Portuguese journal celebrates 60th birthday Published Dec. 4, 2009 By Iris Moebius Air & Space Power Journal Portuguese editor MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. -- Gen. George C. Kenney, the first Air University Commander, sent an official memorandum to Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg, requesting authorization to begin publishing the Air University Quarterly Review in Portuguese and Spanish on Dec. 1, 1948. The first Portuguese edition made its debut in November of 1949, following its English counterpart to the letter. Since then the Journal has changed names several times: Fall 1949-Spring 1964, Air University Quarterly Review; Summer 1964-Spring 1987, Air University Review; Summer 1990-Winter 1999, Airpower Journal; Spring 2000-Summer 2002, Aerospace Power Journal and Fall 2002 to present, Air & Space Power Journal. During the 80s, there was a major shift in focus. Operations were receiving a great deal of attention. The magazine began to appear every semester. In 1990 it went back to its quarterly publication. At that time the number of articles doubled. Strategy began to play a role. The first electronic version was published in January 1996. It was called APJ Air Chronicles. As the Portuguese and its counterpart in Spanish have evolved over the years, they have gradually moved away from direct duplications of the English journal. In doing so, they have become models for expanding into other languages. The Portuguese and Spanish journals no longer follow the English edition "to the letter." They now publish original articles from military and civilian authors who reside in the countries where journals are read. Both journals still translate pertinent articles from English, and cull others from their sister publications in French, Arabic, and Chinese, plus several other sources. Air Force leaders have supported this initiative for the past 60 years to provide a link and to promote understanding between the U.S. Air Force and the air forces of Portuguese-speaking countries. In fact, the largest contingency of officers received yearly at Maxwell come from Brazil. One hundred and seventy-six Brazilian Air Force Officers arrived for a three-day visit in 2009. In addition, Brazilian students have attended Air Command and Staff and Air War College classes since 1947. The current Brazilian Defense and Air Attaché to the United States and Canada, Maj. Gen. Stefan Egon Gracza, attended AWC at Maxwell in 2001. All of the journals form a considerable historical record. According to Dr. David Mets, "Doctrine is said to emerge from history and from speculative thought, and there is much in the current concept that has come down to us from the earlier manuals and experience in war." Dr. Anthony C. Cain, of the Air Force Research Institute contributed to this article.