MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. — Air University’s Air Force Global College is reshaping how the Air Force develops leaders by delivering on-demand professional military education aligned with operational requirements and focused on strengthening Joint Force effectiveness in war.
As the Air Force’s center for professional military education, Air University is aligning its institutions to develop expert joint warfighters and solve operational problems for the force. Within that effort, Air Force Global College develops Airmen who can think critically, operate in complex environments and provide actionable recommendations to commanders.
“We are deliberately moving away from education for education’s sake,” said Col. Damion Holtzclaw, commander of Air Force Global College. “Our focus is producing warfighters who can take complex problems, apply structured thinking and deliver actionable options to commanders.”
Programs are built around real-world challenges Airmen face in operational units, major commands and combatant commands. Officers are trained in joint planning processes and assessed through products they will use in the field, including staff estimates, decision briefs and risk-based analysis.
The goal is immediate impact: graduates return ready to contribute to planning, decision-making and mission execution on day one.
Curriculum updates are informed through regular engagement with major commands, combatant commands and Joint Force partners, ensuring alignment with priorities shaping operational planning and force development. This approach places Air University inside the decision cycles that determine how the force is organized, trained and employed.
For Headquarters Air Force and Joint Staff planners, this model produces officers prepared to contribute immediately to A5 and J5 planning efforts with relevant, decision-ready analysis tied to current operational problem sets.
In doing so, the college develops leaders who can contribute directly to joint planning and campaigning across the competition continuum.
The college is also integrating artificial intelligence into its programs in a deliberate and practical way. Rather than replacing human judgment, the technology is used to strengthen decision-making in complex environments.
AI-enabled tools challenge students to explain their reasoning, assess second-order effects and refine decisions in real time. This reflects the pace and complexity of operational planning.
“We are training Airmen to think faster and more effectively in a human-machine teaming environment,” Holtzclaw said. “Speed matters, but sound judgment still wins.”
Faculty use the same tools to build realistic scenarios and provide faster, more relevant feedback, allowing students to engage problems at a pace closer to real operations.
The delivery model reflects a force that is continuously engaged. Airmen complete coursework through a mix of self-paced learning, facilitated discussions and targeted in-person experiences, enabling continued development without stepping away from mission requirements.
“We are meeting Airmen where they are, geographically, operationally and professionally,” said Dr. Charles Thomas, professor of national security studies at Air Force Global College.
At the enlisted level, the focus remains on developing leaders who can make sound decisions in uncertain environments. Courses emphasize judgment, accountability and adaptability over memorization.
“We’re not giving Airmen answers. We’re giving them the tools to navigate ambiguity,” said Master Sgt. Amanda Culbert, Air University’s Air Force Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy program manager.
As the operational environment evolves, this model positions Air University to adapt at the speed of the force and remain aligned with emerging operational demands.
Across Air University, this reflects a broader shift. Professional military education is treated as a core part of warfighting capability, directly contributing to readiness, decision advantage and mission effectiveness.
“Education is how we build more capable Airmen,” Holtzclaw said. “What we’re delivering is directly tied to their effectiveness in the fight.”