United States Secretary of the Air Force

United States Secretary of the Air Force
Post	Secretary of the Air Force
Body	the United States
Insigniasize	120
Insigniacaption	Seal of the Department of the Air Force
Flagsize	120
Flagcaption	Flag of the Secretary of the Air Force
Incumbent	Frank Kendall III
Incumbentsince	July 28, 2021
Department	United States Department of the Air Force
Style	Mr. Secretary, (informal), The Honorable, (formal)
Member of	United States Department of Defense, United States National Security Council, Joint Chiefs of Staff
Reports to	United States Secretary of Defense, President of the United States
Seat	The Pentagon, Arlington County, Virginia
Nominator	President of the United States
Appointer	United States Senate
Appointer qualified	with Senate advice and consent
Termlength	No fixed term
Formation	September 18, 1947
First	W. Stuart Symington
Succession	Seventh
Deputy	Under Secretary of the Air Force
Salary	Executive Schedule, level II

United States Secretary of the Air Force is the head of the United States Department of the Air Force, a military department within the United States Department of Defense. This civilian leader is responsible for all affairs of the department, including the organizing, training, and equipping of the United States Air Force and United States Space Force. The secretary is appointed by the President of the United States with the confirmation of the United States Senate and reports directly to the United States Secretary of Defense.

History and establishment

The position was established by the National Security Act of 1947, which reorganized the United States Armed Forces and created the United States Air Force as an independent service co-equal with the United States Army and United States Navy. This act formally separated the United States Department of the Air Force from the United States Department of the Army, where its predecessor, the United States Army Air Forces, had resided. The first secretary, W. Stuart Symington, was sworn in on September 18, 1947, following the official creation of the department. The secretary's role was further defined by the Department of Defense Reorganization Act of 1958 and the Goldwater–Nichols Act, which clarified the chain of command under the United States Secretary of Defense.

Appointment and qualifications

The secretary is nominated by the President of the United States and must be confirmed by a majority vote in the United States Senate. By statute, the individual must be a civilian, having been separated from the United States Armed Forces for at least seven years, though this requirement can be waived by Congress. Notable secretaries have included former senators like W. Stuart Symington and Harold Brown, who later served as United States Secretary of Defense. The position has no fixed term, serving at the pleasure of the president, and is a member of the United States National Security Council.

Duties and responsibilities

The secretary's principal duty is the supervision of the United States Department of the Air Force, encompassing the United States Air Force and, since 2019, the United States Space Force. This includes responsibility for the department's annual budget, which is submitted through the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and for major acquisition programs like the B-21 Raider and F-35 Lightning II. The secretary also oversees personnel policies, base operations, and the implementation of strategies set by the United States Secretary of Defense and the President of the United States. Furthermore, the secretary participates in the Joint Chiefs of Staff and advises on matters of national security and nuclear command authority.

List of Secretaries of the Air Force

Since the office's creation, there have been 27 permanent secretaries, including acting officials. The inaugural secretary was W. Stuart Symington, who served under President Harry S. Truman. Other notable secretaries include Thomas S. Gates Jr., who later became United States Secretary of Defense, and Sheila Widnall, the first woman to lead a branch of the United States Armed Forces. The current secretary, Frank Kendall III, was confirmed by the United States Senate in 2021 and serves under President Joe Biden. The list includes individuals from diverse backgrounds in Congress, industry, and academia.

Office and organization

The secretary's principal office is located in The Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia. The immediate staff includes the Under Secretary of the Air Force, the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Acquisition, Technology and Logistics), and several other assistant secretaries who manage specific portfolios like financial management and installations. The secretary is supported by the Air Staff, headed by the Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force, and the Space Staff, led by the Chief of Space Operations. Key advisory bodies include the Air Force Secretariat and the Department of the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board.

Relationship to other military departments

The secretary is one of three service secretaries, alongside the United States Secretary of the Army and the United States Secretary of the Navy, who all report to the United States Secretary of Defense and do not possess operational command authority. Operational command flows from the President of the United States, through the United States Secretary of Defense, to the Unified Combatant Commanders. The secretary works closely with the United States Department of Defense on joint programs and policies, and coordinates with agencies like the National Reconnaissance Office and Department of Energy on matters of intelligence and nuclear weapons stewardship.

Category:United States Department of the Air Force Category:United States Secretary of the Air Force Category:1947 establishments in the United States