Air Education and Training Command - Air University

Air University

Air University (AU), headquartered at Maxwell AFB, Alabama is commanded by Lieutenant General David S. Fadok and conducts professional military education (PME), graduate education and professional continuing education for officers, enlisted members and civilians throughout their careers. Air University also has responsibility for all Air Force officer accession and training other than the United States Air Force Academy via AU's subordinate Jeanne M. Holm Center for Officer Accessions and Citizen Development (Holm Center), formerly the Air Force Officer Accession and Training Schools (AFOATS). As an AU activity, the Holm Center oversees the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC), with detachments at numerous colleges and universities across the United States, and the Air Force Officer Training School (OTS) at Maxwell AFB, Alabama.

Air University's professional military education schools prepare students from the Air Force, its sister services and both NATO and other U.S.-allied nations as they progress through their careers. Emphasis in these programs includes leadership, military doctrine and aerospace power. The three primary PME schools are Squadron Officer School (SOS) an approximately two month leadership development program primarily for USAF company grade officers (first lieutenants and captains); Air Command and Staff College (ACSC), an approximately year long joint "intermediate" service college program for officers of all services in the rank of (or selected for) major, Navy or Coast Guard lieutenant commander, other Allied military equivalents or US civil service GS-13; and Air War College (AWC), an approximately year long joint "senior" service college program for officers in the rank of (or selected for) lieutenant colonel, Navy or Coast Guard commander, other Allied military equivalents or US civil service GS-14.

Air University also oversees the Air Force's two citizenship programs:

The Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is a private, corporately chartered, civilian non-profit organization headquartered at Maxwell AFB and concurrently designated as the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary (USAF Aux). CAP is sponsored by the Air Force, but it is a civilian entity and not an operating Air Reserve Component (ARC) like the Air Force Reserve Command or the Air National Guard. Under its congressionally assigned missions, CAP provides aerospace education for youth and the general public; a cadet program for middle/junior high school, high school and undergraduate college students; and a fleet of general aviation aircraft, multipurpose vehicles, ground support units, communications support units and trained adult members with a USAF-style rank structure available in support of search and rescue, disaster relief, and other emergency services and homeland defense/homeland security activities. The CAP program is established as an organization by Title 10 of the United States Code and its purposes defined by Title 36. CAP is commanded by a Civil Air Patrol major general, functioning as a full-time employee of the CAP corporation at Maxwell AFB, overseeing 52 wings assigned to each state, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbua. The CAP commander is supported by an active duty aeronautically rated USAF colonel as the senior USAF-CAP Advisor.

The Air Force Junior ROTC program is a cadet program for high school students at more than 870 high schools in the United States and at Department of Defense Dependent Schools (DoDDS) locations overseas. AFJROTC Instructors are retired USAF officers in the ranks of major, lieutenant colonel and colonel, assisted by retired USAF non-commissioned officers in the ranks of technical sergeant through chief master sergeant.

Both CAP and AFJROTC are subordinate to the Jeanne M. Holm Center for Officer Accessions and Citizen Development (Holm Center).

Other academic support services at Air University include Academic Instructor School, the Air Force Public Affairs Center of Excellence, the Muir S. Fairchild Research Information Center (formerly known as Air University Library) and the International Officer School.