Conducting operations at more than 75 locations worldwide,[1] the center's missions include facility investment planning, design and construction, operations support, real property management, energy support, environmental compliance and restoration, and audit assertions, acquisition and program management.

Air Force leaders, during a ceremony on 1 October 2012 at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, activated AFCEC as a single unit to execute the civil engineering mission worldwide.

[1] On 1 October 2014, AFCEC was among the six organizations moved under Air Force Materiel Command in an effort toward forming the foundation of the Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center when the Center is formally activated in 2015.

[2] The Air Force Civil Engineer Center is led by a civilian in the Senior Executive Service.

The center has seven directorates: Energy; Environmental; Facility Engineering; Installations; Operations; Planning & Integration; and Readiness.