Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force
The chief of staff of the Air Force (acronym: CSAF, or AF/CC) is a statutory office (10 U.S.C. § 9033) held by a general in the United States Air Force, and as such is the principal military advisor to the secretary of the Air Force on matter pertaining to the Air Force; and is in a separate capacity (10 U.S.C. § 151), a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and thereby a military adviser 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 Air Force unless the chairman and/or the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff are Air Force officers.
| Chief of Staff of the Air Force | |
|---|---|
 Seal of the Chief of Staff | |
 Flag of the Chief of Staff | |
| United States Air Force Air Staff | |
| Type | Chief of Staff |
| Abbreviation | CSAF or AF/CC |
| Member of | Joint Chiefs of Staff |
| Reports to | Secretary of Defense Secretary of the Air Force |
| Residence | Quarters 7, Fort Myer |
| Appointer | The President with Senate advice and consent |
| Term length | 4 years Renewable |
| Constituting instrument | 10 U.S.C. § 8033 |
| Precursor | Commanding General, United States Army Air Forces |
| Formation | 18 September 1947 |
| First holder | Carl A. Spaatz |
| Deputy | Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force |
| Website | Official Website |
The chief of staff of the Air Force is an administrative position based in the Pentagon, and while the chief of staff does not have operational command authority over Air Force forces (that is within the purview of the combatant commanders who report 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 Charles Q. Brown Jr..
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 as the Secretary's executive agent in carrying out approved plans, and exercises supervision, consistent with authority assigned to the commanders of the Unified 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 chief of staff is an administrative position, with no operational command authority over the United States Air Force.
Appointment and rank
The chief of staff is nominated for appointment by the president and must be confirmed via majority vote by the Senate.[1] By statute, The chief of staff 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.
List of chiefs of staff of the Air Force (1947–present)
Prior to the creation of this position, General Henry H. Arnold was designated the first chief of the Army Air Forces and as the commanding general of the Army Air Forces during World War II.
*Symbolizes chiefs that have went on to serve as Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff, which is General Nathan F. Twining, General George S. Brown and General David C. Jones.
| No. | Portrait | Chief of Staff of the Air Force | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Primary Background | Previous office | President serving under |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | General Carl Spaatz (1891–1974) | September 26, 1947 | April 29, 1948 | 216 days | Fighters | Commanding General, United States Army Air Forces | Harry S. Truman | |
| 2 | General Hoyt S. Vandenberg (1899–1954) | April 30, 1948 | June 29, 1953 | 5 years, 60 days | Attack and Fighters | Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force | Harry S. Truman Dwight Eisenhower | |
| 3 | General Nathan F. Twining* (1897–1982) | June 30, 1953 | June 30, 1957 | 4 years, 0 days | Fighters and Bombers | Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force | Dwight Eisenhower | |
| 4 | General Thomas D. White (1901–1965) | July 1, 1957 | June 30, 1961 | 3 years, 336 days | Observation aircraft and Staff | Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force | Dwight Eisenhower John F. Kennedy | |
| 5 | General Curtis E. LeMay (1906–1990) | June 30, 1961 | January 31, 1965 | 3 years, 215 days | Bombers | Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force | John F. Kennedy Lyndon B. Johnson | |
| 6 | General John P. McConnell (1908–1986) | February 1, 1965 | July 31, 1969 | 4 years, 180 days | Fighters | Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force | Lyndon B. Johnson Richard M. Nixon | |
| 7 | General John D. Ryan (1915–1983) | August 1, 1969 | July 31, 1973 | 3 years, 364 days | Bombers | Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force | Richard M. Nixon | |
| 8 | General George S. Brown* (1918–1978) | August 1, 1973 | June 30, 1974 | 333 days | Bombers | Commander, Air Force Systems Command | Richard M. Nixon | |
| 9 | General David C. Jones* (1921–2013) | July 1, 1974 | June 20, 1978 | 3 years, 354 days | Bombers | Commander-in-Chief, United States Air Forces in Europe Commander, Fourth Allied Tactical Air Force | Richard M. Nixon Gerald Ford Jimmy Carter | |
| 10 | General Lew Allen Jr. (1925–2010) | July 1, 1978 | June 30, 1982 | 3 years, 336 days | Bombers | Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force | Jimmy Carter Ronald Reagan | |
| 11 | General Charles A. Gabriel (1928–2003) | July 1, 1982 | 30 June 1986 | 3 years, 364 days | Fighters | Commander-in-Chief, United States Air Forces in Europe | Ronald Reagan | |
| 12 | General Larry D. Welch (born 1934) | July 1,1986 | June 30, 1990 | 3 years, 364 days | Fighters | Commander-in-Chief, Strategic Air Command | Ronald Reagan George H. W. Bush | |
| 13 | General Michael Dugan (born 1937) | July 1, 1990 | September 17, 1990 | 78 days | Fighters | Commander-in-Chief, United States Air Forces in Europe | George H. W. Bush | |
| – | General John M. Loh (born 1938) Acting | September 18, 1990 | October 29, 1990 | 41 days | Fighters | Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force (1990–1991) | George H. W. Bush | |
| 14 | General Merrill A. McPeak (born 1936) | October 30, 1990 | October 25, 1994 | 3 years, 360 days | Fighters | Acting Secretary of the United States Air Force (July 14, 1993 – August 5, 1993) Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Air Forces | George H. W. Bush Bill Clinton | |
| 15 | General Ronald R. Fogleman (born 1942) | October 26, 1994 | September 1, 1997 | 2 years, 310 days | Fighters | Commanding General, United States Transportation Command | Bill Clinton | |
| – | General Ralph E. Eberhart (born 1946) Acting | September 2, 1997 | October 5, 1997 | 33 days | Fighters | Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force (June 1997 – June 1999) | Bill Clinton | |
| 16 | General Michael E. Ryan (born 1941) | October 6, 1997 | September 5, 2001 | 4 years, 31 days | Fighters | Commander, Allied Air Forces Southern Europe | Bill Clinton George W. Bush | |
| 17 | General John P. Jumper (born 1945) | September 6, 2001 | September 1, 2005 | 3 years, 361 days | Fighters | Commander, Air Combat Command | George W. Bush | |
| 18 | General T. Michael Moseley (born 1949) | September 2, 2005 | July 11, 2008 | 2 years, 314 days | Fighters | Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force | George W. Bush | |
| – | General Duncan J. McNabb (born 1952) Acting | July 12, 2008 | August 12, 2008 | 30 days | Airlift | Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force (September 2007 – September 2008) | George W. Bush | |
| 19 | General Norton A. Schwartz (born 1951) | August 12, 2008 | August 10, 2012 | 3 years, 364 days | Airlift and Special Operations aircraft | Commander, U.S. Transportation Command | George W. Bush Barack Obama | |
| 20 | General Mark A. Welsh III (born 1953) | August 10, 2012 | June 24, 2016 | 3 years, 319 days | Attack and Fighters | Commander, United States Air Forces in Europe | Barack Obama | |
| 21 | General David L. Goldfein (born 1959) | July 1, 2016 | August 6, 2020 | 4 years, 36 days | Fighters | Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force | Barack Obama Donald J. Trump | |
| 22 | General Charles Q. Brown Jr. (born 1962) | August 6, 2020 | Incumbent | 186 days | Fighters and Bombers | Commander, Pacific Air Forces | Donald J. Trump Joe Biden |
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