International affairs career field opens for civilians Published May 3, 2006 WASHINGTON (AFPN) -- The success of Air Force expeditionary air and space forces conducting global operations and fighting the war on terrorism relies heavily on international relationships. Building these critical relationships requires skilled, knowledgeable and experienced international affairs professionals. Air Force officials began implementing the international affairs career field, or IACF, this spring. This new career field is tied directly to the Total Force Development concept. Through this career field, Air Force civilians are given additional opportunities to develop skills and experiences equal to their military counterparts. "IACF is a key element in deliberately developing our (international affairs) professionals and increasing both the efficiency and effectiveness of our already highly skilled team," said Bruce Lemkin, deputy under secretary of the Air Force for international affairs. "We must transform our existing civilian professional development programs to prepare our personnel for future success." In 2004, the Air Force replaced career programs with career fields to provide a more structured framework for civilian workforce development. Every civilian position in the Air Force belongs to a functional community and associated career field. Today, there are 21 active career fields, with four more under development. "IACF will join the ranks of Air Force career fields and leverage the existing development framework," Mr. Lemkin said. "This new career field will ensure that we place the right people, with the right technical and leadership skills, in the right positions, at the right time." The international affairs community will benefit from the existing Air Force career field model, which provides deliberate training and education resources to develop future Air Force leaders. "From an individual perspective, IACF will deliver a flexible career development path, increased opportunities for challenging work experiences and timely, appropriate training and education," Mr. Lemkin said. "Furthermore, IACF will ensure that the international affairs community has a cadre of highly trained civilians for the total force." "When IACF reaches full operational capability in October 2007, it will ensure our ability to recruit, educate, train and retain a superior team capable of meeting the challenges of the dynamic global security environment," Mr. Lemkin said. Representatives from the IACF development team will tour bases this year to give an IACF information briefing. For more information about IACF visit the Web site at http://www.iaprograms.com.