Improving Development and Utilization of U.S. Air Force Intelligence Officers

The U.S. Air Force faces a shortage of general officers with the necessary experience to fill senior leadership positions in Air Force, joint, and interagency intelligence organizations and functions. This technical report presents an analysis of the competencies required for intelligence jobs and compares the qualifications in the officer supply with the qualifications that the jobs demand. This report describes an approach to make career development strategies for Air Force officers systematic and effective. Using the suggested approach would help the Air Force's intelligence officer workforce identify and prioritize positions' needs consistently using a list of qualifications that will likely only change slowly over time. The approach would help trace officers' accumulation of those qualifications as their careers progress and routinely assess any gaps between the positions' needs and the officers' qualifications. It would also help develop plans to deliberately develop officers so that, collectively, their qualifications will meet the requirements of future positions. The aim of the approach is to create a more strategic view for an intelligence career within an evolving national security environment.