The Inter-American Air Force Academy (USAF-Latin American Military)

Through its various incarnations and in various locations, the Inter-American Air Forces Academy (IAAFA) has endeavored to fulfill this mission, whether located in the Panama Canal Zone, at Homestead Air Force Base, Florida, or in its present facilities at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. A key component in meeting that mission comes through promoting inter-Americanism, with an eye toward interoperability and hemispheric stability.
Founded 15 March 1943 during the height of the Second World War, IAAFA predates the establishment of the U.S. Air Force itself. Initially known as the "Central and South American Air School" and a little later on as "United States Air Force School for Latin America," the academy’s establishment stemmed from a request by the Peruvian Minister of Aeronautics, General Fernando Melgar, and began with training 11 Peruvian students (1 officer and 10 enlisted) at Albrook Field, Panama Canal Zone, making it the first aviation training conducted by the United States in Latin America (LATAM). By the end of June 1943, the academy’s curriculum had expanded to five six-week courses (Radiocomunicación aérea, armero de avión, mantenimiento de teletipo, mantenimiento de miras de bombardeo, mantenimiento de las torretas de mando mecánico).

Currently, IAAFA provides Spanish-language instruction for both officers and enlisted personnel in 46 supervisory, specialization, and technical-academic courses including aircraft systems and maintenance, helicopter maintenance, electronics, communications, intelligence, supply, logistics, air base ground defense, security, pilot instrument procedures, computer resources, and information systems management. The length of these courses vary from 1 to 12 weeks, with 30 to 35 percent of that time spent on academic theory and the remainder of the time dedicated to extensive "hands-on" training, which has always been one of the hallmarks of the academy’s curriculum. Training takes place at three geographically separated locations: Lackland Air Force Base, Kelly Field (formerly, Kelly Air Force Base), and Camp Bullis (a US Army installation northwest of the city of San Antonio). Each location provides an ideal environment for conducting the particular training from logistics and aircraft mechanics to intensive air base ground defense and security force courses.