Final answer:
Air Force Instructions (AFIs) are directive publications from the Secretary of the Air Force, ensuring compliance and guiding operations within the Air Force. Executive orders can also significantly impact military policy, such as Truman's famous desegregation order in the armed forces.
Step-by-step explanation:
Publications that are ordered from the Secretary of the Air Force and are directive in nature are typically known as Air Force Instructions (AFIs).
These documents are approved either in the Secretariat or on the Air Staff level and are utilized to direct action and ensure compliance with mandated procedures and protocols throughout the Air Force. They are part of the regulatory framework that guides Air Force operations and personnel conduct.
Specific to the historical context provided, Executive Order No. 9981, issued by President Truman in 1948, is an example of a presidential directive that had a significant impact on military policy, specifically by ending racial segregation in the armed forces.
The use of executive orders is a form of unilateral presidential action that can affect military operations and administration, as explored in Phillip J. Cooper's book By Order of the President: The Use and Abuse of Executive Direct Action.