Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force

Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force
Chief of Staff of the Air Force

Norton A Schwartz 2008 2.jpg

Incumbent:
Gen Norton A. Schwartz
since: August 12, 2008
First Gen Carl A. Spaatz
Formation September 18, 1947
Website Official Website

CoSUSAF.svg

The Chief of Staff of the Air Force (acronym: CSAF, or AF/CC) is a statutory office (10 U.S.C. § 8033) held by a four-star general in the United States Air Force, and is the most senior uniformed officer assigned to serve in the Department of the Air Force, and as such is the principal military advisor and a deputy to the Secretary of the Air Force; and is in a separate capacity a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and thereby a military advisor to the National Security Council, the Secretary of Defense, and the President. The Chief of Staff is typically the highest ranking officer on active-duty in the U.S. Air Force unless the Chairman and/or the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff are Air Force officers.

The Chief of Staff of the Air Force is an administrative position based in the Pentagon, and while the Chief of Staff do not have operational command authority over Air Force forces proper (that is within the purview of the Combatant Commanders who reports to the Secretary of Defense), the Chief of Staff does exercise supervision of Air Force units and organizations as the designee of the Secretary of the Air Force.

The current Chief of Staff of the Air Force is General Norton A. Schwartz.

Contents

Responsibilities

Department of the Air Force

Under the authority, direction and control of the Secretary of the Air Force, the Chief of Staff presides over the Air Staff, acts the Secretary's executive agent in carrying out approved plans, and exercises supervision, consistent with authority assigned to Commanders of the Combatant Commands, over organizations and members of the Air Force as determined by the Secretary. The Chief of Staff may also perform other duties as assigned by either the President, the Secretary of Defense or the Secretary of the Air Force.[1]

The Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force, also a four star general, is the Chief of Staff's principal deputy.[2]

Member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

The Chief of Staff of the Air Force is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff as prescribed by 10 U.S.C. § 151. When performing his JCS duties the Chief of Staff is responsible directly to the Secretary of Defense. Like the other members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the CSAF is an administrative position, with no operational command authority over the United States Air Force.

Appointment and Rank

Seal of the Chief of Staff

The CSAF is nominated for appointment by the President and must be confirmed via majority vote by the Senate.[1] By statute, the CSAF is appointed as a four-star general.[1]

Special Uniform Cap

The Chief of Staff is also authorized to wear a special service cap with clouds and lightning bolts around the band of the hat. This cap is different from those worn by other general officers of the Air Force and it is for use by the Chief of Staff and Air Force officers serving as Chairman or Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Chronological list of Chiefs of Staff of the Air Force 1947-

Prior to the creation of this position, General Henry H. Arnold was designated first Chief of the Army Air Forces and Commanding General of the Army Air Forces during World War II.

No. Image Name Term of Office Primary Background Secretaries served under:
Began Ended Days of Service Air Force Defense
1 Carl Spaatz, Air Force photo portrait, color.jpg Carl A. Spaatz September 26, 1947 April 29, 1948 216 Fighters Stuart Symington James Forrestal
2 Hoyt S Vandenberg.jpg Hoyt S. Vandenberg April 30, 1948 June 29, 1953 1887 Attack and Fighters Stuart Symington
Thomas K. Finletter
Harold E. Talbott
James Forrestal
Louis A. Johnson
George C. Marshall
Robert A. Lovett
Charles E. Wilson
3 Nathan Twining 02.jpg Nathan F. Twining* June 30, 1953 June 30, 1957 1461 Fighters and Bombers Harold E. Talbott
Donald A. Quarles
James H. Douglas, Jr.
Charles E. Wilson
4 Gen Thomas D White.jpg Thomas D. White July 1, 1957 June 30, 1961 1460 Staff James H. Douglas, Jr.
Dudley C. Sharp
Eugene M. Zuckert
Charles E. Wilson
Neil H. McElroy
Thomas S. Gates
Robert S. McNamara
5 Curtis LeMay (USAF).jpg Curtis E. LeMay June 30, 1961 January 31, 1965 1311 Bombers Eugene M. Zuckert Robert S. McNamara
6 John P. McConnell.jpg John P. McConnell February 1, 1965 July 31, 1969 1641 Fighters Eugene M. Zuckert
Harold Brown
Robert C. Seamans, Jr.
Robert S. McNamara
Clark M. Clifford
Melvin R. Laird
7 John Dale Ryan.jpg John D. Ryan August 1, 1969 July 31, 1973 1460 Bombers Robert C. Seamans, Jr.
John L. McLucas
Melvin R. Laird
Elliot Richardson
James R. Schlesinger
8 GEN George Brown.JPG George S. Brown* August 1, 1973 June 30, 1974 333 Bombers John L. McLucas James R. Schlesinger
9 David C Jones official portrait.jpg David C. Jones* July 1, 1974 June 20, 1978 1450 Bombers John L. McLucas
Thomas C. Reed
John C. Stetson
James R. Schlesinger
Donald H. Rumsfeld
Harold Brown
10 General Lew Allen, official military photo.jpg Lew Allen Jr. July 1, 1978 June 30, 1982 1460 Bombers John C. Stetson
Hans Mark
Verne Orr
Harold Brown
Caspar Weinberger
11 Charles A. Gabriel.jpg Charles A. Gabriel July 1, 1982 June 30, 1986 1460 Fighters Verne Orr
Russell A. Rourke
Edward C. Aldridge Jr.
Caspar Weinberger
12 Larry D. Welch.jpg Larry D. Welch July 1, 1986 June 30, 1990 1460 Fighters Edward C. Aldridge Jr.
Donald B. Rice
Caspar Weinberger
Frank Carlucci
Dick Cheney
13 Michael Dugan, official military photo.jpg Michael J. Dugan July 1, 1990 September 17, 1990 78 Fighters Donald B. Rice Dick Cheney
Acting Gen John Michael Loh.jpg John M. Loh September 18, 1990 October 29, 1990 41 Fighters
14 Merrill McPeak, official military photo.JPEG Merrill A. McPeak October 30, 1990 October 25, 1994 1456 Fighters Donald B. Rice
Sheila E. Widnall
Dick Cheney
Les Aspin
William J. Perry
15 Ronald R. Fogleman.jpg Ronald R. Fogleman October 26, 1994 September 1, 1997 1041 Fighters Sheila E. Widnall William J. Perry
William S. Cohen
Acting Ralph E Eberhart, CINCSPACE & CINCNORAD.jpg Ralph E. Eberhart September 2, 1997 October 5, 1997[3] 33 Fighters William S. Cohen
16 Michael Ryan, official military photo.jpg Michael E. Ryan October 6, 1997 September 5, 2001 1430 Fighters Sheila E. Widnall
F. Whitten Peters
James G. Roche
William S. Cohen
Donald H. Rumsfeld
17 John-P-Jumper.jpg John P. Jumper September 6, 2001 September 2, 2005 1457 Fighters James G. Roche Donald H. Rumsfeld
18 Moseley official photo 6.jpg T. Michael Moseley September 2, 2005 July 12, 2008 [4][5] 1044 Fighters Michael Wynne Donald H. Rumsfeld
Robert M. Gates
Acting Mcnabb dj4.jpg Duncan J. McNabb July 12, 2008 August 12, 2008[6] 31 Airlift Michael B. Donley Robert M. Gates
19 Norton A Schwartz 2008 2.jpg Norton A. Schwartz August 12, 2008 Incumbent 1184 Airlift Michael B. Donley Robert M. Gates
Leon Panetta

*: Three former chiefs of staff would later serve as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff:

  • Twining served as the Chairman from August 1957 to September 1960.
  • Brown served as the Chairman from July 1974 to June 1978.
  • Jones served as the Chairman from June 1978 to June 1982.
  • The forth air force officer to have served as the Chairman, General Richard B. Myers, did not serve as Chief of Staff of the Air Force.

McPeak is the only Chief of Staff of the Air Force to date having served as Acting Secretary of the Air Force (from July 14, to 1993 August 5, 1993 before Sheila Widnall took office as Secretary,) thus being the only uniformed air force officer to have truly been the "head of the air force".

References

Notes

  1. ^ a b c [1] 10 USC 8033. Chief of Staff
  2. ^ [2] 10 USC 8034. Vice Chief of Staff
  3. ^ [3], Accessed on 2011-09-12
  4. ^ [4]
  5. ^ [5]
  6. ^ [6]

External links


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