Notice2026-09721
Renewal of Department of Defense Federal Advisory Committees-Air University Board of Visitors
Primary source
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Published
May 15, 2026
Issuing agencies
Defense DepartmentDefense Department
Abstract
The Department of War (DoW) is publishing this notice to announce it is renewing the Air University Board of Visitors (AU BoV) as a discretionary Federal advisory committee.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 94 (Friday, May 15, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 94 (Friday, May 15, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27928-27930]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-09721]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Office of the Secretary of Defense
Renewal of Department of Defense Federal Advisory Committees--Air
University Board of Visitors
AGENCY: Department of Defense (DoD).
ACTION: Renewal of Federal Advisory Committee.
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SUMMARY: The Department of War (DoW) is publishing this notice to
announce it is renewing the Air University Board of Visitors (AU BoV)
as a discretionary Federal advisory committee.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim Freeman, Advisory Committee
Management Officer for the DoW, 703-692-5952.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The DoW is renewing the AU BoV in accordance
with chapter 10 of title 5 United States Code (U.S.C.) (commonly known
as the ``Federal Advisory Committee Act'' or ``FACA'') and 41 Code of
Federal Regulations (CFR) 102-3.50(d), and DoW policies and procedures.
The public or interested organizations may submit written statements
about the AU BoV mission and functions. Written statements may be
submitted at any time or in response to the stated agenda of planned
meetings of the AU BoV. All written statements shall be submitted to
the AU BoV Designated Federal Officer (DFO), and this individual will
ensure that all written statements are provided to the membership for
their consideration. The AU BoV's DFO is Dr. Ella Temple, and she may
be contact at (334) 953-3063, or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#492c252528673d2c2439252c093c3a67282f67242025"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c0a5acaca1eeb4a5adb0aca580b5b3eea1a6eeada9ac">[email protected]</span></a>.
Consistent with 41 CFR 102-3.65(a), the DoW is publishing the AU
BoV's Public Interest Determination.
Pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.60(a), to establish, renew, reestablish,
or merge a discretionary (agency discretion) advisory committee, an
agency must first consult with the General Services Administration's
Committee Management Secretariat (the Secretariat) and, as part of the
consultation, provide a written public interest determination approved
by the head of the agency to the Secretariat with a copy to the Office
of Management and Budget. In addition, pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.35, an
agency shall follow the same consultation process and document in
writing the same determination of need before creating a subcommittee
under a discretionary committee that is not made up entirely of members
of a parent advisory committee. Information on the following factors
for the Air University Board of Visitors (AU BoV) is provided to the
Secretariat to demonstrate that renewing the AU BoV is in the public
interest:
1. Annual Budget: The estimated annual operating cost of the AU
BoV, to include personnel, travel, meetings, and contract support, is
approximately $143,000.
a. Federal personnel on a full-time equivalent (FTE) basis: The
estimated AU BoV's annual fully burdened personnel cost to the DoW is
.75 full-time equivalents at $120,000, which includes basic pay with
cost-of-living allowances (COLA).
b. Other Federal internal costs: Other administrative costs for the
AU BoV is $1,000.
c. Proposed payments to members: Consistent with 10 U.S.C. 173,
members of the AU BoV are not compensated for their services, except
for travel and per diem reimbursement for official AU BoV-related
business.
d. Proposed number of members: As authorized by the Secretary of
War (SecWar), the AU BoV will be composed of not more than 15 members.
e. Reimbursable costs: The estimated reimbursement costs, to
include travel, for AU BoV staff and members are $22,000.
2. If applicable, the total dollar value of grants expected to be
recommended during the fiscal year: N/A.
3. Criteria for selecting members to ensure the committee has the
necessary expertise and fairly balanced membership: As described in its
proposed charter and membership balance plan, the AU BoV is composed of
members who are eminent authorities air, space, cyberspace, defense,
management, leadership, and academia.
In selecting members, the DoW seeks to capitalize on recognized
talented, innovative private and public sector leaders to provide the
broadest knowledge and expertise based on a balanced AU BoV membership
composition. The AU BoV membership is not static, and the SecWar and
Deputy Secretary of War (``the DoW Appointing Authority'') may change
the membership based upon work assigned to the AU BoV by the DoW
Appointing Authority or the Secretary of the Air Force, as the AU BoV's
DoW Sponsor.
4. List of all other DoW Federal Advisory Committees: A complete
listing of DoW Federal advisory committees can be located at: <a href="https://www.facadatabase.gov/FACA/s/account/001t000000DCAooAAH/department-of-defense">https://www.facadatabase.gov/FACA/s/account/001t000000DCAooAAH/department-of-defense</a>.
5. Justification that the information or advice provided by the
Federal advisory committee or subcommittee is not available from
another Federal advisory committee, another Federal Government source,
or any other more cost-effective and less burdensome source: The AU BOV
provides independent, multidisciplinary advisory expertise spanning
air, space, cyberspace, defense, management, leadership, and academia--
a composition no commercial consulting service can replicate at
equivalent cost. The AU BoV provides advice and recommendations on the
educational, doctrinal, and research policies of Air University. While
ultimate authority over Air University resides within the DoW chain of
command, civilian accrediting bodies (like the Southern Association of
Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) and Higher
Learning Commission (HLC)) require higher education institutions to
maintain an independent board. The AU BoV fulfills accreditation
governing board requirements under SACSCOC and HLC standards by acting
as an independent advisory body. Without this body, AU risks loss of
civilian accreditation, directly threatening force recruiting,
retention, and graduate credibility across the Department.
[[Page 27929]]
The AU BoV provides expert advice and recommendations of all new
courses, degree plans, and financial management functions, ensuring
that AU continues to operate rigorous educational programs that are
perfectly aligned with the AU's mission, and as an extension, the DoW's
Joint Professional Military Education Program.
6. If the consultation is a committee renewal, a summary of the
previous accomplishments of the committee and the reasons it needs to
continue: AU BoV 2020-2024 Accomplishments: the AU BoV's advice and
recommendations to the DoW and the Department of the Air Force resulted
in the following:
<bullet> Completion of a full review of all academic programs to
inform DoW so that DoW could ensure alignment with Air Force Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics needs.
<bullet> Integration of data analytics into the graduate curriculum
and Professional Continuing Education (PCE) courses.
<bullet> The launch of an initiative entitled ``AD-21 Initiative''
is designed to provide faculty with salaried, part-time research and
teaching assistants.
<bullet> Improvement of the established process for promotion and
tenure to faculty temporary duty (TDYs) to collaborate with high-
priority hubs like AFWERX.
<bullet> Assistance to the DoW in planning the framework to
transition to Office 365 and upgrade campus WiFi to better support
modern classroom environments.
<bullet> Completion of the Quality Initiative Project (QIP) and
development of the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) assurance
narrative for the 2020 HLC visit.
<bullet> Recommendation of the endorsement of new vision and
mission statements that align with the 2018 National Defense Strategy.
<bullet> Creation and approval a new role: The Associate Chancellor
for Research and Partnerships to centralize and manage strategic AFIT
institutional collaborations.
<bullet> Restructuring logistics training from a task-based model
to a competency-based model to improve officer education.
<bullet> Support for the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the
integration of Space Force Education, and incorporation of Great Power
Competition into curriculum.
<bullet> Ensuring AU's financial stability and monitoring progress
on AU's Student Information System.
<bullet> Support for AFIT's reaffirmation with the HLC.
<bullet> Redefining the CCAF mission statement and creating the
Associate of Applied Science in Miliary Technology and Applied Science
Management degree.
<bullet> Creation of the AU BOV Self-Evaluations for continuous
improvement.
<bullet> Approval of new AFIT vision/mission statements and
recognized the addition of ``deterrence.''
<bullet> Approval of AU's updated AUI 36-2602 and the Educational
Program Enhancement Process.
<bullet> Approval of key requirements for HLC reaffirmation,
including AFIT's Assurance Agreement and hosted the HLC Team Visit.
<bullet> Support of the AU transition to Office 365 and upgrade of
Wi-Fi for enhanced classroom experience; and the expenditure of $30,000
on facility modifications.
<bullet> Formalization of agreement with AFWERX that allowed AFIT
faculty 10-week TDYs at AFWERX hubs.
<bullet> Recommendation of a new direction for AFIT's vision and
mission statements.
<bullet> The increase in the use of non-tenured faculty across AU
programs, based on earlier formal recommendations.
<bullet> The improvement of the faculty promotion and tenure
processes.
<bullet> The establishment and execution of a plan that provided
TDY support for faculty to assist high-priority AF programs,
specifically AFWERX.
<bullet> Support for the newly established Nuclear Expertise for
Advancing Technologies Center, a model shop that provided students with
interdisciplinary experiential learning.
<bullet> Support for the AFIT faculty participation in developing
the Air Force Science and Technology 2030 Strategy.
<bullet> Fulfilled, on behalf of the DoW, the requirements for HLC
accreditation. AU's BOV Chair and Vice Chair joined AFIT's Subcommittee
and fulfilled the requirement for HLC accreditation standards.
<bullet> The execution of ``stackable credentials'' within the
Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) to assist Airmen
transitioning to civilian life.
<bullet> Assistance with CCAF credentialing initiatives that
ensured that they were relevant in civilian communities.
<bullet> Creation and proposal of the ``Multi-capable Enlisted
Leader/Technical Expert'' career field diagram that illustrated earning
potential and education levels.
<bullet> Proposal of innovative steps that addressed major
obstacles (specifically public speaking and math) that hindered
students from completing CCAF associate's degrees.
<bullet> Support of the proposed Outcomes Reporting System designed
to measure and address demands for institutional effectiveness
reporting.
<bullet> Support of the approval of the new handbook created to
guide the Commander's Mission Analysis and Review process and developed
an institutional effectiveness outcomes report form.
<bullet> Review and identification of top-quality Intermediate
Developmental Education (IDE) and Senior Developmental Education
candidates to have the opportunity to attend Air University.
<bullet> Support for AU's wargaming strategy which enabled LeMay
Center's Wargaming Center to become the leader in Wargaming compared to
other military services.
<bullet> Development of innovative approaches to use virtual
reality in the Muir S. Fairchild Library and AU Teaching and Learning
Center.
<bullet> Support of AU's academic programs and taking critical
steps toward institutional accreditation to develop AU's Fifth-Year
Interim Report.
<bullet> Achievement of excellent product development through AU
and the CCAF team, specifically regarding the new Competency Credit
Awarding Process plan.
<bullet> Initiation and guidance of leadership in the process that
attained acceptance of the AF Teaching certification offered by CCAF
and accepted by numerous states for K-12 licensure.
<bullet> Modification of the Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) that
addressed Air Force competencies in ethical decision-making, empathy,
and fostering innovation.
<bullet> Recommendation of a shift to combined command team courses
verses maintaining separate commander and command chief courses
Recommendation was implemented and has been a success.
<bullet> Notable contributions to the Re-Imagining Air Force
Accessions initiative through the Holm Center.
<bullet> Transformation of the Officer Training School (OTS)
program to use the forward-thinking Operation Victory (OTS-Victory)
framework.
<bullet> Support of improved utilization of newly commissioned 2d
Lieutenants awaiting Undergraduate Pilot Training and AU Fellows which
augmented faculty.
<bullet> Development and migration of AU's enterprise data systems
and Student Information System.
[[Page 27930]]
<bullet> Development of a comprehensive strategic action plan
focusing on developing warfighters, enhancing force development
delivery, elevating the AU experience, and modernizing the learning
environment.
<bullet> Recommendation of strategic decisions regarding the
reorganization of Air University.
<bullet> Providing financial management support to optimize funding
to support both funded and unfunded mission requirements.
<bullet> Support of the consolidated CCAF registrar functions,
collapsed degree programs, and tracked faculty qualifications.
<bullet> Providing expert advice and feedback for the Fifth-Year
Interim Report and QEP
<bullet> Support of the International Officer School (IOS) mission
and support of diplomacy and partnership building with U.S. allies.
<bullet> Support for the development of the Agile Learning Concept
through the Air Command and Staff College and GCPME.
<bullet> Establishment of the AU International Alumni of
Distinction program.
<bullet> Adoption of the new mission and vision statements focused
on both deterrence and warfighting.
<bullet> The launch of the Registrar's technological innovation
``Transcript Automation'' to handle both inbound Department of Air
Force Bot Operations Team and outbound (Parchment) transcripts across
Air University.
<bullet> The launch of the Registrar's ``AURORA,'' a generative AI
chatbot in ServiceNow that provided self-service guidance to students,
the first in AU history.
<bullet> Procedural advice that had a positive impact on the
graduation cycle resulting in an on-time fall graduation at AFIT-EN for
84 master's students and 15 Ph.D.'s.
<bullet> Delivery of the enhanced Agile Learning educational
experience, achieving a 92% student satisfaction rate.
<bullet> Conducting of invaluable consultation work that identified
and introduced successful use cases through the Digital Innovation &
Integration Center of Excellence.
<bullet> Support of an increased research funding sponsorship
across AFIT and AFIT faculty.
<bullet> Support of the DoW decision which assisted students who
were waiting for undergraduate pilot training and offered a T6
Simulator as the alternative which provided a cost-effective head-
start.
<bullet> Technological expertise and directive supported research
awards. AU won the Harold Brown Award (awarded to Dr. Nykl) and
successfully developed vision-based relative navigation algorithm
research for autonomous vehicle air refueling.
<bullet> Support of the establishment of a new course for nuclear
leaders that highlighted differences between nuclear and conventional
operations which included nuclear warfighting capstone events.
<bullet> Support for the approval of the integrated real-world
Great Power Competition (GPC) events and their impacts into the
education of nuclear studies.
<bullet> Support of the implementation of the strategic civilian
enterprise development program.
<bullet> Recommendation of continued improvements to the Student
Life-cycle Management (SLcM) system, revised accordingly.
<bullet> Recommendation of initiatives to reoptimize the
institution for GPC.
<bullet> Provision of artificial intelligence (AI) support (blue,
red, and green teams) and selection of players to the Air Force
Wargaming Institute.
AU BoV 2025 Accomplishments: Following the Secretary of Defense's
2025 advisory committee stand-down directive, the AU BoV did not
convene in Spring 2025. DoW is actively reconstituting the AU BoV in
FY26, establishing updated bylaws and a revised charter that align with
current Administration priorities.
7. Explanation of why the committee/subcommittee is essential to
the conduct of agency business: The AU BoV directly advances the
Administration's core national security priorities by providing
independent advice and recommendations ensuring AU's curricula,
doctrine, and research align with deterring adversaries through
strength--not weakness--by producing lethal, operationally ready
airpower warriors trained for large-scale combat operations against
peer adversaries. The AU BoV advice and recommendations allow DoW to
enforce a merit-based framework of academic rigor and joint/civilian
accreditation that sustains the Warrior Ethos and demands excellence at
every level of professional military education. Through its focus on
lethality-based education, the AU BoV advice and recommendations to the
DoW ensure AU graduates are prepared to defend the homeland and project
decisive force across all domains. Additionally, the AU BoV advice and
recommendations assist the DoW to fulfill the governing board
requirement under SACSCOC and HLC, maintaining the civilian
accreditation that underpins recruiting, retention, and the credibility
of every degree and certificate AU confers.
The AU BoV advances the Department's core business of building
lethal, merit-based joint airpower warriors across the full spectrum of
the force through career-long Professional Military Education. The AU
BoV advice and recommendations assist the DoW in ensuring that AU
trains Airmen and Guardians to seamlessly leverage multi-domain power
in large-scale combat operations. The AU BoV supports AU's role as a
premier research institution, ensuring operationally relevant research
reaches sponsors across the joint force in direct support of the 2026
National Defense Strategy and Joint Warfighting Concepts.
Dated: May 12, 2026.
Stephanie J. Bost,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 2026-09721 Filed 5-14-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6001-FR-P
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