Establishing a Communications Officer Force Development Program

Senior Air Force leaders tout its Airmen as its most important asset. Nonetheless, Airmen take a back seat to acquisition programs, Battle Dress Uniform redesigns, and fitness uniform procurement. In 2003, the Air Force launched the force development program, and yet it still has not produced the momentum and results emphasized in the worldwide fan-fare in 2004. Air Force Doctrine Document AFDD 1-1, Leadership and Force Development doctrine explicitly outlines the underlying themes of force development experience, skills, training, education, and performance feedback. However, the Air Force has not instituted the structure, supplied the resources, or mandated the governance to make the program a success. Yet, in every sight picture, senior briefing, leadership articles, flight plans, and transformation plan, people constantly read about how force development is transforming the Air Force and its people. This is not the case, as there is a disparity between force development strategy and intent as well as the implementation and execution of the program. The program, as a whole, is not working in todays Air Force. To illustrate the deficiencies, the author has dissected the communications officer force development initiatives and developed actions for leadership to take to implement a Communications Officer Force Development Program. The program encompasses career field strategy, career field management, competencies management, development processes, and metrics. The result is a fully comprehensive career field program that institutes force development concepts outlined in AFDD 1-1. This research paper uncovers critical deficiencies with the communications career field force development initiatives as well as the Air Forces program, and proposes a blueprint for the Communications Officer Force Development Program.