The Air Force Culture and Cohesion: Building an Air and Space Force for the Twenty-First Century.
Abstract
THE US AIR FORCE has a cohesion problem. Dr. Donald B. Rice, former secretary of the Air Force, complained that officers identified with their weapon systems, not with the Air Force or any concept of service mission or doctrine. Carl Builder agrees. To Builder, the Air Force has no strong, unifying mission or vision, so loyalty has devolved to functions, technologies, and occupations. Franklin Margiotta states that in his experience, he served in 30-40 different "air forces" that had in common only a single-colored uniform and a universal belief that each member and faction was serving the cause of national defense. He too sees technology as the organizational essence of the Air Force. Frank Wood observes that the emphasis of today's Air Force on high technology makes it most susceptible to specialization and occupational attachments, particularly when those Air Force specialties have civilian air and space equivalents. Indeed, our service has a cohesion problem, and it is firmly rooted in the culture, technical specialties, and organizational dynamics within the diverse, complex entity that is today's Air Force.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1998
- Accession Number
- ADA356667
Entities
People
- James M. Smith
Organizations
- Air University