Where is the position of the pilot in relation to whether it is a lead or support role in today's military?

I'm coming at this as a retired Air Force pilot with a diverse background of operational assignments. I'm writing in generalities, so the details of any pilot's duties or career will differ from what I'm saying.

The Air Force inherited it workforce from the Army Air Forces in 1947 including pilots, both officer and enlisted, warrant officers, and enlisted personnel. In 1959 the Air Force decided to do away with warrant officers and declared officers were expected to be generalist-leaders and NCOs would supervise and manage the technical (hands-on) work of the Air Force. Out of the Army tradition came the idea that all pilots should be officers. Today all Air Force pilots of manned aircraft are officers while pilots of unmanned aircraft may be officers or enlisted.

Air Force pilots execute most of the Air Force mission. They are the combat forces, with due respect to combat controllers, PJs, and security forces. Combat missions include air defense, air superiority, interdiction, strategic weapons employment, close air support, special ops. Combat Support missions include air refueling, transport, command and control, electronic warfare, psychological warfare, reconnaissance, and aeromedical evacuation. Combat Service Support missions include pilot training, executive airlift, and Presidential airlift. Unmanned aircraft perform some of these missions and may be piloted by enlisted personnel.

Air Force manned aircraft pilot training is not a leadership or management course. The personnel entering pilot training are all officers. The output is people with the basic knowledge, skills, and abilities to operate modern aircraft safely and effectively. The current dual-track pilot training channels pilot students into either the fighter-attack-bomber track or the tanker-transport track after primary T-6 training. This direction based on the pilot student's performance and Air Force needs generally shapes their entire Air Force career. Some leadership abilities are developed as a result of the student pilot learning how to lead (under supervision) flights of multiple aircraft or aircraft crews. Important skills of planning, communication, coordination, and evaluation are taught and developed. After pilot training, most pilots attend advanced aircraft-specific training for a few weeks to about a year depending on type and mission. Neither course spends much time on leadership, management, or "officership."

After assignment to a flying squadron, new pilots start their on-the-job education as an Air Force officer. Based on the current paradigm, they are expected to be both officers and pilots. The officer evaluation system requires them to demonstrate management and leadership capabilities. This is often best shown through duties outside of flying. Consequently, pilots wanting to advance quickly (below-the-zone promotions) take on ever increasing levels of responsibility for Squadron support functions such as training officer, standardization officer, scheduler, snack bar officer, and volunteer to handle special projects such as a change of command ceremony and Combined Federal Campaign. Concurrently they must continue to hone their flying capabilities and technical knowledge passing a regular regime of written tests, oral examinations, and flight checks. If they do well, they will get considerable credit on their OERs. Most company grade pilots seldom lead more than a handful of people. Their responsibility for millions of dollars worth of equipment and weapons, sometimes including weapons of mass destruction, is difficult to explain in an OER based on management and sometimes goes as just doing the job.

Majors and above often fill headquarters assignments. They gain important experience shaping and implementing policy, planning large operations, managing resources, and relating to members of other Services. Some will be adept at these assignments and their careers will be accelerated. Others may find a HQ job to be the end of their pathway. A select few will get the highly coveted job of Squadron Operations Officer. Others will start on a path through resident professional military education with stops at Service or Unified Command headquarters in between school assignments. A very few have the privilege of being a flying Squadron Commander. For those few Lt Cols, it will probably be the first time they have led over 50 people. If they do well, then the pathway to O-6 is wide open and they have legitimate hope of becoming a General Officer. The rest of the O-5s will complete their time in staff jobs with scant hope of making Colonel.

Pilots have little more responsibility for implementing US foreign policy than any other Service Member. They execute missions in CONUS and overseas at the orders of their superior officers. On rare occasions one might go rogue and violate rules of engagement in a combat zone or make a thoughtless offhand remark in a meeting with representatives from Allied nations. They seldom shape military policy until later in their careers as Lt Col or above working at Service or Unified Command Headquarters; however, the same can be said for non-pilots in similar jobs.

As an infantryman, I'll say that everything and everybody supports the infantry. I don't say it to be boastful. It's just that wars can't be won without boots on the ground. However, I don't see how a pilot is any different from any other job in the military as far as needing good leadership. And when you combine the complexity of aircraft and airspace with speed, I don't think mediocre leadership in the air would get you very far.

And from which point of view are you looking at- USAF- which pilots reign supreme , or the other branches which for the most part pilots are part of air support.
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