF Almanac: USAF Squadrons By Mission Type" (PDF). AIR FORCE Magazine. Retrieved 9 Feb. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ [1] Air Force Specialty Code Information, United States Air Force, July 2008.
  3. ^ US Air Force aviation OrBat - including numbers of aircraft in active service
  4. ^ Photos: Airtech CN-235 Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net
  5. ^ "Do Something Amazing" web site
  6. ^ "Air Force rolls out new advertising campaign", Airforcetimes.com, March 2, 2008.
  7. ^ US Air Force Mottos. Military-quotes.com, Retrieved 4 June 2006.
  8. ^ "'Setting the Conditions for Victory' video premieres online", USAF, 3 October 2007

References to U.S. Army predecessors of today's U.S. Air Force are cited under their respective articles.

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