Only a few years after the Air Force Academy opened its gates at its present location, a French Officer and a Belgian Officer were assigned to the Department of Foreign Languages at the Academy. Their primary function was to teach French. The Belgian Air Force did not send a replacement after 1961 and the French officer became the only French-speaking foreign officer assigned to the Academy.

    In the late 1960s, when plans for the French Exchange program began to take shape, the French Officer played a very major role in the creation of the Exchange and the realization of the Exchange Protocol of Agreement was due in great part to the efforts of that officer, Paul Aunis, who remained at the Academy for five years . The duties of the French Officer were then expanded to assist in the preparation of cadets selected for the Exchange and to supervise and coordinate the training of the French Aspirants during their one semester at the Academy.

    In 1981, the selection of the French officer was modified at the request of the École de l'Air. Since that time, French Liaison Officers have been selected from the technical teaching staff at the École de l'Air. All of these officers now teach in one of the engineering departments at the Academy. So far, they have taught in the Departments of Aeronautics, Astronautics and Electrical Engineering. However, they continue to assist in all phases of the Exchange programs, including the selection and preparation of cadets.

    The normal tour of duty for these officers was originally two years with the possibility of a single one-year extension. In 1998, this policy was changed and the normal tour of duty is now three full years. Rotation normally takes place during the summer.