Air Force Safety Center The Air Force Safety Center is a field operating agency headquartered at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. Mission Increase Combat Power through Risk Management, Training, and Analysis. The Air Force Safety Center develops, trains, implements, executes, and evaluates Air Force and Space Force mishap prevention programs and policy for the broad spectrum of aviation, occupational, weapons, and space operations. The Safety Center develops and oversees policy and programs for system safety and risk management activities that are integral to program office acquisition, certification and life cycle sustainment of all weapons systems and ensures Department of Defense nuclear surety requirements are met. The center also oversees mishap investigations, evaluates corrective actions, and ensures implementation through oversight. Additionally, AFSEC maintains the DAF-wide mishap database, a cloud-based single integrated mishap reporting tool that provides required mishap information and timely risk mitigation data to all levels of command. The Safety Center maintains a proactive stance through program initiatives, cultural surveys and data trending to mitigate the hazards and risks before damage and injury. Through research and analysis, it promotes safety awareness and mishap prevention messaging. Finally, AFSEC develops and directs safety and risk management education for all safety disciplines in the Air and Space Forces. Combat capability is preserved, readiness of the force is maximized, and utmost lethality is promoted when safety hazards and risks are minimized through mishap prevention efforts and informed risk management decisions. Safety is a commander’s force multiplier. Vision An Operational Force Maximizing Readiness in Any Environment: DAF Safety fully acknowledges they are foremost an operational force responsible for defending the homeland and national interests against U.S. adversaries. As safety professionals, they understand how safety, whether it be policies, processes, or mindset, possesses the power to maximize force readiness by ensuring people perform at their best and that their systems are reliable, available, and dependable. They also realize they must protect people and physical assets on duty, off duty, and in any operational regime. Personnel There are approximately 155 people, not including contractor support, assigned to the Air Force Safety Center, split with approximately 50 percent civilians and 50 percent military members. Organization The Department of the Air Force Chief of Safety, who also holds the title of Commander, Air Force Safety Center, heads the organization and is located at the Pentagon with an Air Staff liaison division. The Air Force Safety Center is composed of the Deputy Commander and 10 divisions at its Kirtland AFB location. The Aviation Safety Division consists of safety-trained professionals spanning the domain of flight. The division preserves warfighting capability by establishing DAF aviation safety policy, promoting mishap prevention programs for all aviation assets and through the establishment of proactive safety programs. It oversees the aviation mishap investigative process, the collection and accuracy of flight safety data and the disposition of risk-mitigating actions. It provides proactive and reactive engineering and operational analyses of flight safety issues. Additionally, the division directs the Aircraft Information Program, the Hazardous Air Traffic Report Program, the Bird Aircraft Strike Hazard Program and the Mishap Analysis and Animation Facility. The Occupational Safety Division manages the DAF occupational safety program, including operational, industrial, occupational, sports and recreation, and traffic safety. This division has oversight responsibility for the safety risk management program and epidemiology efforts for the DAF mishap prevention program. It oversees integration of safety inspections, assessments and evaluation policy in conjunction with the DAF inspector general. The division manages Air and Space Forces safety standards and interprets Department of Labor and industry standards for implementation throughout the DAF. It is the DAF office of responsibility for all OSHA-related guidance and processes for dealing with the Department of Labor in regard to inspections, investigations, and recordkeeping. The division conducts evaluations of service-wide occupational safety mishap investigations and provides advice to investigators in the field through their parent major and field commands. The division is responsible for the development and content of formal occupational safety-related training courses for supervisors and safety professionals. It develops and oversees occupational safety policy, programs and procedures to provide a safe work environment and enhance the safety of Airmen and Guardians while off duty to help maintain combat capability and readiness. The Space Safety Division is responsible for assuring safe access in, to, and from space through the oversight of pre-launch, launch and range, orbital, reentry, ground-based space systems, and end-of-life safety programs. Specifically, the division’s mission is to safeguard U.S. spacepower via mishap prevention and above all, provide for and protect space. The SES division develops, executes, and evaluates the department’s space mishap prevention programs and executes Interagency Nuclear Safety Review Board responsibilities on behalf of the Department of Defense. The division also codifies space safety via department-level instructions, manuals, and guidance. It oversees mishap investigations, conducts evaluations, and ensures application of corrective actions and mishap inclusion to the Air Force Safety Automated System. As the Department of Defense lead for nuclear space safety, the division evaluates said payloads and provides results to the President of the United States for launch approval. The Weapons Safety Division establishes and defines DAF nuclear surety and safety policy for the development and operational use of all nuclear, conventional and directed energy weapons systems. The division oversees the DAF Nuclear Weapons Surety Program, delegated from the Secretary of the Air Force and Chief of Staff of the Air Force. The division provides nuclear, conventional and DE weapons systems safety design certification, Hazard of Electromagnetic Radiation to Ordnance certification, DAF explosives safety standards, explosive siting reviews, weapons safety consultation and Federal Department of Agriculture waivers for DE systems. The division ensures application of corrective actions and mishap inclusion to AFSAS for weapon-related mishaps. The division also performs radiation safety oversight, explosives hazard classifications, mishap prevention programs, mishap investigation, and staff assistance in its areas of responsibility. The division leadership chairs several multi-agency boards performing safety oversight for all nuclear, conventional and DE (laser and radio-frequency) weapons. The Human Factors Division supports the DAF safety mission to safeguard Airmen and Guardians, protect resources and preserve combat capability by addressing the number one cause of Air and Space Forces mishaps: human error. The division includes experts from medicine, physiology, psychology, aircraft operations, and aircraft maintenance. These experts help investigators examine how human behavior contributes to mishap risks and causes. They further analyze mishap data and provide policy recommendations to commanders. The division administers the Air Force Combined Mishap Reduction System survey and can provide commanders an On-site Safety Assessment. The division trains DAF safety professionals in human factors principles and in the DoD Human Factors Analysis and Classification System. The Human Factor Division is home to the AF Safety Fellowship training programs for physiologists and psychologists providing medical doctors. The Analysis and Cyberspace Operations Division leverages Information Technology to support the DAF/SE Mission. SEA delivers accurate and trusted information, data analyses, and tools to enhance and expedite decision making for the DAF and DoD Safety & Operational community. A key responsibility of SEA is to develop and sustain a unique Safety Reporting System called Air Force Safety Automated System that collects and maintains safety related data, used by the Air Force, Space Force, Navy, Marine Corps and 4th Estate to investigate mishaps and mitigate hazards for all safety disciplines. The Analytical Cell, which is led by SEA and works priorities set by the Analytical Cell’s Configuration Control Board, establishes consistent analytical initiatives that help drive proactive measures to identify factors that positively affect the DAF Safety mission. The Training and Force Development Division serves as the foundation of excellence in ensuring the continuous professional development of all personnel assigned to safety staffs and/or supporting safety throughout the Air and Space Forces. The program develops, teaches and manages the requisite safety education and training to enhance safety knowledge, skills and abilities that enhance air and space power by eliminating mishaps through proactive hazard identification and risk management. The education and training encompass all safety disciplines: aviation, occupational, weapons, space and missiles; ensuring mission-ready capabilities are preserved for the Air and Space Forces and is delivered to approximately 1,800 students through 10 professional courses in 65sessions, ranging from three days to seven weeks. The program ensures current and future mishap prevention requirements and opportunities are addressed by providing interactive education and training through on-site classroom course offerings, web-based course offerings and distance learning courses. The division chief also serves as the safety civilian career field manager, establishing policy and serving as the day-to-day advocate for issues and concerns. The Personnel and Resource Division is responsible for complex managerial services for the center including all personnel, manpower, program management, security, knowledge operations, IT/Cyber management, facilities management, as well as planning, programming, budget and execution. The division provides support to the DAF Chief of Safety and the entire Air Force Safety Center. It is the backbone for mission and infrastructure support to ensure continuity and efficiency across the enterprise. The Office of the Staff Judge Advocate provides legal advice and general counsel on all aspects of the Air and Space Forces mishap prevention programs and safety investigations. The office ensures proper controls are maintained on safety reports and privileged information. It also provides effective coordination on legal and safety issues with the DoD, other federal agencies and international safety programs. The office maintains the Air Force Safety Center Records Library, ensuring efficient and timely retrieval of safety investigation reports for review and analysis. In addition, it responds to requests for safety information under the Freedom of Information Act, Congressional requests and other functional requests. The Public Affairs Division supports the chief of safety’s communication program by providing service members and the general public timely and accurate information to raise awareness and improve understanding of the Air Force Safety Center mission and its role in mishap prevention, and to promote mishap prevention DAF-wide. The division manages the center’s public website and social media programs; generates news releases, infographics, photos and video products for distribution throughout the Air and Space Forces; and engages with the news media to ensure the accurate reporting of safety programs and mishap prevention efforts. Air Force Safety Issues, located at the Pentagon, acts as an executive staff responsible for the formation and review of issues, policy, and plans in all safety and nuclear surety areas (aviation, occupational, human factors, conventional and nuclear weapons/explosives safety, space, and risk management). AF/SEI reviews all departmental plans and policies to ensure integration of safety, hazard identification and risk management principles. They execute plans, establish management systems, and work with SAF Resources throughout the Strategic Planning, Programming, and Execution cycle to ensure approved programming activities are accomplished to implement DAF safety and nuclear surety policies. History After the Air Force became a separate department, the Air Force Chief of Staff designated the Office of the Inspector General to oversee all inspection and safety functions. These functions were consolidated in an inspector general group at Norton AFB, California, in the 1950s. On Dec. 31, 1971, the Air Force Inspection and Safety Center was activated, replacing the 1002nd Inspector General Group. The center was then divided into the Air Force Inspection Agency and the Air Force Safety Agency in August 1991. Reorganization of the air staff in 1992 created the Air Force Chief of Safety position, reporting directly to the Air Force Chief of Staff. The Chief of Safety became dual-hatted as the commander of the Air Force Safety Agency. In July 1993, the agency moved to Kirtland AFB due to the closure of Norton AFB. Following The Blue Ribbon Panel on Aviation Safety in 1995, the Air Force Safety Center was activated on Jan. 1, 1996, when the Air Force Chief of Safety and support staff moved from Washington, D.C., to consolidate all safety functions at Kirtland AFB. The Chief of Safety position was changed from a brigadier general to a major general. The Deputy Chief of Safety/Executive Director position was created in October 2003 to oversee the daily functions of the center. The Chief of Safety and support staff moved back to the Pentagon in April 2004. In Feb. 2018, the Deputy Chief of Safety/Executive Director position was split into two positions. The Deputy Commander of AFSEC would retain responsibility for overseeing daily functions at the center and the Deputy Chief of Safety would reside with the Chief of Safety in Washington, D.C. With the creation of the U.S. Space Force on Dec. 20, 2019, the Air Force Safety Center ensured safety functions continued by supporting safety across two services for the Department of the Air Force. This led to the transfer of the Space Safety Division to the Space Force in November 2020, making the safety center a blended organization. Point of Contact Air Force Safety Center Public Affairs; 9700 G Avenue SE; Kirtland AFB, NM 87117-5670; DSN 246-2098 or 505-846-2098. www.safety.af.mil (Current as of April 2025)