SAASS realigns under AU

Published June 15, 2010
By Kimberly L. Wright
Air University Public Affairs

MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. -- As of June 3, the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies has been moved from the organizational umbrella of the Spaatz Center to Air University Headquarters, said Col. Steven Griswold, commander of the Education Support Squadron and director of staff of the Spaatz Center.

The reorganization made strategic sense because of the unique mission of SAASS, explained Col. Tim Schultz, SAASS commandant.

"The AU leadership determined that SAASS, as a unique institution which provides graduate-level education outside of the professional military education structure, should be organizationally aligned directly under the Air University commander," he said. "This reorganization reflects the fact that the Air University commander is the selection authority for SAASS students, reviews and approves SAASS follow-on assignments, signs each student's training report and possesses cradle-to-grave oversight of SAASS programs."

The alignment shift also complements AU's plans for future program expansion. "This reorganization also coheres with the development of the Air University Ph.D. program in military strategy; SAASS is the core of this initiative, and the reorganization facilitates direct oversight by the Air University commander," Colonel Schultz said.

The colonel noted that the reorganization is mostly administrative in nature and should not visibly affect the day-to-day operation of SAASS. "We're going to stay in the same place. The mission and execution will stay the same. It's mostly an administrative reorganization."

Air University's School of Advanced Air and Space Studies is the U.S. Air Force graduate school with an in-depth focus on air power and space power strategy. As stated on the SAASS website, the 50-week program provides selected graduates of intermediate-level Department of Defense PME schools the chance to become warrior-scholars better able to develop, evaluate and employ air power in a modern war environment. Successful students graduate with a master of air power art and science degree.

As a result of this reorganization, schools remaining under the Spaatz organizational umbrella now include Air War College, Air Command and Staff College, Squadron Officer College, Spaatz academic and research centers, International Officer School and Education Support Squadron.