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# U.S. Air Force Career Field Management: At the Intersection of Futures Studies and Systems Thinking

Wiggins A, Journal of Systems Thinking 2(1):1-19, 2022

## Abstract

Air Force practices of career field management have yet to adapt to the volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) environment that it is increasingly encountering. This paper augments established Air Force management practices with tools and techniques pulled from futures studies. A case study and the agentbased approach was used to recommend the futures practice of horizon scanning and gaining more inclusion from voices throughout the career field.

## What they found (results)

Career field management has yet to adapt to a VUCA environment; horizon scanning and more inclusion of voices throughout the career field are the recommended practices.

## Response

Combines futures-studies methods with Cabrera's Agent-Based Approach to recommend changes to Air Force career field management. An application in military workforce planning.

[Read the paper](https://doi.org/10.54120/jost.2025-0061AW)