The Aerial Achievement Medal ( AAM ) is a decoration of the United States Air Force and United States Space Force which was established in 1988. The decoration is intended to recognize the contributions of aircrew members who would, otherwise, not be qualified for the award of the Air Medal .
16-669: The decoration is awarded in the name of the Secretary of the Air Force and is presented to members of the United States military or civilian personnel, while serving in a capacity with the U.S. Air Force, who distinguish themselves by sustained meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight. The achievements must be accomplished with distinction above and beyond that normally expected of professional airmen. Pilots/sensors of Unmanned aerial vehicles may also receive this award. One
32-740: A military department, means the executive part of the department and all field headquarters, forces, reserve components, installations, activities, and functions under the control or supervision of the Secretary of the department. The exclusive responsibilities of the secretary of the Air Force are enumerated in 10 U.S.C. § 9013(b) of the United States Code . They include, but are not limited to: (1) Recruiting. (2) Organizing. (3) Supplying. (4) Equipping (including research and development). (5) Training. (6) Servicing. (7) Mobilizing. (8) Demobilizing. (9) Administering (including
48-624: The Secretary of the Department of the Air Force , ( SecAF , or SAF/OS ) is the head of the Department of the Air Force and the service secretary for the United States Air Force and United States Space Force . The secretary of the Air Force is a civilian appointed by the president , by and with the advice and consent of the Senate . The secretary reports to the secretary of defense and/or
64-406: The chain of command for Air Force and Space Force units for other purposes than the operational direction goes from the president to the secretary of defense to the secretary of the Air Force to the commanders of Air Force and Space Force Commands . Air Force and Space Force officers have to report on any matter to the secretary, or the secretary's designate, when requested. The secretary has
80-417: The deputy secretary of defense , and is by statute responsible for and has the authority to conduct all the affairs of the Department of the Air Force. The secretary works closely with their civilian deputy, the under secretary of the Air Force ; and their military deputies, the chief of staff of the Air Force and the chief of space operations . The first secretary of the Air Force, Stuart Symington ,
96-407: The Air Force may also be assigned additional responsibilities by the president or the secretary of defense, e.g. the secretary is designated as the " DoD Executive Agent for Space ", and as such: ... shall develop, coordinate, and integrate plans and programs for space systems and the acquisition of DoD Space Major Defense Acquisition Programs to provide operational space force capabilities to ensure
112-532: The Air Force. The secretary is the head of the Department of the Air Force. The Department of the Air Force is defined as a Military Department . It is not limited to the Washington headquarters staffs, rather it is an entity which includes all the components of the United States Air Force and United States Space Force, including their reserve components: The term 'department', when used with respect to
128-644: The Secretary of the Air Force is one of the Department of the Air Force's three headquarter staffs at the seat of government, with the others being the Air Staff and the Office of the Chief of Space Operations . The Office of the Secretary of the Air Force is composed of: Title 10 of the United States Code Title 10 of the United States Code outlines the role of United States Armed Forces . It provides
144-470: The United States has the space power to achieve its national security objectives. The secretary of the Air Force's principal staff element, the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force , has responsibility for acquisition and auditing, comptroller issues (including financial management), inspector general matters, legislative affairs, and public affairs within the Department of the Air Force. The Office of
160-512: The authority to detail, prescribe the duties, and to assign Air Force and Space Force service members and civilian employees, and may also change the title of any activity not statutorily designated. The secretary has several responsibilities under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) with respect to Air Force and Space Force service members, including the authority to convene general courts martial and to commute sentences. The secretary of
176-554: The basic Aerial Achievement medal, 14 flights may be used. However, if this is the case, then 26 flights must be used for the first Oak Leaf Cluster . Enlisted personnel receive three (3) promotion points per award. The Aerial Achievement Medal service ribbon bears a resemblance to the Air Crew Europe Star ribbon. Secretary of the Air Force The Secretary of the Air Force , sometimes referred to as
SECTION 10
#1732851734269192-480: The legal basis for the roles, missions and organization of each of the services as well as the United States Department of Defense . Each of the five subtitles deals with a separate aspect or component of the armed services. The current Title 10 was the result of an overhaul and renumbering of the former Title 10 and Title 34 into one title by an act of Congress on August 10, 1956. Title 32 outlines
208-403: The morale and welfare of personnel). (10) Maintaining. (11) The construction, outfitting, and repair of military equipment. (12) The construction, maintenance, and repair of buildings, structures, and utilities and the acquisition of real property and interests in real property necessary to carry out the responsibilities specified in this section. By direction of the secretary of defense,
224-472: The secretary of the Air Force assigns military units of the Air Force and Space Force, other than those who carry out the functions listed in 10 U.S.C. § 9013(b) , to the Unified and Specified Combatant Commands to perform missions assigned to those commands. Air Force and Space Force units while assigned to Combatant Commands may only be reassigned by authority of the secretary of defense. However,
240-544: Was given in 1997 for successfully flying a disabled UAV back to its base. According to a report based on Air Force statistics, from January 2009 to mid-2010 3497 medals were granted to operators, while 1408 more were given to pilots. The Aerial Achievement Medal may be approved by local commanders; however, the missions for which the decoration is authorized must be approved by a Major Air Force Command. Minimum requirements for an Aerial Achievement Medal are 20 flights of at least 2 hours with one flight per theater per day. For
256-542: Was sworn in on September 18, 1947, upon the split and re-organization of the Department of War and Army Air Forces into an air military department and a military service of its own, with the enactment of the National Security Act . On July 26, 2021 the United States Senate confirmed Frank Kendall III as the next Secretary of the Air Force. On July 28, 2021, Kendall was sworn in as the 26th Secretary of
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