USAF Culture and Cohesion: Building an Air and Space Force for the 21st Century.

The Air Force has a cohesion problem, and it is firmly rooted in the Air Force culture, subcultures, and organizational dynamics within the diverse, complex entity that is today's USAF. By the late 1980s, the Air Force essence was centered on technology, with splits between pilots and all others, among pilots based on the type of aircraft flown, and with space beginning to assert its claim on a piece of the core. This study surveyed USAF officers to find more detailed answers to questions about what the Air Force looks like today. Fractionalization was found, but for the most part the differences were not as striking as were areas of similarity. The USAF line officer corps appears to provide a basic infrastructure upon which cohesion can be built. The USAF strategy and structure must be realigned to achieve the critical operational tasks, roles, missions, and functions at the heart of the vision.