Notes on AFH-1, 1 November 2024, Chapter 5, Military Organization and Command
19 Feb 2025. The Air Force Study Guide Website posted a new version of the Air Force Handbook, dated 15 February 2025, which contains a number of changes. The website will be updated to include these changes by 23 February at the latest. While changes are being made in the background, the site may still be used.
As far as chapter 5 is concerned, there was only one change in the new handbook:
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5.10. One Team The USAF Total Force is one team-the USAF. It is comprised of military and civilian members (including contractors), serving within three components: the RegAF, USAF Reserve, and Air National Guard. Each component brings unique talents and capabilities that must be integrated to perform the USAF mission. Elevated requirements and the demands of recurring deployments of the Air National Guard and USAF Reserve over the past few decades have transformed a traditionally strategic Reserve Force into a force that provides operational capability, strategic depth, and surge capacity. Airpower cannot be applied efficiently and effectively without the contributions of each component working together. |
5.10. One Team The USAF Total Force is one team-the USAF. It is comprised of military and civilian members (including contractors), serving within three components: the RegAF, USAF Reserve, and Air National Guard. Each component brings talents and capabilities that must be integrated to perform the USAF mission. Elevated requirements and the demands of recurring deployments of the Air National Guard and USAF Reserve over the past few decades have transformed a traditionally strategic Reserve Force into a force that provides operational capability, strategic depth, and surge capacity. Airpower cannot be applied efficiently and effectively without the contributions of each component working together. |
The single change to chapter 5 shown above did not require any changes to content. Chapter 5 is up to date and current with the lastest Air Force Handbook dated 15 Feb 2025.
6 Dec 2024. A new edition of the Air Force Handbook, dated 1 November 2024, was posted on the Air Force's official website. A note beneath it stated that study guides will not be issued for the 2025 E-5 and E-6 testing cycles. The Air Force Handbook will be the PFE source to study for promotion to E-5 and E-6.
The 2025 E-6 WAPS catalog (formerly referred to as EPRRC) states that only chapters 1, 5, 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 22, and 24 are testable. In addition, according to the ADTC in the new Air Force Handbook, all sections in these testable chapters are required for study. The 2025 E-5 WAPS catalog has not been issued yet and is expected to be available on 1 February 2025.
The new edition of the Air Force handbook (dated Nov 2024) was compared to the last version (dated Nov 2021) and the following were the only significant changes.
The classification of the Unified Command Plan changed from unclassified to classified.
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4.7. Unified Combatant Commands Unified Command Plan. The Unified Command Plan is an unclassified executive branch document prepared by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff that assigns missions; planning, training, and operational responsibilities; and geographic areas of responsibilities to combatant commands. |
5.7. Unified Combatant Commands Unified Command Plan. The Unified Command Plan is a classified executive branch document prepared by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff that assigns missions; planning, training, and operational responsibilities; and geographic areas of responsibilities to CCMDs. |
Para 5.8. States that there are 11 combatant commands but the paragraph only names 10 (six geographically organized and four funtionally organized).
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4.8. Combatant Command Organization There are currently 11 combatant commands, as shown in Figure 4.2. They are organized geographically or functionally. Geographic combatant commands operate in clearly delineated areas of responsibility and have a distinctive regional military focus. Geographic unified combatant commands include: U.S. Africa Command, U.S. Central Command, U.S. European Command, U.S. Northern Command, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, and U.S. Southern Command. Functional combatant commands operate world-wide across geographic boundaries and provide unique capabilities to geographic combatant commands and the services. Functional unified combatant commands include: U.S. Special Operations Command, U.S. Strategic Command, U.S. Cyber Command, U.S. Transportation Command, and U.S. Space Command. |
5.8. Combatant Command Organization There are currently 11 CCMDs, as shown in Figure 5.2. They are established by missions and responsibilities based on either a geographic area of responsibility (AOR) or function. CCDRs with an AOR operate in clearly delineated physical and geographic boundaries established by the UCP and have a distinctive regional military focus. Unified CCMDs with an AOR include U.S. Africa Command, U.S. Central Command, U.S. European Command, U.S. Northern Command, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, and U.S. Southern Command. CCMDs based solely on military functions without respect to a specific geographic region are called functional commands. These commands operate globally across geographic boundaries and provide unique capabilities to other CCDRs and the Services. The functional CCMDs include U.S. Special Operations Command, U.S. Strategic Command, U.S. Cyber Command, and U.S. Transportation Command. |
Para 5.14. There is a typo in this paragraph that changes the meaning of the sentence. DAF should be HAF (for Headquarters Air Force). Please see AFI 38-101, Manpower and organization , paragraph 25.2.1. for the definition of Headquarters Air Force. This mistake was carried over from the previous edition of the Handbook.
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4.14. Department of the United States Air Force Title 10 United States Code, Armed Forces, provides specified duties, responsibilities, and legal obligations of the Department of the Air Force. The USAF's mission is to fly, fight, and win...airpower anytime, anywhere. The Department of the Air Force (DAF) is comprised of the secretariat (including the Secretary of the Air Force and the Secretary's principal staff), HAF and field units, and Headquarters Space Force and field units. It is responsible for preparing the air, space and cyber forces necessary for the effective prosecution of war and military operations short of war for the expansion of the peacetime components of the USAF and Space Force to meet the needs of war. DAF consists of three major entities: the Secretariat (including the Secretary of the Air Force and the Secretary's principal staff) and 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 units are the component organizations within the USAF and Space Force. |
5.14. Department of the Air Force (DAF) Title 10 United States Code, Armed Forces, provides specified duties, responsibilities, and legal obligations of the Department of the Air Force. The USAF's mission is to fly, fight, and win...airpower anytime, anywhere. The Department of the Air Force (DAF) is comprised of the secretariat (including the Secretary of the Air Force and the Secretary's principal staff), HAF and field units, and Headquarters Space Force and field units. It is responsible for preparing the air, space, and cyber forces necessary for the effective prosecution of war and military operations short of war for the expansion of the peacetime components of the USAF and Space Force to meet the needs of war. DAF consists of three major entities: the Secretariat (including the Secretary of the Air Force and the Secretary's principal staff) and 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 units are the component organizations within the USAF and Space Force. |
Para 5.15. The function of the Air Staff changed from supporting the Secretary of the Air Force to supporting the Chief of Staff of the Air Force (CSAF).
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4.15. Levels of Command and Responsibility Air Staff. The function of the Air Staff is to assist the Secretary of the Air Force in carrying out his or her responsibilities. The Air Staff is composed of the Chief of Staff, Vice Chief of Staff, Deputy Chiefs of Staff, Assistant Chiefs of Staff, Surgeon General of the Air Force, The Judge Advocate General of the Air Force, Chief of the Air Force Reserve, and other USAF and civilian employees in the Department of the Air Force assigned or detailed to the Air Staff. Responsibilities are organized based on function and identified with office symbol codes. The USAF office symbol codes are provided here. |
5.15. Levels of Command and Responsibility Air Staff. The Air Staff supports the CSAF in carrying out his or her responsibilities. The Air Staff is composed of the Chief of Staff, Vice Chief of Staff, Deputy Chiefs of Staff, Assistant Chiefs of Staff, Surgeon General of the Air Force, The Judge Advocate General of the Air Force, Chief of the Air Force Reserve, and other USAF and civilian employees in the Department of the Air Force assigned or detailed to the Air Staff. Responsibilities are organized based on functional two-letter organizations. Some organizations can be merged under one commander/director and will have similarly merged office symbols. The USAF office symbol codes are provided here: |
Para 5.15. The office symbols changed.
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4.15. A1 - Manpower, Personnel, and Services |
5.15. A1 - Manpower, Personnel, and Services |