3.5 Air Force Organizational Structure
Key Takeaways
- The Department of the Air Force consists of three major entities: the Secretariat, the Air Staff headed by the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, and the Space Staff headed by the Chief of Space Operations.
- Field Operating Agencies are subordinate to a Headquarters Air Force functional manager, while Direct Reporting Units are subordinate to the Chief of Staff of the Air Force.
- A Lead MAJCOM consolidates responsibility for a function across the whole Air Force; a Component MAJCOM is the Air Force component to a unified combatant command, and one MAJCOM can be both.
- The squadron is the basic unit and building block of the Air Force, with a minimum adjusted population of at least 35.
- Minimum adjusted populations are 1,000 for a wing (750 for ANG and AFRC), 400 for a group (200 for ANG and AFRC), and 35 for a squadron; flights typically consist of 12 to 100 people.
The Department of the Air Force
Title 10, United States Code, Armed Forces, provides the duties, responsibilities, and legal obligations of the Department of the Air Force. AFH 1 states the mission plainly: "to fly, fight, and win…airpower anytime, anywhere."
The DAF consists of three major entities:
- The Secretariat — including the Secretary of the Air Force and the Secretary's principal staff
- The Air Staff — headed by the Chief of Staff of the Air Force (CSAF)
- The Space Staff — headed by the Chief of Space Operations
Field units are the component organizations within the USAF and Space Force.
Secretary of the Air Force (SecAF). A civilian appointed by the President with Senate advice and consent, head of the DAF, subject to the authority, control, and direction of the Secretary of Defense. Responsibilities include recruiting, organizing, supplying, equipping (including research and development), training, servicing, mobilizing, demobilizing, and administering personnel; maintaining and repairing military equipment; constructing and repairing buildings and utilities; and acquiring real property.
Chief of Staff of the Air Force (CSAF). A USAF General Officer appointed for a four-year term by the President with Senate advice and consent, subject to the authority, direction, and control of the Secretary of the Air Force, presiding over the Air Staff. As a member of the Joint Chiefs, the CSAF informs SecAF of Joint Chiefs military advice affecting the DAF, to the extent that doing so does not impair independence or performance of Joint Chiefs duties.
Air Staff Two-Letter Codes
Air Staff responsibilities are organized in functional two-letter organizations. Learn the codes; they appear on duty titles across the Air Force and are directly testable.
| Code | Function |
|---|---|
| A1 | Manpower, Personnel, and Services |
| A2/6 | Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance, and Cyber Effects Operations |
| A3 | Operations |
| A4 | Logistics, Engineering, and Force Protection |
| A5/7 | Strategy, Integration, and Requirements |
| A6 | Communications |
| A8 | Strategic Plans and Programs |
| A10 | Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration |
FOAs, DRUs, and MAJCOMs
The distinction between the first two turns on who they report to:
| Organization | Reports to | AFH 1 examples |
|---|---|---|
| Field Operating Agency (FOA) | A Headquarters Air Force functional manager | Air Force Personnel Center; Air Force Office of Special Investigations |
| Direct Reporting Unit (DRU) | The Chief of Staff of the Air Force | Air Force District of Washington; the USAF Academy |
A FOA "performs field activities beyond the scope of major commands"; a DRU "performs a mission that does not fit into any of the major commands but has many of the same administrative and organizational responsibilities."
Major commands (MAJCOMs) are organized functionally in the United States and geographically overseas, each directly subordinate to Headquarters Air Force and holding a specific portion of the Air Force mission. Two specialized types exist:
- Lead MAJCOM — consolidates responsibility for a particular function in a single MAJCOM supporting the entire Air Force. AFH 1's example: Air Education and Training Command is the Lead MAJCOM for education and training.
- Component MAJCOM (C-MAJCOM) — the Air Force component to a unified combatant command, commanded by the Commander of Air Force Forces, containing one or more Component Numbered Air Forces. AFH 1's example: Pacific Air Forces, the Air Force component to U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.
Note the trap: AFH 1 states explicitly that a MAJCOM can be both a Lead MAJCOM and a C-MAJCOM. An item asserting the categories are mutually exclusive is wrong.
MAJCOM Quick Reference
| MAJCOM | Activated | Headquarters | Mission in AFH 1's words |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Combat Command (ACC) | 1 June 1992 | Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia | Primary provider of air combat forces; also responsible for inland search and rescue in the 48 contiguous states |
| Air Mobility Command (AMC) | 1 June 1992 | Scott AFB, Illinois | Global air mobility — component to USTRANSCOM |
| Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) | 3 August 1944 | Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii | Component of USINDOPACOM; AOR holds 60 percent of the world's population in 36 nations |
| USAFE-AFAFRICA | 20 April 2012 | Ramstein Air Base, Germany | Component to both USEUCOM and USAFRICOM under one commander with two distinct roles |
| Air Education and Training Command (AETC) | 1 July 1993 | Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas | Recruit, train and educate exceptional Airmen; more than 25 million graduates |
| Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) | 1 July 1992 | Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio | Equip the USAF for world-dominant airpower; "cradle-to-grave" oversight |
| Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) | 22 May 1990 | Hurlburt Field, Florida | Component of USSOCOM; the nation's specialized airpower |
| Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) | 7 August 2009 | Barksdale AFB, Louisiana | Strategic deterrence and global strike; force provider for two legs of the nuclear triad |
| Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) | 17 February 1997 | Robins AFB, Georgia | Provides about 20 percent of the Total Force for about 5 percent of the manpower budget |
The AFRC ratio — 20 percent of the force for 5 percent of the budget — and PACAF's 1944 activation date (the oldest of the MAJCOMs listed) are two of the most frequently keyed numbers in the chapter.
Echelons Below MAJCOM
AFH 1 walks the structure down. Memorize both the definition and the population floor.
| Echelon | Definition | Minimum adjusted population |
|---|---|---|
| Numbered Air Force (NAF) | Administrative level directly under a MAJCOM; provides intermediate level operational leadership and supervision; does not have complete functional staffs | Non-component NAFs should not exceed 99 manpower authorizations without a waiver |
| Component NAF (C-NAF) | Nicknamed warfighting headquarters; performs an operational and warfighting mission for a Joint Force Commander; there are 10 | — |
| Wing | Distinct mission with significant scope; responsible for maintaining the installation | 1,000 (750 for ANG and AFRC) |
| Group | Tactical echelon below wing with minimal staff support; usually two or more subordinate units | 400 (200 for ANG and AFRC) |
| Squadron | The basic unit, the nucleus, and the basic building block of the USAF | 35, ranging up to several hundred |
| Flight | Internal subdivision of a squadron — numbered/named, alpha, or functional | Typically 12 to 100 people |
| Element | Subdivision of a flight; flights typically break into three or four evenly distributed elements | — |
The three types of wings: an operational wing has an operations group and related operational mission activity; an air base wing performs a support function rather than an operational mission and often supports a MAJCOM headquarters; a specialized mission wing performs a specialized mission and usually has no aircraft or missiles assigned (intelligence wings, training wings).
Groups come in two kinds: a dependent group is a mission, logistics, support, medical, or large functional unit; an independent group has the same functions and responsibilities as a like-type wing but its scope and size do not warrant wing-level designation.
Flights come in three kinds: numbered or named flights incorporate smaller elements into an organized unit and report strength like a squadron; alpha flights are composed of several elements performing identical missions; functional flights are composed of elements performing specific missions.
The phrase to lock down is "the squadron is the basic building block of the USAF." Items often offer "wing" or "flight" in that slot.
What is the minimum adjusted population for a wing, and what is the reduced figure for Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve Command wings?
How does a Field Operating Agency differ from a Direct Reporting Unit?
Air Education and Training Command is cited in AFH 1 as an example of a Lead MAJCOM, and Pacific Air Forces as an example of a Component MAJCOM. What does AFH 1 say about whether a single MAJCOM can hold both roles?