5.3 The Community College of the Air Force
Key Takeaways
- CCAF was activated in 1972; President Gerald R. Ford signed Public Law 94-361 on 14 July 1976 authorizing the award of the associate of applied science degree.
- Degree-granting authority moved from the Commander of Air Education and Training Command to the Commander of Air University on 28 October 2004 under Public Law 108-375.
- The CCAF associate of applied science degree requires 60 semester hours: 24 technical education, 6 leadership/management/military studies, 15 program electives, and 15 general education.
- Graduates must hold at least the Journeyman 5-skill level, at least 9 semester hours of CCAF institutional credit in degree-applicable technical education, and at least 15 semester hours of institutional credit overall.
- AFCOOL funds a maximum of $4,500 during an Airman's career for specialty-applicable credentials, and CCAF manages the program.
Legacy and Legal Authority
CCAF was activated in 1972 to gain academic recognition for formal technical training conducted by USAF schools. By the mid-1970s civilian consultants reported that CCAF standards exceeded the minimum requirements of civilian community college associate degree programs, and the Air Force sought degree-granting authority from Congress.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 1972 | CCAF activated |
| 14 July 1976 | President Gerald R. Ford signed Public Law 94-361, 94th Congress, authorizing the Commander of Air Training Command (now AETC) to confer the associate of applied science degree |
| 1977 | First degree awarded |
| 28 October 2004 | President George W. Bush signed Public Law 108-375, the Fiscal Year 2005 National Defense Authorization Act, moving degree-granting authority to the Commander of Air University |
The two presidents, two public laws, and two dates are the highest-value recall in this section. A common distractor swaps which president signed which law.
What CCAF Is
The administrative center is at Maxwell Air Force Base-Gunter Annex, Alabama. CCAF is:
- One of several federally chartered degree-granting institutions
- The only community college system within the Department of Defense
- The only two-year institution exclusively serving enlisted personnel
- The largest multi-campus community college system in the world
Scale figures AFH 1 gives: more than 6,500 faculty, more than 2,000 credit-awarding courses, more than 100 affiliated school campuses worldwide, more than 270,000 students, more than 1.6 million semester hours of collegiate credit earned each year, more than one million official transcripts issued in the last 10 years, and more than 580,000 associate of applied science degrees awarded since 1977.
Mission: "Provide enlisted professionals pathways to degrees and credentials through military education, training, and experience." CCAF offers degree programs in four broad career groups: (1) operations, (2) logistics, (3) medical, and (4) support.
Accreditation. CCAF is part of Air University, which is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate, master's, and doctoral degrees. The associate degree from CCAF is awarded under the authority of Air University. AFH 1 quotes the Department of Education's definition of accreditation as "the recognition that an institution maintains standards requisite for its graduates to gain admission to other reputable institutions of higher learning or to achieve credentials for professional practice."
The Degree
Enlisted Airmen are automatically registered in the CCAF program designed for their specialty near their completion of basic military training — no application required.
Effective with the 2022-2024 CCAF General Catalog, degree graduates must:
- Complete the 60 semester-hour academic requirements
- Hold at least the Journeyman 5-skill level or equivalent
- Have a minimum of 9 semester hours of CCAF institutional credit in degree-applicable Technical Education (non-Military Technology and Applied Sciences Management)
- Have a minimum of 15 semester hours of CCAF institutional credit applied overall
Institutional credit — commonly known as "Residency" — is credit earned from CCAF credit-awarding courses.
The 60-Hour Structure
| Requirement | Semester hours |
|---|---|
| Technical Education | 24 |
| Leadership, Management, and Military Studies | 6 |
| Program Electives | 15 |
| General Education — Written Communication (English Composition) | 3 |
| General Education — Oral Communication (Speech) | 3 |
| General Education — Mathematics | 3 |
| General Education — Social Science | 3 |
| General Education — Humanities | 3 |
| Total | 60 |
General education totals 15 hours across five 3-hour subject areas. The three numbers most often tested are 24 technical education, 6 leadership/management/military studies, and 60 total.
Transfer and Credit Rules
CCAF awards collegiate credit for degree-applicable courses delivered at affiliated military schools and accepts credit in-transfer from other accredited colleges. General education courses accepted in-transfer must meet SACSCOC standards and Air University/CCAF in-transfer policy. Students may earn CCAF credit for specific national professional credentials (licensure or certification) approved by the College.
The exclusion rule is testable: courses delivered at schools not affiliated with CCAF, or by non-CCAF faculty, are not certified by CCAF and are not awarded CCAF academic credit.
Supporting Systems
| System | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Air University Student Information System (AUSIS) | Provides academic information on degree progression; students view their CCAF degree audit, also known as the student progress report |
| Air University Associate-to-Baccalaureate Cooperative (AU-ABC) | Links CCAF degrees to accredited four-year colleges offering online bachelor's degrees. Participants must be currently serving in RegAF, AFR, or ANG; once enrolled, the student may continue after retirement or separation |
| General Education Mobile (GEM) | Links CCAF students to colleges offering online freshman- and sophomore-level courses to satisfy CCAF general education requirements |
Credentialing Programs
AFH 1 frames credentialing as force development: it enhances combat readiness, contributes to recruiting and retention, and supports career transitions.
| Program | What it does |
|---|---|
| JSAMTCC Airframe & Powerplant (A&P) | Streamlines the FAA A&P certification process for aviation maintenance technicians in specific military occupational classifications across DoD and the U.S. Coast Guard; on completion, CCAF provides documents meeting FAA eligibility and authorization to take the A&P exams, eliminating the FAA Flight Standards District Office preauthorization process. Agreements with the FAA allow military testing sites to administer FAA knowledge exams free of charge |
| CCAF Instructional Systems Development (ISD) Certificate | For curriculum writers and managers formally assigned to CCAF affiliated schools |
| CCAF Instructor Certification | For qualified instructors teaching CCAF degree-applicable courses; consists of three specific levels of achievement; open to officer, enlisted, civilian, and other service instructors |
| Air Force Credentialing Opportunities On-Line (AFCOOL) | Funds specialty-applicable credentials for enlisted Airmen on Title 10 or Title 32 (502)f orders. Maximum $4,500 during the Airman's career, covering exams, preparation courses, books, study materials, administrative fees, and recertification fees. CCAF manages AFCOOL |
The $4,500 career maximum for AFCOOL is the most frequently keyed number in this passage, and alignment is based on evaluation of technical training and occupational skills at the Journeyman (5-skill) level.
How many semester hours does the CCAF associate of applied science degree require, and how are technical education and leadership/management/military studies weighted within it?
When did degree-granting authority for CCAF transfer to the Commander of Air University?
What is the career maximum funding available through the Air Force Credentialing Opportunities On-Line program, and who manages it?