The U.S. Air Force will redesignate the duty titles of vice commander to deputy commander in an effort to standardize terminology used across all units under the service branch.
The changes, which take effect on Aug. 1, will make the initials CD as the official symbol for deputy commanders in active duty, U.S. Air National Guard, and Air Force Reserve, according to a memo issued Thursday.
The transfer of titles from vice to deputy commander was previously ordered by the Secretary of the Air Force for major commands in 2017. The latest decision does not change the duties of officers with redesignated titles.
“As global challenges continue to evolve and the importance of joint operations increases, we must ensure we are best aligned to meet these challenges with a clear, unambiguous structure,” said Gen. Charles Brown, chief of staff of the USAF.