Air Force Reading List 2026: CMSAF and CSAF Libraries

The Air Force reading list 2026 brings together 22 books from the service’s two top leaders. They are the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force (CMSAF) and the Chief of Staff of the Air Force (CSAF). Twelve titles come from the new CMSAF Leadership Library of August 2026, while eleven come from the CSAF Leadership Library. One book, Grit, appears on both lists. Below is every title, with a short note on each.

Want the books in your hands? DODReads puts military reading list sets together for Airmen, squadrons and commands. Request a quote for the whole list or any part of it, then order and we handle the rest.

What is the Air Force reading list 2026?

The Air Force has run a professional reading program since 1996, when Gen. Ronald Fogleman started one for the whole service. In 2021 Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. renamed it the CSAF Leadership Library and added podcasts and documentaries. Today the Chief of Staff and the senior enlisted leader each keep a library of their own.

Chief Master Sgt. David R. Wolfe released his first CMSAF Leadership Library on August 12, 2026. He calls the mind a primary weapon system, and he says cognitive readiness is combat readiness. The CSAF library came from Gen. David Allvin, who released it in installments from January 2024 through July 2025.

You can read the official CMSAF Leadership Library: August 2026 on af.mil. The Air University Library keeps the CSAF reading lists in one place. DODReads is not affiliated with the U.S. Air Force or the U.S. government.

How the Air Force reading list 2026 is organized

The list has two parts. The CMSAF library has 12 books, and the CSAF library has 11. Neither official source sorts its books into formal categories, so DODReads grouped them by theme to make them easier to browse.

Each title below links to Amazon. Because DODReads is an Amazon Associate, it earns a small commission on qualifying purchases.

CMSAF library: Air Force history and strategy

Four titles look at the past and the world ahead. Two follow Airmen who changed the service, while the other two explain how great powers and young nations survive.

• Alone at Dawn by Dan Schilling and Lori Chapman Longfritz: follows Combat Controller John Chapman to the battle of Takur Ghar in 2002, and it also shows why Special Tactics matters.
• Boyd: The Fighter Pilot Who Changed the Art of War by Robert Coram: a biography of Col. John Boyd, who was first a legendary fighter pilot and then a rebel military thinker.
• The Eurasian Century by Hal Brands: argues that rivalry across Eurasia will shape this century, because the post–Cold War era is over.
• Founding Brothers by Joseph J. Ellis: a Pulitzer Prize–winning look at six moments when rival leaders held a young nation together.

CMSAF library: leadership and decisions

Three titles teach leaders how to build trust, think long term and avoid bad calls.

• The Infinite Game by Simon Sinek: argues that leaders hurt their teams when they chase short-term wins in a game with no finish line.
• Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek: shows why the best leaders put their people first, because trust and safety let teams take risks together.
• The Logic of Failure by Dietrich Dörner: explains why smart, well-meaning people make poor decisions when systems get complex.

CMSAF library: technology and AI

Two titles tackle artificial intelligence. Because AI now touches planning, maintenance and intelligence work, both are practical reads.

• The AI-Driven Leader by Geoff Woods: argues that leaders will make faster, smarter decisions if they learn to use AI.
• Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI by Ethan Mollick: a Wharton professor’s practical guide to working with AI, so you learn what it does well and where it fails.

CMSAF library: mindset and character

The last three titles focus on personal growth. They suit Airmen who want to build resilience, and they also make good discussion starters.

• Meditations by Marcus Aurelius, Gregory Hays translation: the private journal of a Roman emperor on campaign, full of Stoic advice on duty and hardship. The official list names no edition, so this link goes to the Hays translation.
• The Traveler’s Gift by Andy Andrews: an inspirational novel in which a man in crisis meets seven historical figures, then learns their decisions for success.
• Grit by Angela Duckworth: argues that passion and perseverance matter more than raw talent. It also appears on the CSAF library.

CSAF library: leadership and communication

Four titles help leaders guide change, share ideas and understand the Airmen they lead. They arrived in different installments, but they work well together.

• One Mission by Chris Fussell and C. W. Goodyear: shows how leaders can break down silos so teams share information and pull toward one goal.
• Leading Change by John P. Kotter: lays out a step-by-step process for leading change, so leaders can overcome resistance.
• Made to Stick by Chip Heath and Dan Heath: explains why some ideas stay with people, so leaders can make their own messages memorable.
• Generations by Jean M. Twenge: uses survey data to show how Gen Z, millennials, Gen X and boomers differ, so leaders can bridge the gaps.

CSAF library: history and airpower

Four titles use history to teach judgment. First comes a great soldier-statesman, then the bomber war over Europe, and finally two studies of how decisions go wrong.

• George Marshall: Defender of the Republic by David L. Roll: a biography of the Army chief of staff who then became Secretary of State.
• Masters of the Air by Donald L. Miller: the story of the American bomber crews who fought the air war against Nazi Germany when losses were heavy.
• Analogies at War by Yuen Foong Khong: shows how leaders leaned on Korea, Munich and Dien Bien Phu when they chose to escalate in Vietnam in 1965.
• Why Air Forces Fail by Robin Higham and Stephen J. Harris (editors): case studies of air forces that lost, so readers can see why logistics, infrastructure and proactive leadership matter.

CSAF library: strategy and technology

Two titles look at the forces that shape national power. Grit, which is listed above, rounds out the July 2025 installment.

• The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers by Paul Kennedy: traces five centuries of great powers, because economic strength and military power rise and fall together.
• Four Battlegrounds by Paul Scharre: explains how AI is changing great-power competition, because countries now fight over data, computing power, talent and institutions.

How to use the Air Force reading list 2026 in your unit

Squadrons can use the Air Force reading list 2026 as a starting point for a unit reading program. First, choose one title from each theme and assign it for a quarter. Next, pair a CMSAF title with a CSAF title on a similar theme, so enlisted Airmen and officers read in step. Finally, rotate who leads the discussion. The CSAF installments also list podcasts and reports, and those are free online, so they make good companions to the books.

Get the Air Force reading list 2026 books from DODReads

Collecting the full set yourself means chasing titles across publishers. A few run between printings, so DODReads sources those through a secondary distributor. You can order every book on the list or only the ones you need.

1. Request a quote. Tell us which books you need and where they are going using our quote request form.
2. Review your quote. We email an itemized quote for the books you picked.
3. Approve and pay. Pay online or by phone, and we order and ship the books.

Air Force reading list 2026: frequently asked questions

How many books are on the Air Force reading list 2026?

The list has 22 books. Twelve come from the CMSAF Leadership Library of August 2026, and eleven come from the CSAF Leadership Library. Grit is on both, so the total is 22 and not 23.

Who issued the Air Force reading list 2026?

Chief Master Sgt. David R. Wolfe, the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, issued the CMSAF library on August 12, 2026. Gen. David Allvin released the CSAF books in installments, from January 2024 to July 2025.

Has the new Chief of Staff released a list?

Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach succeeded Gen. Allvin as Chief of Staff in late 2025. As of October 2026 we have not found a new list from him, because the Air University Library page still ends with the July 2025 installment. We will update this post when one appears.

Are there earlier Air Force reading lists?

Yes. Our Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Reading List covers an earlier CMSAF, while our 2019 Air Force Reading List covers 28 books from an earlier Chief of Staff.

Is the Air Force reading list 2026 mandatory?

No. CMSAF Wolfe calls his library a toolkit and asks Airmen to pick a topic that sparks their interest and start there.

Is there a Space Force reading list too?

Yes. Our Space Force Reading List for 2026 covers the CSO and CMSSF libraries, and one book, The Infinite Game, appears on both services’ lists.

Where can I buy the Air Force reading list 2026 books?

DODReads can supply the full set or any part of it. Request a quote and we will send an itemized price.