Review Flashcards

A comprehensive collection of vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts, directorates, deployment models, operational processes, and divisions within the AFFOR and AOC staff structures.

Chief of Staff

Ensures integration of the AFFOR staff, coordination of staff with the AOC (when not aligned under A3), other components, and Higher HQs, and manages the COMAFFOR's battle rhythm.

A2

Serves as the principal advisor to the COMAFFOR and staff on all ISR planning and direction, collection, processing, and exploitation.

A9

AFFOR staff directorate that provides leadership with an integrated analysis and assessment of air, space, and cyberspace operations.

Special Staff

Staff positions normally functioning outside of directorates that provide close, personal advice or services to the Air Component Commander.

A4

AFFOR staff directorate responsible for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives (CBRNE).

A8

AFFOR staff directorate that conducts planning and coordination of actions required for fielding new capabilities.

Assessment

Continuous activity supporting decision making by ascertaining progress toward accomplishing a task, creating an effect, achieving an objective, or attaining an end state.

Commander's Critical Information Requirements (CCIRs)

Information the COMAFFOR relies on to determine when it is time to execute a branch plan.

Knowledge Management

Enables the sharing of information to support decision making.

Allocation

A mechanism authorized by the SECWAR to temporarily adjust the distribution of forces among the CCMDs, or the GFM process utilized when forces are on loan to another Combatant Commander to meet current operational requirements.

Apportionment

Provides a quantity of forces which planners can reasonably expect to be available, but not necessarily allocated when a plan transitions to execution.

GFMIG

Document that integrates force assignment, apportionment, and allocation.

Emergent Requirement

A type of requirement within the allocation process addressed when the operational environment changes without notice, driving a CCDR to submit a Request for Forces (RFC).

SMEAC

Format used when writing Mission Type Orders (MTO's).

Mission Command

Philosophy of leadership that empowers Airmen to operate in uncertain, complex, and rapidly changing environments through trust, shared awareness, and understanding of commander intent.

Tailorable Force Packages

Key enabler an A-Staff should utilize to minimize its forward footprint under Agile Combat Employment (ACE).

Agile Combat Employment (ACE)

Operational concept that supports Joint All-Domain Operations (JADO) utilizing proactive and reactive operational schemes of maneuver.

Mission Ready Airmen

Airmen enabled by cross-utilization training who can operate in an expeditionary environment, decreasing the number of Airmen put in harm's way.

A3

AFFOR staff directorate that oversees the execution of security cooperation activities.

Security Assistance (SA)

Element of Security Cooperation aimed at enhancing regional stability.

Security Cooperation

Military activities, conducted in cooperation with other nations, used to shape the operational environment during peacetime.

Foreign Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Relief (HA/DR)

U.S. Security Cooperation programs under which the United States can provide aid to a partner nation, granted that country has a willingness to accept assistance.

Air Component Campaign Support Plan

Plan designed to translate the Combatant Commander's Strategy into detailed Air Force service obligations, outlining how the Air Component will be organized, trained, equipped, and sustained to meet theater objectives.

Operational Design

Creative process that extends operational art's vision to help commanders and planners answer the Ends-Ways-Means-Risk questions.

Strategic Level of Warfare

Level of warfare that creates objectives in support of strategic end states, and uses the instruments of national power to achieve them.

Contingency Plans

Plans developed in a steady-state environment in anticipation of hypothetical situations or potential crises.

Combat Support

Overarching responsibility of the COMAFFOR encompassing the ability to field, base, protect, support, and sustain Air Force forces across the competition continuum.

Senior Airfield Authority (SAA)

Entity responsible for access, security, and effectiveness of a joint use airfield.

Base Operating Support-Integrator (BOS-I)

Role normally appointed to the Service component commander with the preponderance of forces by Combatant Commander designation.

Contingency Response Force (CRF)

Force that bridges the gap between seizure forces and follow-on forces.

Air Force Force Generation (AFFORGEN)

New deployment model established in 2021 after senior Air Force leaders determined current deployment capabilities were inadequate to meet JFC requirements.

Demand Force Teams

Units or capabilities that operate independently, include unique highly-specific capabilities, and can augment any Force Element (FE).

Air Operations Directive (AOD)

Strategy Division product that serves as the JFACC's primary instrument providing guidance for planning and execution of the ATO.

AOC Divisions

The five divisions within an Air Operations Center: Strategy (SRD), Combat Plans (CPD), Combat Operations (COD), Intelligence, Surveillance, & Reconnaissance Division (ISRD), and Air Mobility Division (AMD).

Combat Operations Division (COD)

Division in the AOC responsible for the execution of the current Air Tasking Order (ATO) and making changes to the ATO.

Combat Plans Division (CPD)

Division of the AOC that produces key detailed and executable orders such as the ATO, ACO, and SPINS.

Theater Air Control System (TACS)

System whose senior C2 element is the AOC weapon system, allowing the CFACC to provide operational level C2 to plan, direct, and assess activities of assigned and attached forces.

A valid COA is:

Distinguishable – if it differs sufficiently from the other COAs
Feasible – if it accomplishes the mission within the established time, space and
resource limitations

Acceptable – if it balances cost and risk with the advantages gained
Complete – if it answers the who, what, when, where, why, and how
Suitable – if it accomplishes the mission within the commander's guidance