Author Description

The Air Force is embarking upon a cultural change to prepare itself to meet the national security challenges of the next millennium. The Air Force vision for the 21st century, Global Engagement, recognizes that it is "transitioning from an air force to an air and space force on an evolutionary path to a space and air force." However, it is questionable whether the current officer corps is prepared to make this vision become a reality. The August 1996 Long-Range Planning Survey identified some existing ills with the officer corps such as careerism, identification with technical specialties, lack of knowledge about doctrine and joint war-fighting, and the lack of shared values and experiences with other Air Force officers. One significant action the Air Force is taking to address these concerns is the establishment of an Air and Space Basic Course (ASBC).