10/03/2026
"The Air Force also plans to establish a new career field of point defense Airmen, with the goal of becoming operational within two years.
These Airmen will develop specialized expertise in operating and integrating sensors, command and control, and layered defensive capabilities. They will work alongside Security Forces and other Air Force and joint mission partners to deliver coordinated and layered defense of installations.
“Establishing a new career field is about more than creating a specialty code,” Lt. Gen. Jefferson O’Donnell, Air Force deputy chief of staff for manpower, personnel and services, said. “We must build a professional community with the right training, experience, and career development to deliver this capability over time. Success is an Air Force where Airmen—recruited, trained, developed, and retained as point defense specialists—strengthen the Air Force's ability to fight and win.”
The effort builds upon the Air Force’s established integrated defense approach, which brings together installation capabilities to protect personnel, resources and combat operations.
Security Forces provide essential expertise in planning and executing integrated defense, while the new career field will add dedicated expertise to help integrate point defense capabilities into the broader defensive architecture.
“Our Security Forces Airmen have built a legacy of excellence in integrated defense,” Lt. Gen. Kenyon Bell, Air Force deputy chief of staff for logistics, engineering and force protection, said. “They understand how to bring capabilities together to protect our installations and keep the mission going. Point defense builds on that foundation, integrating our defenders with specialized point defense forces to create an even more effective, layered defense.”
To strengthen integration between the two career fields, a Security Forces Airman will serve as deputy career field manager for point defense, helping to align training, professional development and operational expertise across both communities."
The U.S. Air Force is advancing point defense as a core function of air and space power, strengthening its ability to protect the Airmen, aircraft, infrastructure and other critical assets required to