The Forces We Need: Building Multi-Capable Airmen to Enable Agile Combat Employment

reportActive / Technical Report | Accesssion Number: AD1217220 | Open PDF

Abstract:

In Accelerate Change or Lose, then-Air Force Chief of Staff General Charles Q. Brown, Jr., proposes that, in response to strategic challenges, The forces and operational concepts we need must be different, and he specifically notes that Our Airmen must be multi-capable.1 The Air Forces Multi-Capable Airmen (MCA) initiative is a critical workforce enabler of the Agile Combat Employment (ACE) operational concept. But whereas ACE is relatively well developed, MCA, as of late 2022, remains in a formative stage. To further institutionalize the MCA initiative, the Department of the Air Force asked RAND Project AIR FORCE to help refine the emergent MCA concept and provide recommendations on how to effectively develop and sustain MCA moving forward.

Author(s):
Cochran, Shawn ; Keller, Kirsten M. ; Toukan, Mark ; Lytell, Maria C. ; Walsh, Matthew ; Abler, Andrea M. ; Winston, Isabelle ; Stallsworth, Ryan L. ; Thulin, Ryan C.
Author Organization(s):
RAND CORP SANTA MONICA CA
Funding Organization(s):
DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE WASHINGTON DC, WASHINGTON, DC
Document Type:
Technical Report/Research Report
Publication Date:
2023 Dec 21
Pagination:
128

Security Markings

DOCUMENT & CONTEXTUAL SUMMARY

Distribution Code:
A - Approved For Public Release
Distribution Statement: Public Release.
Copyright: Not Copyrighted

RECORD

Collection: TRECMS
Identifying Numbers
Contract Number(s):
FA7014-22-D-0001
 Subject Terms
Descriptor(s):
military science, health services, warfare, air force, employment, students, organizational structure, personnel management, doctrine, military applications, psychology, cognitive workload, military force levels, civil engineering, fighter aircraft, trainees, lessons learned
Keyword(s):
ace(agile combat employment), mca(multi-capable airmen), cfm(career field managers), met(mission-essential tasks), cut(cross-utilization training), sme(subject-matter experts)
Subject Categories:
Behavioral and Social Sciences
Creation Date:
2023 Dec 21
Update Date:
2024 Jan 03