Regulation 2. Structure of the Air Force

United States Air Force

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 - Ranks of the US Air Force

Section 1 - Enlisted Ranks

Section 2 - Non-Commissioned Officer Ranks

Section 3 - Warrant Officer Ranks

Section 4 - Commissioned Officer Ranks

Chapter 2 - Chain of Command

Section 1 - General Information

Section 2 - Positional Restrictions

Section 3 - Visual Representation

Chapter 3 - Military Occupational Specialty (MOS)

Section 1 - Senior Leadership Command

Section 2 - Air Staff (AS)

Section 3 - Executive Assistants

Section 4 - Air Force Personnel Center (AFPC)

Section 5 - Air Education and Training Command (AETC)

Section 6 - Air Force International Affairs (AFIA)

Section 7 - Air Force Public Affairs (AFPA)

Section 8 - Security Forces (SF)

Section 9 - Strategic Plans and Requirements (SP&R)

Chapter 4 - Boards & Committees

Section 1 - National Security Council (NSC)

CHAPTER 1 - RANKS OF THE US AIR FORCE

Section 1 - Enlisted Ranks

The enlisted ranks are the starting point for many who enlist within the Air Force hence their name, these whilst being the lowest ranks are where personnel will learn a large portion about how we operate and start their development. Enlisted personnel are not authorized to be a member of any MOS.

PAYGRADE	RANK	ABBREVIATION
N/A	Recruit	N/A
E1	Airman Basic	AB
E2	Airman	Amn
E3	Airman First Class	A1C

Section 2 - Non-Commissioned Officers

Once a member passes through the enlisted ranks they move onto the Non-Commissioned Officer ranks, personnel in these positions are the backbones of the USAF. Once in these ranks, they are eligible to join a MOS and will receive further training to develop them further.

PAYGRADE	RANK	ABBREVIATION
E4	Senior Airman	SrA
E5	Staff Sergeant	SSgt
E6	Technical Sergeant	TSgt
E7	Master Sergeant	MSgt
E8	Senior Master Sergeant	SMSgt
E9	Chief Master Sergeant	CMSgt
E9C	Command Chief Master Sergeant	CCM
E9S	Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force	CMSAF

Section 2 - Warrant Officer Ranks

Warrant Officers are the final stepping stones to becoming a commissioned officer, members who hold these ranks assist in the day-to-day operations of headquarters, have completed their WODC, and are eligible to hold Executive Officer positions within ratings.

PAYGRADE	RANK	ABBREVIATION
W2	Chief Warrant Officer 2	W2
W3	Chief Warrant Officer 3	W3
W4	Chief Warrant Officer 4	W4
W5	Chief Warrant Officer 5	W5
O0	Officer Cadet	OCdt

Section 2 - Commissioned Officer Ranks

The Commissioned Officers are the leaders of the military, having completed the Officer Candidate School they are responsible for the management of headquarters and their respective ratings. Those who hold the pay grade of O1 - O3 are considered Company Officers, O4 - O6 are considered Field Grade Officers, and O7 onwards are considered Flag Grade Officers. However, within our military, O1-O4 are considered Junior Officers, and O5 onwards are considered Senior Officers.

PAYGRADE	RANK	ABBREVIATION
O1	Second Lieutenant	2d Lt
O2	First Lieutenant	1st Lt
O3	Captain	Capt
O4	Major	Maj
O5	Lieutenant Colonel	Lt Col
O6	Colonel	Col
O7	Brigadier General	Brig Gen
O8	Major General	Maj Gen
O9	Lieutenant General	Lt Gen
O10	General	Gen

CHAPTER 2 - CHAIN OF COMMAND

Section 1 - General Information

The Chain of Command (CoC) is vital to the day-to-day operations of the United States Air Force, it ensures that personnel are reporting to the correct people regarding information or for support. Personnel are required to follow the Chain of Command at all times unless the person above them in the chain is unable to handle their query, it is otherwise stipulated or they are making a report regarding their superior in the chain.

Section 2 - Positional Restrictions

The following table details the restrictions that are in place surrounding both acting and full appointments to positions. As well as the restrictions in the table, no superior should ever be outranked by their deputy. In such a case where this does happen, the subordinate will receive a temporary reduction in rank to accommodate.

AS LEVEL	ACTING APPOINTMENT	FULL APPOINTMENT
AS-4 Director	O3	O4
AS-5 Assistant Director	O2	O3
AS-6 Commanding Officer	W5	O1
AS-7 Executive Officer	W2	W2

Section 3 - Visual Representation

CHAPTER 3 - MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALITY (MOS)

Section 1 - Senior Leadership Command

AS LEVEL	POSITION NAME	ABBREV.	REPORTS TO.
AS-1	Chief of Staff of the Air Force	CSAF	N/A
AS-2	Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force	VCSAF	CSAF
AS-3	Director of Air Staff for Personnel, Training, and Policy	DAFS PT&P	VCSAF
AS-3	Director of Air Staff for Strategic Affairs	DAFS SA	VCSAF

Section 2 - Air Staff

AS LEVEL	POSITION NAME	ABBREV.	REPORTS TO.
AS-1	Chief of Staff of the Air Force	CSAF	N/A
AS-2	Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force	VCSAF	CSAF
AS-3	Director of Air Staff for Personnel, Training, and Policy	DAFS PT&P	VCSAF
AS-3	Director of Air Staff for Strategic Affairs	DAFS SA	VCSAF
AS-4	Deputy Chief of Staff for Manpower, Personnel & Services	DCS MP&S	DAFS PT&P
AS-4	Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations	DCS OPR	DAFS PT&P
AS-4	Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Plans & Requirements	DCS SP&R	DAFS PT&P
AS-4	Deputy Chief of Staff, Logistics	DCS LOG	DAFS SA
AS-4	Director, Public Affairs	DPA	DAFS SA
AS-4	Director, Security Forces	DSF	DAFS SA

Section 3 - Executive Assistants

AS LEVEL	POSITION NAME	ABBREV.	REPORTS TO.
AS-5	Strategic Advisor to the Chief of Staff of the Air Force	CSAF SA	CSAF
AS-5	Executive Assistant to the Chief of Staff of the Air Force	CSAF EA	CSAF
AS-5	Executive Assistant to the Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force	VCSAF EA	VCSAF
AS-5	Executive Assistant to the Director of Air Staff, Personnel, Training and Policy	DAFS EA	DAFS PT&P
AS-5	Executive Assistant to the Director of Air Staff, Strategic Affairs	DAFS EA	DAFS SA

Section 4 - Air Force Personnel Center

AS LEVEL	POSITION NAME	ABBREV.	REPORTS TO.
AS-4	Deputy Chief of Staff for Manpower, Personnel & Services	DCS MP&S	DAFS PT&P
AS-5	Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Manpower, Personnel & Services	ADC MP&S	DCS MP&S
AS-6	Commanding Officer, Manpower, Personnel & Services	CO MP&S	ADC MP&S
AS-6	Commanding Officer, Manpower, Airman Support	CO AS	ADC MP&S
AS-7	Executive Officer, Manpower, Personnel & Services	XO MP&S	CO MP&S
AS-7	Executive Officer, Manpower, Airman Support	XO AS	CO AS

Section 5 - Air Force Education and Training Command

AS LEVEL	POSITION NAME	ABBREV.	REPORTS TO.
AS-4	Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations	DCS OPR	DAFS PT&P
AS-5	Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations	ADC OPR	DCS OPR
AS-5	Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Training and Evaluations	ADC T&E	DCS OPR
AS-6	Commanding Officer, Operations	CO OPR	DCS OPR
AS-6	Commanding Officer, Training and Evaluations	CO T&E	ADC T&E
AS-7	Executive Officer, Operations	XO OPR	CO OPR
AS-7	Executive Officer, Training and Evaluations	XO T&E	CO T&E

Section 6 - Air Force International Affairs

AS LEVEL	POSITION NAME	ABBREV.	REPORTS TO.
AS-4	Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics	DCS LOG	DAFS SA
AS-5	Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics	ADC LOG	DCS LOG
AS-6	Commanding Officer, Logistics	CO LOG	ADC LOG
AS-7	Executive Officer, Logistics	XO LOG	CO LOG

Section 7 - Air Force Public Affairs

AS LEVEL	POSITION NAME	ABBREV.	REPORTS TO.
AS-4	Director, Public Affairs	DPA	DAFS SA
AS-5	Deputy Director, Public Affairs	DDPA	DPA
AS-6	Commanding Officer, Public Affairs	CO PA	DDPA
AS-7	Executive Officer, Public Affairs	XO PA	CO PA

Section 8 - Security Forces

AS LEVEL	POSITION NAME	ABBREV.	REPORTS TO.
AS-4	Director, Security Forces	DSF	DAFS SA
AS-5	Deputy Director, Security Forces	DDSF	DSF
AS-6	Commanding Officer, Security Forces	CO SF	DDSF
AS-7	Executive Officer, Security Forces	XO SF	CO SF

Section 9 - Strategic Plans and Requirements

AS LEVEL	POSITION NAME	ABBREV.	REPORTS TO.
AS-4	Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Plans & Requirements	DCS SP&R	DAFS PT&P
AS-5	Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Plans & Requirements	ADC SP&R	DCS SP&R
AS-5	Senior Judge Advocate	SJA	DCS SP&R
AS-6	Commanding Officer, Strategic Plans & Requirements	CO SP&R	ADC SP&R
AS-6	Judge Advocate	JA	SJA
AS-7	Executive Officer, Strategic Plans & Requirements	XO SP&R	CO SP&R

CHAPTER 4 - BOARDS & COMMITTEES

Section 1 - National Security Council

AS LEVEL	POSITION NAME	ABBREV.	REPORTS TO.
AS-1	Chief of Staff of the Air Force	CSAF	N/A
AS-2	Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force	VCSAF	CSAF
AS-3	Director of Air Staff for Personnel, Training, and Policy	DAFS PT&P	VCSAF
AS-3	Director of Air Staff for Strategic Affairs	DAFS SA	VCSAF
AS-4	Deputy Chief of Staff, Logistics	DCS LOG	DAFS SA
AS-4	Director, Security Forces	DSF	DAFS SA
AS-4	Deputy Chief of Staff, Strategic Plans & Requirements	DCS SP&R	DAFS PT&P