What Does It Take To Become A General In The US Air Force?

To achieve the lofty rank of General in the United States Air Force is Herculean undertaking but by no means impossible. Decades of faithful service, leadership and and sacrifice are necessary to realize the great achievement of being awarded one of the highest military ranks in the US Armed Forces. The rank of General is one the most prestigious titles in the Department of Defense (DOD) and comes with power to make strategic decisions on a national level.

Servant leadership is a core value for America’s military top brass: service to the nation, service to the people, and service to the men and women who wear the uniform every day. Along with the power to steer the direction of the Air Force as a whole comes immense responsibility for hundreds of thousands of troops as well as trillions of dollars in military equipment – for some generals, that includes nuclear weapons. As such, only a very select few ever attain flag rank.

The journey to General demands relentless dedication, staunch professionalism, and unwavering commitment to the USAF core values – integrity, service, and excellence. Air Force career path The USAF has a clearly outlined rank structure that has remained unchanged since the 1950s. This includes a roadmap with timelines for officers to move from one rank to the next.

At every rung on the ladder comes increasing responsibility in mission complexity, troops under command, and high-value military hardware. There is some variability in promotion times aft.