The Secretary of the Air Force, sometimes referred to as the Secretary of the Department of the Air Force,[1] (SecAF, or SAF/OS) is the head of the Department of the Air Force and the service secretary for the United States Air Force and United States Space Force. The secretary of the Air Force is a civilian appointed by the president, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.[2] The secretary reports to the secretary of defense and/or the deputy secretary of defense, and is by statute responsible for and has the authority to conduct all the affairs of the Department of the Air Force.[2][3]
| Secretary of the Air Force | |
|---|---|
 Seal of the Department of the Air Force | |
 Flag of the secretary | |
| Department of the Air Force | |
| Style | Mr. Secretary The Honorable (formal address in writing) |
| Reports to | Secretary of Defense Deputy Secretary of Defense |
| Appointer | The President with the advice and consent of the Senate |
| Term length | No fixed term |
| Precursor | Secretary of War |
| Inaugural holder | Stuart Symington |
| Formation | September 18, 1947 |
| Succession | 3rd in SecDef succession |
| Deputy | The Under Secretary (principal civilian deputy) The Chief of Staff (military deputy) The Chief of Space Operations (military deputy) |
| Salary | Executive Schedule, Level II |
| Website | Office of the Secretary |
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The secretary works closely with their civilian deputy, the under secretary of the Air Force; and their military deputies, the chief of staff of the Air Force and the chief of space operations.
The first secretary of the Air Force, Stuart Symington, was sworn in on September 18, 1947, upon the split and re-organization of the Department of War and Army Air Forces into an air military department and a military service of its own, with the enactment of the National Security Act.
On July 26, 2021 the United States Senate confirmed Frank Kendall III as the next Secretary of the Air Force. On July 28, 2021, Kendall was sworn in as the 26th Secretary of the Air Force.
Responsibilities
The secretary is the head of the Department of the Air Force. The Department of the Air Force is defined as a Military Department.[4] It is not limited to the Washington headquarters staffs, rather it is an entity which includes all the components of the United States Air Force and United States Space Force, including their reserve components:
The term 'department', when used with respect to a military department, means the executive part of the department and all field headquarters, forces, reserve components, installations, activities, and functions under the control or supervision of the Secretary of the department.[5]
The exclusive responsibilities of the secretary of the Air Force are enumerated in of the United States Code. They include, but are not limited to:
(1) Recruiting.
(2) Organizing.
(3) Supplying.
(4) Equipping (including research and development).
(5) Training.
(6) Servicing.
(7) Mobilizing.
(8) Demobilizing.
(9) Administering (including the morale and welfare of personnel).
(10) Maintaining.
(11) The construction, outfitting, and repair of military equipment.(12) The construction, maintenance, and repair of buildings, structures, and utilities and the acquisition of real property and interests in real property necessary to carry out the responsibilities specified in this section.[3]
By direction of the secretary of defense, the secretary of the Air Force assigns military units of the Air Force and Space Force, other than those who carry out the functions listed in , to the Unified and Specified Combatant Commands to perform missions assigned to those commands. Air Force and Space Force units while assigned to Combatant Commands may only be reassigned by authority of the secretary of defense.[6]
However, the chain of command for Air Force and Space Force units for other purposes than the operational direction goes from the president to the secretary of defense to the secretary of the Air Force to the commanders of Air Force and Space Force Commands.[7] Air Force and Space Force officers have to report on any matter to the secretary, or the secretary's designate, when requested. The secretary has the authority to detail, prescribe the duties, and to assign Air Force and Space Force service members and civilian employees, and may also change the title of any activity not statutorily designated.[8] The secretary has several responsibilities under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) with respect to Air Force and Space Force service members, including the authority to convene general courts martial and to commute sentences.
The secretary of the Air Force may also be assigned additional responsibilities by the president or the secretary of defense,[9] e.g. the secretary is designated as the "DoD Executive Agent for Space", and as such:
... shall develop, coordinate, and integrate plans and programs for space systems and the acquisition of DoD Space Major Defense Acquisition Programs to provide operational space force capabilities to ensure the United States has the space power to achieve its national security objectives.[10][11]
Office of the Secretary of the Air Force
 | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1947 |
| Headquarters | Pentagon |
| Parent agency | Department of the Air Force |
The secretary of the Air Force's principal staff element, the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, has responsibility for acquisition and auditing, comptroller issues (including financial management), inspector general matters, legislative affairs, and public affairs within the Department of the Air Force. The Office of the Secretary of the Air Force is one of the Department of the Air Force's three headquarter staffs at the seat of government, with the others being the Air Staff and the Office of the Chief of Space Operations.
Composition
The Office of the Secretary of the Air Force is composed of:
- Under Secretary of the Air Force
- The Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force for International Affairs
- The Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force for Space Programs
- Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics
- Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Financial Management and Comptroller
- Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Installations, Environment and Energy
- Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Manpower and Reserve Affairs
- Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration[12]
- General Counsel of the Department of the Air Force
- Inspector General of the Air Force
- Chief of Legislative Liaison
- Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force
- Auditor General of the Department of the Air Force
- Air Reserve Forces Policy Committee
List of secretaries of the Air Force
| No. | Portrait | Secretary of the Air Force | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Secretary of Defense | President |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stuart Symington (1901–1988) | September 18, 1947 | April 24, 1950 | 2 years, 218 days | James Vincent Forrestal Louis A. Johnson | Harry S. Truman | |
| 2 | Thomas K. Finletter (1893–1980) | April 24, 1950 | January 20, 1953 | 2 years, 271 days | Louis A. Johnson George Marshall Robert Abercrombie Lovett | Harry S. Truman | |
| 3 | Harold E. Talbott (1888–1957) | February 4, 1953 | August 13, 1955 | 2 years, 190 days | Charles Erwin Wilson | Dwight D. Eisenhower | |
| 4 | Donald A. Quarles (1894–1959) | August 15, 1955 | April 30, 1957 | 1 year 260 days | Charles Erwin Wilson | Dwight D. Eisenhower | |
| 5 | James H. Douglas, Jr. (1899–1988) | May 1, 1957 | December 10, 1959 | 2 years, 223 days | Charles Erwin Wilson Neil Hosler McElroy Thomas S. Gates Jr. | Dwight D. Eisenhower | |
| 6 | Dudley C. Sharp (1905–1987) | December 11, 1959 | January 20, 1961 | 1 year, 40 days | Thomas S. Gates Jr. | Dwight D. Eisenhower | |
| 7 | Eugene M. Zuckert (1911–2000) | January 24, 1961 | September 30, 1965 | 4 years, 249 days | Robert McNamara | John F. Kennedy | |
| 8 | Harold Brown (1927–2019) | October 1, 1965 | February 15, 1969 | 3 years, 137 days | Robert McNamara Clark McAdams Clifford Melvin Laird | Lyndon B. Johnson | |
| 9 | Robert C. Seamans, Jr. (1918–2008) | February 15, 1969 | May 15, 1973 | 4 years, 89 days | Melvin Laird Elliot Richardson | Richard Nixon | |
| - | John L. McLucas (1920–2002) Acting | May 15, 1973 | July 18, 1973 | 64 days | Elliot Richardson James R. Schlesinger | Richard Nixon | |
| 10 | John L. McLucas (1920–2002) | July 18, 1973 | November 23, 1975 | 2 years, 128 days | James R. Schlesinger Donald Rumsfeld | Richard Nixon | |
| 11 | Thomas C. Reed (1934–2024) | January 2, 1976 | April 6, 1977 | 1 year, 94 days | Donald Rumsfeld Harold Brown | Richard Nixon | |
| 12 | John C. Stetson (1920–2007) | April 6, 1977 | May 18, 1979 | 2 years, 42 days | Harold Brown | Jimmy Carter | |
| - | Hans Mark (1929–2021) Acting | May 18, 1979 | July 26, 1979 | 69 days | Harold Brown | Jimmy Carter | |
| 13 | Hans Mark (1929–2021) | July 26, 1979 | February 9, 1981 | 1 year, 198 days | Harold Brown Caspar Weinberger | Jimmy Carter | |
| 14 | Verne Orr (1916–2008) | February 9, 1981 | November 30, 1985 | 4 years, 294 days | Caspar Weinberger | Ronald Reagan | |
| 15 | Russell A. Rourke (1931–2003) | December 9, 1985 | April 6, 1986 | 118 days | Caspar Weinberger | Ronald Reagan | |
| - | Edward C. Aldridge Jr. (born 1938) Acting | April 6, 1986 | June 8, 1986 | 63 days | Caspar Weinberger | Ronald Reagan | |
| 16 | Edward C. Aldridge Jr. (born 1938) | June 9, 1986 | December 16, 1988 | 2 years, 190 days | Caspar Weinberger Frank Carlucci | Ronald Reagan | |
| - | James F. McGovern (born 1946) Acting | December 16, 1988 | April 29, 1989 | 134 days | Frank Carlucci Dick Cheney | Ronald Reagan | |
| - | John J. Welch, Jr. (1930–2010) Acting | April 29, 1989 | May 21, 1989 | 22 days | Dick Cheney | George H. W. Bush | |
| 17 | Donald B. Rice (born 1939) | May 21, 1989 | January 20, 1993 | 3 years, 244 days | Dick Cheney | George H. W. Bush | |
| - | Michael B. Donley (born 1952) Acting | January 20, 1993 | July 13, 1993 | 174 days | Les Aspin | Bill Clinton | |
| - | Merrill A. McPeak (born 1936) Acting | July 14, 1993 | August 5, 1993 | 22 days | Les Aspin | Bill Clinton | |
| 18 | Sheila Widnall (born 1938) | August 6, 1993 | October 31, 1997 | 4 years, 86 days | Les Aspin William J. Perry William Cohen | Bill Clinton | |
| - | F. Whitten Peters (born 1946) Acting | November 1, 1997 | July 30, 1999 | 1 year, 271 days | William Cohen | Bill Clinton | |
| 19 | F. Whitten Peters (born 1946) | July 30, 1999 | January 20, 2001 | 1 year, 174 days | William Cohen | Bill Clinton | |
| - | Lawrence J. Delaney (born 1935) Acting | January 21, 2001 | May 31, 2001 | 130 days | Donald Rumsfeld | George W. Bush | |
| 20 | James G. Roche (born 1939) | June 1, 2001 | January 20, 2005 | 3 years, 233 days | Donald Rumsfeld | George W. Bush | |
| - | Peter B. Teets (1942–2020) Acting | January 20, 2005 | March 25, 2005 | 64 days | Donald Rumsfeld | George W. Bush | |
| - | Michael Montelongo (born 1955) Acting | March 25, 2005 | March 28, 2005 | 3 days | Donald Rumsfeld | George W. Bush | |
| - | Michael L. Dominguez (born 1953) Acting | March 28, 2005 | July 29, 2005 | 123 days | Donald Rumsfeld | George W. Bush | |
| - | Pete Geren[13] (born 1952) Acting | July 29, 2005 | November 4, 2005 | 98 days | Donald Rumsfeld | George W. Bush | |
| 21 | Michael Wynne[14] (born 1944) | November 4, 2005 | June 20, 2008 | 2 years, 229 days | Donald Rumsfeld Robert Gates | George W. Bush | |
| - | Michael B. Donley (born 1952) Acting | June 21, 2008 | October 2, 2008 | 103 days | Robert Gates | George W. Bush | |
| 22 | Michael B. Donley (born 1952) | October 2, 2008 | June 21, 2013 | 4 years, 262 days | Robert Gates Leon Panetta Chuck Hagel | George W. Bush Barack Obama | |
| - | Eric Fanning (born 1968) Acting | June 21, 2013 | December 20, 2013 | 182 days | Chuck Hagel Ash Carter | Barack Obama | |
| 23 | Deborah Lee James (born 1958) | December 20, 2013 | January 20, 2017 | 3 years, 31 days | Ash Carter | Barack Obama | |
| - | Lisa Disbrow (born 1962) Acting | January 20, 2017 | May 16, 2017 | 116 days | Jim Mattis | Donald Trump | |
| 24 | Heather Wilson (born 1960) | May 16, 2017 | May 31, 2019 | 2 years, 15 days | Patrick M. Shanahan (acting) | Donald Trump | |
| - | Matthew Donovan (born 1957/1958) Acting | June 1, 2019 | October 18, 2019 | 139 days | Mark Esper | Donald Trump | |
| 25 | Barbara Barrett (born 1950) | October 18, 2019 | January 20, 2021 | 1 year, 94 days | Mark Esper | Donald Trump | |
| - | John P. Roth (born 1952/1953) Acting | January 20, 2021 | July 28, 2021 | 189 days | Lloyd Austin | Joe Biden | |
| 26 | Frank Kendall III (born 1949) | July 28, 2021 | Incumbent | 3 years, 116 days | Lloyd Austin | Joe Biden |
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See also
References
- Title 10 United States Code
- Subtitle A – General Military Law
- CHAPTER 1 – DEFINITIONS
- § 101. Definitions
- CHAPTER 6 – COMBATANT COMMANDERS
- § 162. Combatant command: assigned forces; chain of command
- CHAPTER 1 – DEFINITIONS
- Subtitle D – Air Force
- CHAPTER 903 – DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE
- § 9011. Organization
- § 9013. Secretary of the Air Force
- § 9014. Office of the Secretary of the Air Force
- § 9015. Under Secretary of the Air Force
- CHAPTER 905 – THE AIR STAFF
- § 9032. The Air Staff: general duties
- § 9033. Chief of Staff
- CHAPTER 903 – DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE
- Subtitle A – General Military Law
- Executive Order 12909, Order of Succession of Officers To Act as Secretary of the Air Force
- Department of Defense Directive (DODD) 5100.1, Functions of the Department of Defense and Its Major Components, August 1 2002.
- Department of Defense Directive (DODD) 5101.2, DoD Executive Agent for Space, June 3 2003.
Notes
External links
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