A Service in Transition

The United States Air Force is in the midst of a significant institutional transition. As noted by Dr. Thomas P. Ehrhard, Air Force culture has always been centered on the man, the machine, and the choreography of flight-the combat pilot, the aircraft, and the aviation system. In its current manifestation, the pilots of the Combat Air Force have assumed the iconic warrior role because they, unlike the rest of their service, are the only ones who deliver ordnance. As the standard-bearers of the warrior class around whom the service culture revolves, the bomber and fighter pilots of the Combat Air Force exert the most significant influence within the organization.