Air Force Doctrine Podcast

This episode features the top 3 finalists in the LeMay Center’s Fall ’24 Inspiring Doctrinal Innovation Essay Contest, which asked airmen to consider the prompt: "Air Force is adopting in-place combat wings, deployable combat wings, and combat generation wings as units of action, and it's implementing an air staff or A-staff structure within each wing's command layer. Write about how the Air Force...

In this episode, the AF Doctrine Podcast discusses the Air Force’s most recent doctrinal publication, Air Force Doctrine Note 25-1, Artificial Intelligence, which focuses on the promising role AI is and will play in the execution of airpower. Part of the intent of the Doctrine Note is to encourage Airmen of all ranks to become comfortable and capable with AI tools and systems. In this podcast, we...

In this episode, the AF Doctrine Podcast discusses the recent updates to our foundational Operations, Planning, and Command and Control doctrine documents and how these updates support USAF efforts to optimize for current and future operational environments, with Lt Gen Adrian L. Spain, the Air Force’s Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations. As a reminder to all listeners, all topics discussed are U...

On this Air Force Doctrine Podcast episode, we discuss Counterland doctrine with Colonel Scott Hazy, ACC/A3J Colonel Hazy discusses Tactical Air Control Party missions and capabilities, how the Air Force and Army work together to integrate air-surface fires with land component fires and maneuver, how we provide C2 of air-surface fires and airspace control over the land component’s AO, and the futu...

On this Air Force Doctrine Podcast episode, we sit down with Colonel Gabriel Arrington, commander of the 12th Air Task Force headquartered at Scott AFB, Illinois. We discuss modern air task forces, the 12th ATF’s mission and structure, ATF command relationships, and the leadership opportunities and doctrine changes needed to implement the ATF force presentation model. This is a great discussion on...

On this Air Force Doctrine Podcast episode, we sit down with Brigadier General Jonathan Rice, the Director of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Operations within the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for ISR and Cyber Effects Operations at the Pentagon. Our conversation discusses Information Warfare, the differences between “Information Warfare” and “Operations in the Information Env...

This episode features the top 3 finalists in the LeMay Center’s Spring ’24 Inspiring Doctrinal Innovation Essay Contest, which asked airmen to consider the prompt: “Write an essay on how AI will necessitate changes to US Air Force Doctrine.” Three talented airmen discuss the possibilities and the challenges of applying artificial intelligence to Air Force operations. As a reminder to all listeners...

Ms. Alexis Bonnell and Dr. Steven “CAP” Rogers discuss AI concepts, how Airmen should approach AI, and implications to doctrine. As a reminder to all listeners, all topics discussed are UNCLASSIFIED, and the views expressed by guests or hosts are not necessarily the position of the United States Air Force, the Department of Defense, or any government agency.

This episode of our Lessons Learned series is a recording of the LEDx Doctrine Event, Operation ANACONDA On Tap, Roundtable discussion sponsored by AUiX. It features a panel of six A-10 Pilots involved with planning and executing Close Air Support during this operation in Afghanistan. The panel featured: Lt Col (ret) Robert C. “Mumbles” Silva, Col (ret) Edward A.”K9” Kostelnick, Col (ret) David M....

Welcome to the Air Force Doctrine podcast. On this episode we sit down with General Anthony J Cotton, Commander US Strategic Command. Our conversation explores the challenges of peer competition, integrated deterrence, the mission of USSTRATCOM, and the importance of relationships. In his role as the USSTRACOM commander, General Cotton is responsible for one of 11 Unified Commands under the Depart...

This episode features the top 3 finalists in the LeMay Center’s Fall ’23 Inspiring Doctrinal Innovation Essay Contest, which asked Airmen to consider the prompt: “Discuss how the new Air Force Doctrine Publication 1-1 (AFDP 1-1) Mission Command can best be implemented operationally, practically, or organizationally.” Three talented officers talk about how Mission Command may change the way the Air...

This special episode features former Chief of Staff of the Air Force General Dave Goldfein. We discuss how his daring rescue after being shot down over enemy territory forged his views on everything from leadership (“Am I worthy?”) to the future of CSAR (spoiler: the “Uber” model). We also dive into culture vs. technology, partnering with Silicon Valley, and how the United States’ CSAR capability...

In this episode, our conversation with Col Warden centers around the strategies of the United States and China, and how we should paradigmatically change the way we think about the U.S. homeland as a sanctuary, what it means to be a “peer competitor,” the concept of “time” during a conflict and decisive geography. Col (retired) John A. Warden III is a combat pilot with a distinguished military car...

Described as a disruptive strategist, Lt Gen Clint Hinote’s ability to challenge underlying premises in the employment of Airpower is key to ensuring our doctrine is never taken as dogma and Airmen stand ready to defend or change the premises on which their service is built. As a reminder to all listeners, all topics discussed are UNCLASSIFIED, and the views expressed by guests or hosts are not ne...

This special episode features General Mike Minihan, the Commander of Air Mobility Command (AMC*). With what some see as his provocative “Mobility Manifesto,” General Minihan challenged his Airmen to “explode in theater, sense and seize opportunities, and focus on lethality.” In our conversation, we discuss “Beyond the Manifesto” and focus on joint force maneuver and the assertion that “mobility is...

Get smart about AIRPOWER in the Pacific theater of WWII! This episode features Dr. Robert Muller, Professor of Military History at the US Air Force School of Advanced Air and Space Studies (SAASS), as we discuss GENERAL GEORGE C. KENNEY, commander of the Allied Air Forces in the Southwest Pacific Area of World War II. We focus on Gen Kenney’s approach to LEADERSHIP, COMMAND AND CONTROL (C2), and L...

This special episode features General James C. Slife, the newly appointed Air Force Vice Chief of Staff (VCSAF). Gen Slife explains the current strategic environment and how it's influencing some of the largest structural and organizational changes in Air Force history. Join us as Gen Slife breaks down Air Task Forces, Air Force Force Generation, Multi-Capable Airmen, Composite Wings, and how they...

We explore the Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations (EMSO) world with Colonel Joshua Koslov, Commander of the 350th Spectrum Warfare Wing (350 SWW). Col Koslov provides immense clarity and education on this rapidly evolving and immensely important Air Force and Joint mission. As the 350 SWW Commander, Col Koslov leads the wing’s primary mission to provide rapid electronic combat power to combatant...

On this episode of “Deciphering Doctrine,” we pick apart the operational level of war and Large Scale Combat Operations (LSCO) with LeMay Center’s own Dr. Dan, “Bookem” Jordan. We discussed the linkages between tactical, operational, and strategic levels of war and the enormous difference between counterinsurgency operations of the past and LSCO of the future, including why “Afghanistan 10x” is no...

This episode features Colonel (retired) Matt “El Cid” Neunswander as he discusses his role in Operation Anaconda in March of 2002. El Cid and I discuss his lessons learned on leadership, mission command, and risk - from his personal experience of setting up forward-operating-bases, or contingency locations – first at Jacobabad, Pakistan, and subsequently at Bagram AFB, Afghanistan. As a reminder t...

This unique episode was recorded at the Air University booth at the 2023 Air and Space Forces Association Conference. The AFA conference afforded us the unique opportunity to sit down with three of the top Airmen involved in developing the Agile Combat Employment (ACE) concept. Please join us as we discuss ACE and its enablers - why multi-capable Airmen (MCA), tailorable force packages, and missio...

This episode features U.S. Air Force Major Daniel J. Jackson and examines lessons learned from the China, Burma, India (CBI) theater in the period leading up to and including WWII. Maj Jackson’s extensive research and key insights into the application of airpower can provide listeners insights from the CBI theater that still apply to modern Air Force strategy and operations, including: agile comba...

Highlights from Air Force Doctrine Publication 1-1, Mission Command https://www.doctrine.af.mil Music Credits: 'Goliath' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au

This episode of the Lessons Learned in Doctrine series coincides with the release of AFDP 1-1 Mission Command, available at https://www.doctrine.af.mil In this episode, I sit down with retired Lieutenant General Marshall “Brad” Webb and discuss his experience as an MH-53 pilot and mission commander in responding to the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon. Gen Webb relates how he an...

On this episode of the Deciphering Doctrine series, we interview the top three authors of our Inspiring Doctrinal Innovation essay contest. They explore how the AF should adapt to the changing character of war. Themes include removing stovepipes in the AOC and planning process, broadening the scope of irregular warfare, and modernizing information operations. The diverse background of the authors...