Traces the usage of- and meaning given to- the terms "roles and missions" relating to the armed forces and particularly to the United States Air Force, from 1907 to the present.

The twentieth century witnessed the emergence of three-dimensionality in war: surface forces flow became prey for attackers operating above and below the earth and its oceans. The aerial weapon, prophesied for centuries, became a reality, as did air power projection forces. This insightful book by Warren A. Trest traces the doctrinal underpinnings of the modern United States Air Force, the world's only global air force. We the men and women who serve in the Air Force, but also our fellow airmen in America's other military services are the heirs and beneficiaries of a long heritage of doctrinal development and military thought. Our predecessors pursued a vision of airborne global reach and power that often put them at odds with those who could not break free of the confines of conventional thought and lock-step traditionalism. Fortunately, they had the courage of their convictions and the faith in their vision to continue to pursue the goal of global air power despite such resistance. Today, America is a genuine aerospace power, and that pioneering vision dating to the days of the Wright brothers, has expanded to encompass operations in space and between the mediums of air and space. As we approach the new millennium, it is well to ponder the lessons and the history of how a small group of truly gifted airmen transformed their nation's military establishment, and, in so doing, the world around them.

Includes recommendations, grouped in terms of joint military operations, efficient and responsive support, and improved management and direction. Designed to improve joint military operations.

A review of the 1993 report of the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, on the roles, missions, and functions of the armed forces. Identifies opportunities for eliminations, reductions, consolidations, and realignments beyond those cited in the Chairman's report. Also discusses obstacles that make reductions in overlapping military capabilities difficult to achieve. Covers 18 specific areas.