Running the Joint: Air Force Efforts to Build a Joint Task Force Headquarters

Abstract

In 2016, General David Goldfein, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, called on 9th Air Force (9 AF) at Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina to develop a Joint Task Force Headquarters (JTF HQ) capability, with the expectation that other numbered air forces would follow. After declaring initial operation capability in December 2018, 9 AF began to move toward full operating capacity. In the spring of 2020, 9 AF was called on to lead Task Force - Southeast, supporting the Federal Emergency Management Agency's response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic and Southeast. In August 2020, wings and direct reporting units from 9 AF and the 12th Air Force were integrated to form the 15th Air Force (15 AF), which continues the 9 AF mission to prepare to deploy as a service-retained JTF HQ or Air Expeditionary Task Force headquarters. Before 9 AF was integrated into 15 AF, 9 AF leadership and Headquarters Air Force (HAF) asked the RAND Corporation to examine how JTF HQs are formed and identify those factors that influence the selection of a unit to lead a Joint Task Force (JTF). RAND was also asked to explore how the U.S. Air Force (USAF) can prepare for the unique requirements of leading joint operations. This report outlines those issues associated with "getting ready" (how the USAF can prepare to lead joint operations) and "getting the call" (how the USAF can posture itself to increase and enhance its JTF leadership opportunities). RAND conducted this research through discussions with 9 AF staff, observation of ongoing unit training, engagement with individuals across the U.S. Department of Defense, quantitative analysis of trends in JTF formation from 1990 to 2017, and case studies of the recent joint operations Joint Task Force Odyssey Dawn, Joint Forces Command - United Assistance, and Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 01, 2021
Accession Number
AD1141319

Entities

People

  • Alice Shih
  • Caitlin Lee
  • Michael Spirtas
  • Stephen Webber

Organizations

  • RAND Corporation

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • C4I
  • Human Systems
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Civil War
  • Contingency Operations (Military)
  • Geographic Regions
  • Geography
  • Interagency Coordination
  • International Relations
  • Lessons Learned
  • Military Force Levels
  • Military History
  • Military Organizations
  • Military Science
  • National Politics
  • National Security
  • Organizational Structure
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Aerospace logistics and air mobility.
  • Joint Military Operations and Doctrine.