Capt Freder

Air F

Maxwell 
Opinions, conclu

or implied within 

necessarily repr

United States Ai

any other US g

release: distributio
 1 Why is the 

separate S

 2 What is ae

 3 What is a

 4 What is ai

 5 What is sp

 6 What is do

 7 What is po

 8 What is st

 9 What is an 

1 0 What is an 

1 1 What is a 

1 2 What is co

of purpose

1 3 What is ce

control? . 
1 9 What is op

control? . 

2 0 What is ta

2 1 What is ad

control? . 

2 2 What is un

command

2 3 What is a 

command

2 4 What is a 

command

2 5 Why are s

supportin

 importan

2 6 What is m

2 7 What is m

2 8 What is fle
synchroni

3 4 What does 

Aerospace 

3 5 What is an 

expedition

3 6 Why is a j

componen

(JFACC) i

3 7 Why does 

believe th

the area a

commande

 and the a

control aut

should be 

 same per

3 8 What is a 

Air Force 
operation

4 4 What is si

4 5 What is ai

4 6 What is ai

4 7 What is sp

4 8 What is in

superiority

4 9 What does 

5 0 What ques

Notes . . . . 
first thanks 

spent their 

their sacred 

and the Uni

threshold of 

nium. My 

USMC, was 

like to say 

aerospace p

Force Doct

cally Lt Co

Bob Poynor

Tom Ruby, 

of whom pr

this effort. 

the followin

own benefi

service to y
questions th

what we do 

asm and pa

always do 

kinds of qu

men more 

one-liners, 

bites that, w

to satisfy ou

vices, the id

or even ours

even though 

gation to 

advocate th

able to ar

doesn’t mea

vinced. But 

to espouse 
to express 

power truth

tended to p

reference t

in Air Forc

should hav

rent Air F

can be rev

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end, doctrin

fare.” Read, 

TIMOTHY A

Major Gene

Commander

Doctrine Ce
belief that 

to contribu

be realized 

bilities we

ally organi

equal wi

branches 

armed forc

bureaucrat

nized a ne

leadership 

personal ex

volved wi

equipping

force. Th
derstood no
cat, ad 

power invo

the full ra

sources t

physical e

space and 

sources to 

Air Force D

Force Bas

combinatio

as “the syn

space, and 

project stra
an airman 

derstands 

range of ae

ties and c

some aspe

capabilitie

an airman 

and believ

truths rega

Not all wh

airmen; n

blue suit.

just the pi

also space 

and the fu

g 

maneuvers 

performing 

a subset of 
it is “milita

resides in, 

while perfo

power, like 

adversary i

tage. Spac

aerospace p
best way t

or perform 

a guide to 

applied ar

viewed as 

our predec

rived, for t

rience, but 

from theor

ing. It is 

rective. Th

advice.
we want t

outlines b

ticulate ce

jectives. Po
going to d

Strategy is 

tion, idea

originating 

by situati

Strategy, l

trine.
concrete, s

objectives 

desired en

be measu

can quanti

success. T

jectives a

points is 

and unnec

spective. 

that objec

concise, a

other way

be easily u

the way f
achieved 

sources an

erally spea

objectives 

are not at

rent circum

objective c

of an effec
y 

at all leve

erational, 

and of the

dary outco

scribed as 

erally spea

actions ar

to create c

achieve spe
g

an effect.
Concentra

tenet of a

level of ae

erate, foc

most impo

tional, or 

centration 

overwhelm

tion of pur

the main s

cal conce

view of w

plished to 

guards ag

ripheral e
capabilitie

terests. Hi

pabilities 

mented a

effective w

ers have 

power’s ab

operation

this tende

purpose, 

force work 

appropria

achieve the 
authority 

plan, orga

tional/thea

erations. 

tenet of ce

tralized e

the princip

Control in 

ing the au

employ aer

to prioritiz

ignate aer

give autho

sary to ac

Finally, ce

authority o

erations to 

manders. It 

cute aero

dispersed lo

cution of 

commodat

stances, 

commander

form their 

rection fro

tralized 

initiative, s

and tactica

ized execut
theater air 

natural ten

tices of ce

centralized 

itself in th

plete the ai

spite the te

der proce

responsiven

tude in exe
concept of 

decentraliz

plied prope

sary integr

without rig

execution. 

efficient us

win wars r

fore, airme

control of 

single airm

the joint fo

tends to ex

aerospace 

gic- and op
always foc

Air Force 

cumstance

contributes 

the strateg

Neverthele

tion allows 

sponsive t

either on th

space.
employ mi
j

cur. It inv

responsibil

ploy force

forces, de

give appro

that those 

achieve th

also a co

can be ex

or subordi

it is deleg

mander’s 

of the co

ments pro

ercise cont
sponsibility 

in chief (CI

to the Dep

tionary of 

Terms, co

“nontransfe

establishe

Forces’), U

164, exerci

of unified 

commands 

rected by t

retary of D

est level o

the militar
forces. C

authority a

exercise op

tical contr

or attache

even thou

cient, prud
to subordi

nent comm

It is the 

moral res

control ov

and opera

tached mil

subordinat

commande

trol, they 

mands an

assign task

and give 

necessary 

sion. As a 
tional cont

“ownershi

nent-size f

forces or 

task forces
y 

lower-eche

cal control 

that allow

and contro

units to ac

or mission

tailed, m

which is n

complishin

tive. Agai

tactical co

command 

ists when 

echelon o

commande

commande

sonal and 

the forces 

This norm

sponsible 

readiness 

sonnel ma

ing disci

other func
ity or orga

like our 

unity of 

unity of 

coherent, 

and action

of comman

space forc

man, is the 

aerospace 

the strateg

els. For t

command 

for central

task, one c
sponsible f

To use an 

commande

in football

sponsible f

opponent’s 

mander ex

her assign

the relatio

between co

ders. A s

might be 

CINC’s fu

ponent com

tionary de
orders in r

of the C

Chiefs of S
offensive 

some leve

blocking) 

supporting 

any comm

down to t

who prov

other com

lawful ord

defines su

“a comma

mentation 

to a suppo

develops a 

phasis ad

the suppo

lationship 

orders can 

cessful, ap

use of aer

proper sup

tionship 

sources, a

can influe

clude expe

tion, and 

ties avai

example, t

clerk attem

500 comp
role of the 

is to pitch 

not to do th
over indi

chess boa

nent to re

too can ae

across the 

that can c

react in ce

Force, ma

forces in a 

whelming 

stances, t

can itself 

fects on 

when we 

aerospace 

aerospace 

in time an

cific effect

centration 

create over

Force emp

not forces.
qy 

ments, re

stances. Fo

shift from 

close air s

matically 

aerospace p

trast to sur

an extende

to the chan

forces have 

the focus 

one objecti

of minutes

eral examp

be found 
ment. Aero

limited rol

Finally, wh

key to airp

tenet of fle

centralized 

execution a

mass and m
even open 

trates the 

space forc

many diffe

liver supp

attack de

provide cl

global mi

capabilitie

tivities fro

global nav

hicles or v

out forest 

the tenet 

ability to 
role in achi
Synergy is 

effect, not 

synergy in 

rather than 

we airme

power’s po

we quickly 

ary, tertia

fects (ofte

ing” effe

synergistic 

aerospace 

one of ou

sults from 

of aerospa
capabilitie

and used i

specific eff

integration 

capabilities 

purpose. In 

putting forc

component

plan of em

gration in 

consider a

palette ma

colors—red

perhaps tw

The skillfu
plies to t

componen

level of wa

nents’ cap

such a wa

mentary, s

they are in

stresses th

aerospace 

word integ

conscious 

ing diverse 

bilities nec

potential t

bring to the 
same time

portant in 

operations 

gration. A

airmen v

among com

step in wo

common o

many case

plies little 

and falls 

synergy t

true integr

ary emph

dent natur

blending a

ferent capa

stresses t

tions wher

cal variabl

portant th

Force avoi

synchroniz

it connote

in a serial 

associated 

tions, even 

nition of t

sarily im

activity. F
that timing 

space oper
duct the va

tant busine

son locati

expeditiona

signed to 

thinking a

about cond

tions with 

erally auste

minimal su

expedition

EAF are b

idea; these 

to describe 
scribe a 

aerospace 

tailored to 

sions, gen

mote locat

port. In 

packaged 

mon traini

cle, from 

wings, gro

be drawn. 

peditionary 

kind of or

cific bits 

specific fo
COMAFFO

exercise 

over thos

ASETF as 

tionary org

very specif
vides unit

fort. The 

force air 

is importa

cans are g

cient peop

spect the 

certain th

don’t lik

most out o

space pow

can be us

erly. It is 

right tool 

the right 
tant intim

erations 

aerospace 

tential. Th

want a si

of aerosp

more bang 

the Air F

(1) we al

aerospace 

ized and 

and (3) a 

aerospace 

principles 

and simpl

the airsp

authorit

the sam

The Air F

jobs shoul

most case

etc.) be do

because th

cantly ove

and all rev

integration 

capabilitie

up among 

sons, in th
mand and 

responsibil

tertwined; 

should be i
aerospace 

CINC or JF

cer, numb

theater, an

given COM

kind of jo

The size 

joint force 

the size an

Force com

joint force 

particular 

sion of th

here is tha

bilities of 
aerospace 

effects. Fi

important 

FOR is the 

mander th

and say, “t
space dire

ticular com

combatan

authority t

erations in 
trarily def

less or ir

matter of t

ment or d

space whic

termines t

propriate f

commande

forces. Th

interest in 

the subord

manders ex

because ae

employed 

tional pers
in support 

interests, 

charge of 

not be co

plishing m

CINC’s ob

tablished 

(2) the lim

nate AO co

do not dir

ganization 

space for

forces are 

and empl

signed a s
limits the 

COMAFFO

tential of 

mately cre

surface for
tary opera

not a defin

only a way 

ology, if y

to conside

of their o

not only s

area of res

operations 

factors su

tics, inform

tion issues

and a wide 

that could 

commande
assigned 

mander. An 

graphic ar

mander su

CINC. “B

imaginary c

commande

they have 

can positiv

ence the m
erations a

they crea

achieve di

tives at th

of simulta

ded in the 

tions. Gen

space forc

operationa

the same 

than surfa

not to say 

not condu

instead, th

face forces 

otaget a

taneous op

sarily para

ing that al

attack all 

at the sam

ample of s

parallel att

space powe

is that sim

erations go 
without th

ating insu

our action

termined o

on both o

subjective 

absence is 

propriate 

and expe

mented by 

his or her 

History tel

ultimately 

than just f

aerospace 

p

forces.
the ability 

tions again

the advers

surmounta

tions. It is 

mander on 

on the com

experience

recommen

staff or su

men also 

riority help

the freedo

dom to ma

to attack.
riority is 

freedom o

by the com

experience 

ity to con

tions again

the advers

surmounta

tions. Imb

informatio

cal requir

dence in f

friendly fo

riority use

on both o

factor am

Aerospace 

as much or 

combat po

operations. 

decisive to 

power or 

jective an

heated, em

the Service

cult to pro

eye of the 

with discu

is that his

point to an
fights join

fight does

or qualitie

capabilitie

vidual Serv

are equal. 

life-and-de

is whether 

team loses

player ge

player awa

Force, fir

the joint f

short, the 

moot if the 
it. Tell the 

ter, too, so 

questions. 

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