The Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) was created in 1972 by the Air Force to serve Air Force enlisted personnel with educational opportunity. No study exists identifying and assessing the mission of this college. Various mission sources iterate the different goals of CCAF. These sources and other indicators are used to identify and assess fulfillment of the CCAF mission. The purpose of this study is to clearly identify the CCAF mission and determine to what extent the mission has been fulfilled. The literature review presents background on education in America and the U.S. military and the American community college movement plus a summary of the works on CCAF to set the stage for the mission identification and assessment process. The research questions were what is the mission of the Community College of the Air Force and to what extent has the mission been fulfilled? Case study methodology was used to both identify and assess the mission. Study findings indicate the mission needs further clarification, but by the measures used the various missions identified have been fulfilled. The study concluded that enlisted members of the United States Air Force are improving their competence through the associate degree opportunity, that CCAF is recognized by peer institutions, and that this innovative approach to postsecondary education offers thousands of American service members educational opportunity. Questions still unanswered include how can this approach be expanded to other branches of the military services and is another accreditation process appropriate for this special type of institution? / Graduation date: 1992

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