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Air University is a
professional military education Professional Military Education (PME) refers to the professional training, development, and schooling of military personnel. It encompasses many schools, universities, and training programs designed to foster leadership in military service members. ...
university system A university system is a set of multiple affiliated universities and colleges that are usually geographically distributed. Typically, all member universities in a university system share a common component among all of their various names. Usually, ...
of the
United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...
. It is
accredited Accreditation is the independent, third-party evaluation of a conformity assessment body (such as certification body, inspection body or laboratory) against recognised standards, conveying formal demonstration of its impartiality and competence to ...
by the Commission on Colleges of the
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) is an educational accreditor recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. This agency accredits over 13,000 public and priv ...
to award
master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice.
s.


Organizations

;
Air Force Institute of Technology The Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) is a graduate school and provider of professional and continuing education for the United States Armed Forces and is part of the United States Air Force. It is in Ohio at Wright-Patterson Air Forc ...
(AFIT) ; Carl A. Spaatz Center for Officer Education :
USAF Air War College The Air War College (AWC) is the senior Professional Military Education (PME) school of the U.S. Air Force. A part of the United States Air Force's Air University, AWC emphasizes the employment of air, space, and cyberspace in joint operation ...
(AWC) :
Air Command and Staff College The Air Command and Staff College (ACSC) is located at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama and is the United States Air Force's intermediate-level Professional Military Education (PME) school. It is a subordinate command of the Air Uni ...
(ACSC) : Squadron Officer School (SOS) :International Officers School (IOS) :
School of Advanced Air and Space Studies Air University is a professional military education university system of the United States Air Force. It is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award master's degrees. Organizations ...
(SAASS) :
USAF Center for Strategic Deterrence Studies Air University is a professional military education university system of the United States Air Force. It is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award master's degrees. Organizations ...
;
Curtis E. Lemay Curtis Emerson LeMay (November 15, 1906 – October 1, 1990) was an American Air Force general who implemented a controversial strategic bombing campaign in the Pacific theater of World War II. He later served as Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air F ...
Center for Doctrine Development & Education ;
Ira C. Eaker General (Honorary) Ira Clarence Eaker (April 13, 1896 – August 6, 1987) was a general of the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. Eaker, as second-in-command of the prospective Eighth Air Force, was sent to England to form and ...
College for Professional Development :Air Force Chaplain Corps College :Air Force Personnel Professional Development School :Commanders' Professional Development School :Defense Financial Management & Comptroller School :National Security Space Institute :Civilian Leadership Development School ;
Jeanne M. Holm Major General Jeanne Marjorie Holm (June 23, 1921 – February 15, 2010) was the first female one-star general of the United States Air Force and the first female two-star general in any service branch of the United States.United States Air Force ...
Center for Officer Accessions and Citizen Development :
Air Force Officer Training School Officer Training School (OTS) is a United States Air Force and United States Space Force commissioning program located at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama. Overview Officer Training School is a part of the Jeanne M. Holm Center fo ...
( OTS) :
Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps The Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) is one of the three primary commissioning sources for officers in the United States Air Force and United States Space Force, the other two being the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) ...
(
AFROTC The Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) is one of the three primary commissioning sources for officers in the United States Air Force and United States Space Force, the other two being the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) ...
) :Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (
AFJROTC Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFJROTC) is a subdivision of the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC). JROTC is a junior military science elective class that is offered in many high schools across the United States. The cla ...
) :
Civil Air Patrol Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is a congressionally chartered, federally supported non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force (USAF). CAP is a volunteer organization with an aviation-minded mem ...
(
CAP A cap is a flat headgear, usually with a visor. Caps have crowns that fit very close to the head. They made their first appearance as early as 3200 BC. Caps typically have a visor, or no brim at all. They are popular in casual and informal se ...
) :Civilian Acculturation and Leadership Training (CALT) ; Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education :
Airman Leadership School Airman Leadership School (ALS) is a 24 duty day (5 week) United States Air Force program designed to develop airmen into effective front-line supervisors. It is the first professional military education that enlisted Air Force members encounter. ...
(ALS) :Air Force Career Development Academy :Air Force Enlisted Heritage Research Institute (AFEHRI) :Air Force Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy (SNCOA) :Air Force Noncommissioned Officer Academy (NCOA) :Enlisted Professional Military Education Instructor Course (EPMEIC) :Chief Master Sergeant Leadership Course (CLC) :
Community College of the Air Force The Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) is a federal program offered by the United States Air Force and United States Space Force which grants two-year Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degrees in association with Air University. CCAF se ...
(CCAF) :USAF First Sergeant Academy (FSA) ;USAF Center for Counterproliferation Studies ;Air University Press :Air Force Fellows Program (AFF) ;Air Force Historical Research Agency (AFHRA) ;
China Aerospace Studies Institute The China Aerospace Studies Institute (CASI) is a United States Department of the Air Force think tank which examines all facets of the People's Republic of China and Chinese Communist Party's efforts to project power in the air and space domain ...
(CASI)


Schools and centers

The institutions that fall under the Air University include:


Officer professional military education

The Carl A. Spaatz Center for Officer Education (Spaatz Center) unified the continuum of Air Force officer professional military education. Activated in 2008, the Spaatz Center was named in honor of the Air Force's first chief of staff, General Carl A. Spaatz. The center was disestablished in 2017.


Squadron Officer School

The Squadron Officer School in-residence program is a 6.5-week course for USAF captains. The course is structured around four primary areas: Leadership, building highly-effective teams, logical and ethical reasoning in decision making, and multi-domain joint warfare.


Air Command and Staff College

The Air Command and Staff College (ACSC) is a 10-month master's-level resident program that prepares field grade
USAF The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Sign ...
,
U.S. Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cl ...
and
USMC The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through co ...
officers in pay grade O-4 and
USN The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage o ...
/
USCG The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, mu ...
officers in pay grade O-4, their international counterparts, and U.S. civilian equivalents, for positions of higher responsibility within the military and other government agencies. Often referred to as "intermediate level education" (ILE), intermediate level professional military education (intermediate level PME) or phase I joint PME, ACSC is also available via "distance learning", primarily a CD-ROM enabled correspondence course.


Air War College

The USAF Air War College (AWC) is a 10-month resident course for USAF, U.S. Army and USMC lieutenant colonels and colonels (pay grades O-5 and O-6), USN and USCG commanders and captains (pay grade O-5 and O-6), their international counterparts, and Department of Defense and Department of the Air Force civilian equivalents (GS-14/GM-14, GS-15/GM-15). AWC prepares students to lead in a joint, interagency and multi-national environment at the strategic level of military operations. Also known as "senior developmental education" (SDE), senior level PME, or (since 2010) phase II JPME, AWC is also available at the Pentagon and selected active USAF installations as a 10-month seminar program paralleling the academic year and course content of the resident course. It is also available via "distance learning" as a correspondence course typically requiring 18 to 24 months to complete. The
Secretary of the Air Force A secretary, administrative professional, administrative assistant, executive assistant, administrative officer, administrative support specialist, clerk, military assistant, management assistant, office secretary, or personal assistant is a w ...
's annual ''National Security Forum'' (NSF) conducted for select influential civilian leaders in business, industry, state and local government, law, academia, media, and the clergy is administered and hosted by the AWC.


International Officer School

The International Officer School is a seven-week course designed to provide international officers an enhanced understanding of the United States and prepares them for attending Squadron Officer School, Air Command and Staff College, or the Air War College.


Enlisted professional military education

The Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education (Barnes Center, formerly the College for Enlisted Professional Military Education) is responsible for the instructional programs and faculty development for all Air Force
enlisted Enlisted may refer to: * Enlisted rank An enlisted rank (also known as an enlisted grade or enlisted rate) is, in some armed services, any rank below that of a commissioned officer. The term can be inclusive of non-commissioned officers or ...
professional military education programs. This includes the airman leadership schools, noncommissioned officer academies, and the Air Force Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy.


Air Force Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy

The Air Force Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy graduates more than 1,800 Air Force chief master sergeant selectees, senior master sergeants, senior master sergeant selectees, and non-commissioned officers and
chief petty officer A chief petty officer (CPO) is a senior non-commissioned officer in many navies and coast guards. Canada "Chief petty officer" refers to two ranks in the Royal Canadian Navy. A chief petty officer 2nd class (CPO2) (''premier maître de deuxi ...
s from other U.S. military services and the services of international U.S.-allied nations annually. It is located on Maxwell AFB's Gunter Annex.


NCO academies

The NCO academies provide selected noncommissioned officers education. Several NCO academies operate worldwide on various Air Force installations.


Airman Leadership School

The goal of the program is to provide senior airmen an opportunity to understand more fully their position in the USAF organizational structure and the continued need for professional development to be effective NCOs.


First Sergeant Academy


Enlisted Heritage Research Institute

The Enlisted Heritage Research Institute is dedicated to preserving the history of the enlisted corps of the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army Aeronautical Division, Air Service, Air Corps, and Air Forces in the development of air power to defend the United States. The institute achieves this by featuring artifacts, collections, and pictorial exhibits, written and oral documentation, audiovisuals, equipment, and selected aircraft parts. Additionally, students use the in-house and online research capabilities to enhance learning and complete enlisted heritage research projects.


Officer accessions

The ''Jeanne M. Holm Center for Officer Accessions and Citizen Development'' (Holm Center), previously known as Air Force Officer Accession and Training Schools (AFOATS), operates two of the four USAF officer commissioning sources. These are the
Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps The Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) is one of the three primary commissioning sources for officers in the United States Air Force and United States Space Force, the other two being the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) ...
(AFROTC) at civilian colleges and universities across the United States, and the
Air Force Officer Training School Officer Training School (OTS) is a United States Air Force and United States Space Force commissioning program located at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama. Overview Officer Training School is a part of the Jeanne M. Holm Center fo ...
(OTS) at Maxwell AFB. Although they are USAF officer accession and training programs, the
United States Air Force Academy The United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) is a United States service academy in El Paso County, Colorado, immediately north of Colorado Springs. It educates cadets for service in the officer corps of the United States Air Force and Uni ...
(USAFA) and the
Air National Guard The Air National Guard (ANG), also known as the Air Guard, is a federal military reserve force of the United States Air Force, as well as the air militia of each U.S. state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the ter ...
's Academy of Military Science (AMS) do not fall under the Air University. The U.S. Air Force Academy is a
Direct Reporting Unit The structure of the United States Air Force refers to the unit designators and organizational hierarchy of the United States Air Force, which starts at the most senior commands. The senior headquarters of the Department of the Air Force, Headqua ...
(DRU), and the superintendent of the USAF Academy reports directly to the Chief of Staff of the Air Force. Admission to and administration of the ANG Academy of Military Science, although collocated with OTS at Maxwell AFB, is controlled by the director of the Air National Guard via the
National Guard Bureau The National Guard Bureau is the federal instrument responsible for the administration of the National Guard established by the United States Congress as a joint bureau of the Department of the Army and the Department of the Air Force. It was cre ...
(NGB).


Citizenship Development, Aerospace Education, and associated programs


Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps

The Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFJROTC) program provides citizenship training and air and space science education via a cadet program for high school students in grades 9 through 12 at various high schools across the United States and at select
Department of Defense Dependent Schools The Department of Defense Dependents Schools (DoDDS) are a network of schools, both primary and secondary, that serve the dependents of United States military and civilian United States Department of Defense (DoD) personnel in three areas of the ...
(DoDDS) at US military installations overseas. Instruction is conducted by retired field grade USAF officers employed by the respective school systems, assisted by retired USAF senior non-commissioned officers under similar employment. AFJROTC is a "citizenship program" for high school students and should not be confused with AFROTC, which is a "pre-commissioning program" for four-year college and university students to become Air Force officers.


Academic education

The ''
Air Force Institute of Technology The Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) is a graduate school and provider of professional and continuing education for the United States Armed Forces and is part of the United States Air Force. It is in Ohio at Wright-Patterson Air Forc ...
'' (AFIT) is a geographically separated unit (GSU) of Air University, located at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. The ''
Community College of the Air Force The Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) is a federal program offered by the United States Air Force and United States Space Force which grants two-year Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degrees in association with Air University. CCAF se ...
'' (CCAF) is the only degree-granting institution of higher learning in the world dedicated exclusively to
enlisted Enlisted may refer to: * Enlisted rank An enlisted rank (also known as an enlisted grade or enlisted rate) is, in some armed services, any rank below that of a commissioned officer. The term can be inclusive of non-commissioned officers or ...
military personnel. CCAF offers educational opportunities for active duty, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve airmen and NCOs to earn a job-related
Associate of Applied Science An associate degree is an undergraduate degree awarded after a course of post-secondary study lasting two to three years. It is a level of qualification above a high school diploma, GED, or matriculation, and below a bachelor's degree. The f ...
degree. CCAF also facilitates selected professional certification and recognition for airmen. Possession of a CCAF degree has in recent years become a ''de facto'' mandatory requirement for promotion to senior master sergeant and higher, regardless of whether or not the candidate has a civilian degree such as a baccalaureate. This ''de facto'' status is now official: starting with the 2007 promotion cycle, promotion candidates cannot receive critical endorsements on performance reports without having first received an associate degree from CCAF.


Professional continuing education

The '' Curtis E. LeMay Center for Doctrine Development and Education'' (LeMay Center), previously known as the Air Force Doctrine Development and Education Center, develops and publishes Air Force doctrine, teaches doctrine through resident and on-line courses, and advocates air power through visionary war gaming, and provides integration and outreach services for Air University. The ''
Ira C. Eaker General (Honorary) Ira Clarence Eaker (April 13, 1896 – August 6, 1987) was a general of the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. Eaker, as second-in-command of the prospective Eighth Air Force, was sent to England to form and ...
College for Professional Development'' provides continuing education and technical training to Air Force and other Department of Defense personnel and international officers, including resident and distance-learning courses for a variety of Air Force specialties.


United States Air Force Center for Strategic Deterrence Studies

The USAF Counterproliferation Center (CPC) was established in 1998 at the direction of the Chief of Staff of the Air Force. Located at Maxwell AFB, this center capitalizes on the resident expertise of Air University, while extending its reach far beyond - and influences a wide audience of leaders and policy makers. A memorandum of agreement between the Air Staff's Director for Nuclear and Counterproliferation (then AF/XON) and Air War College commandant established the initial personnel and responsibilities of the center. This included integrating counterproliferation awareness into the curriculum and ongoing research at the Air University; establishing an information repository to promote research on counterproliferation and nonproliferation issues; and directing research on the various topics associated with counterproliferation and nonproliferation . In 2008, the Secretary of Defense's Task Force on Nuclear Weapons Management recommended "Air Force personnel connected to the nuclear mission be required to take a professional military education (PME) course on national, defense, and Air Force concepts for deterrence and defense." This led to the addition of three teaching positions to the CPC in 2011 to enhance nuclear PME efforts. At the same time, the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, in coordination with the AF/A10 and Air Force Global Strike Command, established a series of courses at Kirtland AFB to provide professional continuing education (PCE) through the careers of those Air Force personnel working in or supporting the nuclear enterprise. This mission was transferred to the CPC in 2012, broadening its mandate to providing education and research on not just countering WMD but also nuclear operations issues. In April 2016, the nuclear PCE courses were transferred from the Air War College to the U.S. Air Force Institute for Technology. In February 2014, the center's name was changed to the Center for Unconventional Weapons Studies (CUWS) to reflect its broad coverage of unconventional weapons issues, both offensive and defensive, across the six joint operating concepts (deterrence operations, cooperative security, major combat operations, irregular warfare, stability operations, and homeland security). The term "unconventional weapons", currently defined as nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons, also includes the improvised use of chemical, biological, and radiological hazards. In May 2018, the name changed again to the Center for Strategic Deterrence Studies (CSDS) in recognition of senior Air Force interest in focusing on this national security topic. The center's military insignia displays the symbols of nuclear, biological, and chemical hazards. The arrows above the hazards represent the four aspects of counterproliferation - counterforce, active defense, passive defense, and consequence management. The Latin inscription "''Armis Bella Venenis Geri''" means "weapons of war involving poisons".


Advanced Professional Military Education

The School of Advanced Air and Space Studies is the "Air Force graduate school for airpower and space power strategists". The school began as the School of Advanced Airpower Studies. It began operation on July 22, 1991, at
Maxwell Air Force Base Maxwell Air Force Base , officially known as Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, is a United States Air Force (USAF) installation under the Air Education and Training Command (AETC). The installation is located in Montgomery, Alabama, United States. O ...
,
Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...
. The first class of 25 students was all-male, although later classes included women. Most of the first class came from the U.S. Air Force's Air Command and Staff College. The first director of the school,
Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...
William F. Fortner, stated that the school's goal was to "create the soldier-scholars for conflicts of the future". Fortner likened the school to the
U.S. Army's The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare, land military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army o ...
School of Advanced Military Studies The School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS) is one of four United States Army schools that make up the United States Army Command and General Staff College (CGSC) at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. This "enormously rigorous" graduate school compr ...
, but stated that the new school's curriculum would go "much deeper into the study of air-power history, doctrine and strategy". The curriculum, planned for a duration of 11 months, was taught by a faculty of nine civilian and military Ph.D. instructors. The curriculum in the first years comprised two parts, focusing on "the past and present of warfare". Students read about 150 pages per night, and wrote and defended a research paper.


Associated Agencies


Air Force Historical Research Agency

The Air Force Historical Research Agency is the repository for United States Air Force historical documents. The agency's collection, begun during World War II in Washington, DC, moved in 1949 to Maxwell Air Force Base, the site of the present-day Air University, to provide research facilities for professional military education students, the faculty, visiting scholars, and the general public. The Air Force Historical Research Agency is now a forward operating agency (FOA) assigned directly to the Air Force History and Museums Program, and a tenant unit at Maxwell AFB.


History


Lineage

* Authorized as the Air Service School by the War Department on 25 February 1920, and established that same year, exact date unknown * Redesignated: Air Service Field Officers' School on 10 February 1921 * Redesignated: Air Service Tactical School on 8 November 1922 * Redesignated: Air Corps Tactical School on 18 August 1926 * Discontinued on 9 October 1942 * Established as:
Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
, 16 Oct 1942 : History and insignia of Air Corps Tactical School bestowed upon activation. * Redesignated as: Army Air Forces School on 1 June 1945 : Established as Major Command: 29 November 1945 * Redesignated as: Air University on 12 March 1946 : Reassigned to
Air Training Command Air Training Command (ATC) is a former United States Air Force (USAF) Major Command designation. It was headquartered at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, but was initially formed at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. It was re-designated as Ai ...
on 15 May 1978, losing major command status : Returned to major command status effective 1 July 1983 : Changed from a major command of the United States Air Force to a subordinate organization of
Air Education and Training Command Air Education and Training Command (AETC) is one of the nine Major Commands (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force (USAF), reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force. It was established 1 July 1993, with the realignment of Air Training ...
on 1 July 1993.


Stations

*
Langley Field Langley may refer to: People * Langley (surname), a common English surname, including a list of notable people with the name * Dawn Langley Simmons (1922–2000), English author and biographer * Elizabeth Langley (born 1933), Canadian perform ...
,
Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
, 25 Feb 1920 - 14 Jul 1931 *
Maxwell Field Maxwell Air Force Base , officially known as Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, is a United States Air Force (USAF) installation under the Air Education and Training Command (AETC). The installation is located in Montgomery, Alabama, United States. O ...
,
Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...
, 15 Jul 1931 – 9 Oct 1942 *
Orlando Army Air Base Orlando Executive Airport is a public airport three miles (6 km) east of downtown Orlando, in Orange County, Florida. It is owned and operated by the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA) and serves general aviation. Overview Orlando ...
, Florida, 16 Oct 1942 - 29 Nov 1945 * Maxwell Field (later Maxwell AFB),
Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...
, 29 Nov 1945 – Present


Components

During the years 1943–1945, the
Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
(AAFSAT) at
Orlando Army Air Base Orlando Executive Airport is a public airport three miles (6 km) east of downtown Orlando, in Orange County, Florida. It is owned and operated by the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA) and serves general aviation. Overview Orlando ...
, Florida operated a massive air-to-air and air-to-ground combat simulation facility across Central Florida. Units and various main operating bases and auxiliary airfields were established throughout an area of central Florida designated as a mock "war theater" and stretching roughly from
Tampa Tampa () is a city on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The city's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and the seat of Hillsborough County ...
through
Orlando Orlando () is a city in the U.S. state of Florida and is the county seat of Orange County. In Central Florida, it is the center of the Orlando metropolitan area, which had a population of 2,509,831, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures rele ...
, east to Titusville, north to Starke, and northwest to Apalachicola in which air war games were conducted. Following the end of World War II, the simulation facility ceased operation and most of the operating air bases and auxiliary airfields were either placed in military caretaker status or returned to local civilian control. On 1 Jun 1945, the AAFSAT was redesignated as the Army Air Forces School (AAFS). On 29 Nov 1945, the AAFS relocated from Orlando AAB, Florida to
Maxwell Field Maxwell Air Force Base , officially known as Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, is a United States Air Force (USAF) installation under the Air Education and Training Command (AETC). The installation is located in Montgomery, Alabama, United States. O ...
, Alabama.


Operations

The Wright Brothers established the first U.S. civilian flying school in
Montgomery, Alabama Montgomery is the capital city of the U.S. state of Alabama and the county seat of Montgomery County. Named for the Irish soldier Richard Montgomery, it stands beside the Alabama River, on the coastal Plain of the Gulf of Mexico. In the 202 ...
in 1910. By the 1920s, Montgomery became an important link in the growing system of aerial mail service. It was in the early 1930s when the Army Air Corps Tactical School moved to
Maxwell Field Maxwell Air Force Base , officially known as Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, is a United States Air Force (USAF) installation under the Air Education and Training Command (AETC). The installation is located in Montgomery, Alabama, United States. O ...
and Montgomery became the country's intellectual center for airpower education. Air University (AU), established in 1946, continues the proud tradition of educating tomorrow's planners and leaders in air and space power for both the U.S. Air Force as well as other branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, federal government civilians and many international organizations. Today, AU has a reach worldwide affecting the careers of every member of the United States Air Force.


Origins

As a result of the U.S. Army Reorganization Act of 1920, the Air Service authorized the establishment of an Air Service School on 10 February 1921 at
Langley Field Langley may refer to: People * Langley (surname), a common English surname, including a list of notable people with the name * Dawn Langley Simmons (1922–2000), English author and biographer * Elizabeth Langley (born 1933), Canadian perform ...
,
Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
. To reflect its primary mission of preparing senior officers for higher Air Service duty, the Air Service redesignated the Air Service School as the Air Service Field Officers' School. Following the decision to let all Air Service officers attend the institution in 1922, the Air Service redesignated the Air Service Field Officers' School as the Air Service Tactical School. In conjunction with the 1926 redesignation of the
Army Air Service The United States Army Air Service (USAAS)Craven and Cate Vol. 1, p. 9 (also known as the ''"Air Service"'', ''"U.S. Air Service"'' and before its legislative establishment in 1920, the ''"Air Service, United States Army"'') was the aerial warf ...
as the
Army Air Corps Army Air Corps may refer to the following army aviation corps: * Army Air Corps (United Kingdom), the army aviation element of the British Army * Philippine Army Air Corps (1935–1941) * United States Army Air Corps (1926–1942), or its p ...
, the Air Service Tactical School became the Air Corps Tactical School. To take advantage of the propitious climate and facilities expansion potential, the Army Air Corps began moving the Air Corps Tactical School from Langley Field in Virginia in 1931 to
Maxwell Field Maxwell Air Force Base , officially known as Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, is a United States Air Force (USAF) installation under the Air Education and Training Command (AETC). The installation is located in Montgomery, Alabama, United States. O ...
,
Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...
.


World War II

Because of the wartime need for officers of the caliber of those attending the Maxwell institution, in May 1941 the Army Air Corps suspended instruction at the tactical school and reduced its faculty and staff to seven officers. Anticipating the institution's eventual reopening, the Army Air Corps moved the skeletonized Air Corps Tactical School to Washington, DC, and placed it under the Directorate of Individual Training. In spite of the institution's successful efforts in developing Air Corps planners and leaders, the Air Corps discontinued the Air Corps Tactical School on 9 October 1942 with the intention of reopening it after the war. To partially fill the educational void left by the discontinuance of the Tactical School and to correct the growing shortage of experienced Air Corps, later renamed Army Air Forces, officers, the Army Air Forces authorized the establishment of the
Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
on 9 Oct 42. The Army Air Forces activated the AAF School of Applied Tactics at
Orlando Army Air Base Orlando Executive Airport is a public airport three miles (6 km) east of downtown Orlando, in Orange County, Florida. It is owned and operated by the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA) and serves general aviation. Overview Orlando ...
, Florida, with the mission to train "selected officers" under simulated combat conditions. Based on lessons learned in the combat theaters and the school's actual operational experiences, the AAF established the AAF Tactical Center with the AAF School of Applied Tactics as a subordinate unit. Due to a major reorganization of the Tactical Center and a change in the types of courses conducted by the institution, the Army Air Forces redesignated the AAF School of Applied Tactics as the Army Air Forces School on 1 Jun 45.


Postwar era

In preparation for its post-war educational operations, the Army Air Forces transferred the Army Air Forces School from Orlando AAB to Maxwell Field, Alabama, on 29 November 1945 and assigned it directly to Headquarters, U.S. Army Air Forces (HQ AAF) as a major command. In the first conclave of its kind since the end of World War II, the AAF Educational Conference ended after a three-day meeting on 20 Feb 1945 to discuss the post-war AAF educational structure. The Army Air Forces began the first instructor training course in March 1946 for preparing instructors to teach at the post-war AAF educational institutions. HQ AAF redesignated the Army Air Forces School as Air University (AU) on 12 March 1946 and established the Air War College, Air Command and Staff School, and Air Tactical School as its subordinate units. The AU commander organized the Air University Board of Visitors, composed of senior educators and university administrators, to meet regularly and advise him on educational matters. Air University became operational on 1 April 1946 when HQ AAF transferred the School of Aviation Medicine at
Randolph Field Randolph Air Force Base was an United States Air Force base located at Universal City, Texas ( east-northeast of Downtown San Antonio). Opened in 1931, Randolph has been a flying training facility for the United States Army Air Corps, the Uni ...
, Texas, from Air Training Command to Air University. To take advantage of existing facilities, Air University transferred the Air Tactical School from Maxwell Field to
Tyndall Field Tyndall (the original spelling, also Tyndale, "Tindol", Tyndal, Tindoll, Tindall, Tindal, Tindale, Tindle, Tindell, Tindill, and Tindel) is the name of an English family taken from the land they held as tenants in chief of the Kings of Engla ...
, Florida on 21 May 1946. Major General Orvil A. Anderson was appointed the first commandant of the Air War College, the senior school in the three-tiered AAF officer professional military education (PME) system. Assuming responsibilities comparable to those of the Army and Navy advisers on the HQ AU staff, the
Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
Liaison Officer also became a part of the HQ AU staff on 1 June 1946. When members of the Air University Board of Visitors concluded their first meeting with such dignitaries as
General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...
Carl Spaatz, Commanding General of the Army Air Forces; Air Marshall
Hugh Pughe Lloyd Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Pughe Lloyd, (12 December 1894 – 14 July 1981) was a senior Royal Air Force commander. RAF career Lloyd joined the Royal Engineers as a sapper in 1915 during the First World War: he was wounded in action three times ...
of the Royal Air Force; and the class members of the Air War College and the Air Command and Staff School participating, the Air University was officially dedicated during a ceremony at Maxwell Field. Classes began at the Air War College and the Air Command and Staff School on 4 September 1946, fulfilling the "dream for education in airpower" of most post-war AAF leaders and planners. The Air Tactical School, the junior officer PME program of the AU educational system, began classes at Tyndall in January 1947. Later that year, the
Royal Canadian Air Force The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; french: Aviation royale canadienne, ARC) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environm ...
sent its first group of students to the two-week indoctrination course at Maxwell. With
Secretary of War The secretary of war was a member of the U.S. president's Cabinet, beginning with George Washington's administration. A similar position, called either "Secretary at War" or "Secretary of War", had been appointed to serve the Congress of the ...
Robert P. Patterson Robert Porter Patterson Sr. (February 12, 1891 – January 22, 1952) was an American judge who served as United States Under Secretary of War, Under Secretary of War under President Franklin D. Roosevelt and US Secretary of War, U.S. Secretary of ...
as the guest speaker, the Air War College and the Air Command and Staff School conducted a combined graduation ceremony for 185 senior and field grade officers. As a result of the National Security Act of 1947, the
United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...
became a separate and independent branch of the U.S. military on 18 September 1947. In keeping with the Air Force's new status, Headquarters, U.S. Air Force (HQ USAF) redesignated Maxwell Field as
Maxwell Air Force Base Maxwell Air Force Base , officially known as Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, is a United States Air Force (USAF) installation under the Air Education and Training Command (AETC). The installation is located in Montgomery, Alabama, United States. O ...
on 13 January 1948. On 12 July 1949, HQ USAF established the Air University Human Resources Research Institute. It was one of three USAF field agencies created to conduct research on the human factor in Air Force planning and operations. Air University established the 3894th AU School Squadron to provide administrative support to Air Force instructors and students at the various service schools operated by the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps. The USAF Historical Division relocated to Maxwell AFB from Washington, DC in September 1949 and became a part of the Air University Library. The combined activity is now known as the
Air Force Historical Research Agency The Air Force Historical Research Agency (AFHRA) is the repository for United States Air Force historical documents. The Agency's collection begun during World War II in Washington, D.C. and moved in 1949 to Maxwell Air Force Base, the site of ...
(AFHRA).


Academic degrees and accreditation

The Air University is accredited by the Commission of Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), and is authorized to grant the following degrees: * Master of Strategic Studies – offered by the Air War College * Master of Military Operational Art and Science – offered by the Air Command and Staff College (ACSC) * Master of Aerospace Studies – offered by the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies (SAASS) * Master of Science in Flight Test Engineering – offered by the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School (USAFTPS) * Associate in Applied Science – offered for USAF enlisted personnel by the Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) with majors in 68 areas In 2010, SACS upgraded AU's accreditation to Level V, a move that will eventually enable AU to eventually award three different doctoral degrees. Air University was also awarded the
Space Foundation The Space Foundation is an American nonprofit organization whose mission is to advocate for all sectors of the global space industry through space awareness activities, educational programs, and major industry events. It was founded in 1983. Loca ...
's inaugural Space Achievement Award in 1995.
This award recognizes individuals or organizations for space achievement, breakthrough space technology or program or product success representing critical milestones in the evolution of space exploration and development.


List of commanders

* Lieutenant General Troup Miller Jr., 1 August 1961 – December 1963 * Lieutenant General Ralph Powell Swofford Jr., January 1964 – August 1965 * Lieutenant General Alvan C. Gillem II, 1 August 1970 – November 1973 * 14: Lt. Gen. Raymond B. Furlong, August 1975 – 1 July 1979 * 15: Lt. Gen. Stanley M. Umstead Jr., 1 July 1979 – July 1981 * 16: Lt. Gen. Charles G. Cleveland, July 1981 – August 1984 * 17: Lt. Gen. Thomas C. Richards, August 1984 – November 1986 * 18: Lt. Gen. Truman Spangrud, November 1986 – July 1988 * 19: Lt. Gen. Ralph E. Havens, July 1988 – October 1989 * ''Vacant'', October 1989 – January 1990 * 20: Lt. Gen. Charles G. Boyd, January 1990 – October 1992 * 21: Lt. Gen. Jay W. Kelley, October 1992 – October 1996 * 24: Lt. Gen. Joseph J. Redden, October 1996 – July 1999


See also

*
Army University The Army University is a professional military education university system of the United States Army. It is the largest professional military education system in the world, with over 150,000 soldiers educated in more than 88 occupations acros ...
*
Marine Corps University Marine Corps University is a professional military education university system of the United States Marine Corps. It is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award Master's Degrees. ...


References


External links


Official website
{{Authority control Military education and training in the United States Military in Alabama Educational institutions established in 1946 Universities and colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Universities and colleges in Montgomery, Alabama 1946 establishments in Alabama Education government agencies of the United States Department of Defense Education Activity Public university systems in the United States Military education and training