The chain of command leads from the President through the Secretary of Defense down to the newest recruits. The United States armed forces are organized through the United States Department of Defense, which oversees a complex structure of joint command and control functions with many units reporting to various commanding officers. The following is an incomplete list of the various major military units, commands, and DOD offices and agencies, including civilian and military chains of command.
The Fourteenth Air Force was a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Space Command (AFSPC). It was headquartered at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.
Eighteenth Air Force is the only Numbered Air Force (NAF) in Air Mobility Command (AMC) and one of the largest NAFs in the United States Air Force. 18 AF was activated on 28 March 1951, inactivated on 1 January 1958, and re-activated on 1 October 2003. 18 AF is headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois.
Twenty-Second Air Force is a Numbered Air Force component of Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC). It was activated on 1 July 1993 and is headquartered at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Georgia.
Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) is a Major Command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force and is also the air component command of the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM). PACAF is headquartered at Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam, Hawaii, and is one of two USAF MAJCOMs assigned outside the Continental United States, the other being the United States Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa. Over the past sixty-five plus years, PACAF has been engaged in combat during the Korean and Vietnam Wars and Operations Desert Storm, Southern Watch, Northern Watch, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
Joint Base McGuire–Dix–Lakehurst is a United States military facility located 18 miles (29 km) southeast of Trenton, New Jersey. The base is the only tri-service base in the United States Department of Defense and includes units from all six armed forces branches.
The United States Air Force Academy Cemetery is a cemetery at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, El Paso County, Colorado. It is administered by the 10th Airbase Wing.
Ninth Air Force is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. It is the Air Force Service Component of United States Central Command (USCENTCOM), a joint Department of Defense combatant command responsible for U.S. security interests in 27 nations that stretch from the Horn of Africa through the Persian Gulf region, into Central Asia.
General William R. Looney III, USAF was the 28th Commander, Air Education and Training Command (AETC), Randolph Air Force Base, Texas. As commander, he was responsible for the recruiting, training and education of Air Force personnel. His command included the Air Force Recruiting Service, two numbered air forces and Air University. Air Education and Training Command consists of 13 bases, more than 66,000 active-duty members and 15,000 civilians. General Looney was succeeded by General Stephen R. Lorenz on July 2, 2008, and retired from the Air Force on August 1, 2008. Since his retirement from the Air Force, Looney has taken a position as a board member at Trident University International.
Seventeenth Expeditionary Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force located at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. The command served the United States Air Forces in Europe during (1953–1996) and United States Air Forces Africa during 2008–2012. Upon reactivation on 1 October 2008, it became the air and space component of United States Africa Command. In this capacity, Seventeenth Air Force was referred to as U.S. Air Forces Africa (AFAFRICA). 17 AF was reformed in April 2012 to become the 17th Expeditionary Air Force, sharing a commander and headquarters with the Third Air Force.
The United States Air Force's 16th Air Expeditionary Wing was a provisional Air Expeditionary unit of the United States Air Forces in Europe from 1997 for the purpose of supporting US no-fly zone and other operations in the Balkans. It remained active until June 2003, when it was replaced by the 401st Air Expeditionary Wing at Aviano.
The United States Air Force Expeditionary Center is the Air Force's Center of Excellence for advanced expeditionary combat support training and education. It consists of nine units with more than 14,000 Airmen in 28 countries worldwide.
John William "Jay" Raymond is a United States Space Force general serving as its first chief of space operations. He previously concurrently served as the commander of United States Space Command, a position he held from August 29, 2019, to August 20, 2020. As the Space Force's highest-ranking officer, he currently oversees its organizational stand-up and the transfer of officers and enlisted personnel into the newest service branch.
David J. Julazadeh is a United States Air Force lieutenant general who serves as the deputy chief of staff for capability development of Allied Command Transformation, succeeding Thomas Sharpy. He most recently served as the chief of staff of the United States European Command. Previously, he was the director for plans, policy, strategy, and capabilities of the Pacific Air Forces.
Lieutenant General John L. Dolan is a retired United States Air Force officer who last served as the Director for Operations (J-3) on the Joint Chiefs of Staff from August 2016 to October 2018. Before that, he served as the commander of United States Forces Japan and commander of 5th Air Force from June 2015 to August 2016.
Jason Rex Armagost is a United States Air Force major general serving as the director of operations and communications of the Air Force Global Strike Command. Previously, he was the commander of the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing.
Clark J. Quinn is a United States Air Force major general serving as assistant deputy commander of the United States Air Forces Central Command and assistant vice commander of the 9th Air Expeditionary Task Force. He previously served as the vice director for strategy, plans, and policy of the United States Central Command and prior to that was the vice commander of the 9th Air and Space Expeditionary Task Force - Afghanistan. In February 2021, he was nominated and confirmed for promotion to major general, which became effective July 6, 2021.
John T. Wilcox II is a United States Air Force major general who serves as the Commander of the Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center. Previously, he was the Director of Operations and Communications of the Air Force Global Strike Command.
