A Direct Reporting Unit (DRU) is an agency of the United States Department of the Air Force that is outside the bounds of the standard organizational hierarchy by being exclusively and uniquely under the control of Air Force headquarters alone, rather than reporting through a major command.
The activities are specialized or associated with an Air Force-wide mission, and do not include functions performed in management headquarters, unless specifically directed by a DoD authority.
NAFs are structured to perform an operational or warfighting mission, often oriented to a specific geographic region.
Wings have a distinct mission with a specific scope, reporting to the NAF or HQ USAF.
The squadron is considered to be the basic unit within the USAF and exists to "[provide] a specific operational or support capability.
In addition to flight subdivisions, the squadron may feature a number of "administrative" supporting elements that report directly to the commander.
These may include a "command support staff" (CSS) that handles personnel records and manpower management; a "secretary" (often civilian employee) or "executive officer" directly assigned to the SQ/CC; as well as "safety" and "standardization/evaluation" functional areas.
[4] Air Force squadrons also include enlisted senior non-commissioned officer (SNCO) leadership to advise and support the commander.
The SQ/CC is assisted by a chief master sergeant (E-9) "senior enlisted leader" that handles enlisted programs and manpower within the squadron; as well as a "first sergeant" (i.e., a specially selected and trained master, senior, or chief master sergeant in pay grades "E-7," "E-8," or "E-9," respectively) that serves as "a dedicated focal point for all readiness, health, morale, welfare, and quality of life issues within their organizations.
[4] The flight commander, also referred to as an "Officer-In-Charge" (OIC), is a company-grade officer (CGO) typically at the rank of captain (O-3).
These subdivisions exist to clump together specific missions or capabilities and serve to identify their purpose to the installation.
(not in current use) Separate operating agencies (SOA) were major Air Force subdivisions directly subordinate to HQ USAF and has all the "procedural (administrative and logistical) responsibilities" of a MAJCOM.
The Air National Guard may be called up for active duty by the state governors or territorial commanding generals to help respond to domestic emergencies and disasters, such as those caused by hurricanes, floods, and earthquakes.
Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is a congressionally chartered, federally supported, non-profit corporation that serves as the official auxiliary of the USAF.
[6] It performs three congressionally assigned key missions: emergency services, which includes search and rescue (by air and ground) and disaster relief operations; aerospace education for youth and the general public; and cadet programs for teenage youth.
In addition, CAP has recently been tasked with homeland security and courier service missions.
CAP also performs non-auxiliary missions for various governmental and private agencies, such as local law enforcement and the American Red Cross.
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency