Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force

Not to be confused with Director of Staff of the United States Air Force.

Chief of Staff of the Air Force
Seal of the Chief of Staff[1]
Flag of the Chief of Staff[2]
Incumbent General David W. Allvin since 2 November 2023
United States Air Force Air Staff
Type	Service chief
Abbreviation	CSAF AF/CC
Member of	Joint Chiefs of Staff
Reports to	Secretary of Defense Secretary of the Air Force
Residence	Quarters 7, Joint Base Myer–Henderson Hall[3]
Seat	The Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia
Appointer	The President with Senate advice and consent
Term length	4 years Renewable once, only during war or national emergency
Constituting instrument	10 U.S.C. § 9033
Precursor	Commanding General, United States Army Air Forces
Formation	18 September 1947
First holder	Gen Carl A. Spaatz
Deputy	Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force
Website	Official Website

The chief of staff of the Air Force (acronym: CSAF, or AF/CC) is the service chief of the United States Air Force. They are the principal military advisor to the secretary of the Air Force on matter pertaining to the Air Force. They are 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.

The chief of staff of the Air Force is an administrative position based in the Pentagon. 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 exercises supervision of Air Force units and organizations as the designee of the secretary of the Air Force.

The 23rd and current chief of staff of the Air Force is General David W. Allvin.

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. They act 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 perform other duties as assigned by either the president, the secretary of defense or the secretary of the Air Force.^[4]

The vice chief of staff of the Air Force, also a four-star general, is the chief of staff's principal deputy.^[5]

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 directly responsible 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

Incoming Chief of Staff Gen. Norton A. Schwartz about to accept the ceremonial flag at Bolling Air Force Base, August 12, 2008.

The chief of staff is nominated for appointment by the president, for a four-year term of office,^[6] and must be confirmed via majority vote by the Senate.^[6] Any Air Force officer with the rank of brigadier general and above may be appointed as chief of staff.^[6] Prospective nominees are typically laterally promoted from other four-star assignments. The chief can be reappointed to serve one additional term, but only during times of war or national emergency declared by Congress.^[6]

The special uniform cap of the Air Force Chief of Staff. It is also worn by the CJCS, or the VJCS, when either is from the Air Force.^[7]

To qualify for the position, the nominee must have significant joint duty experience, and at least one full tour of duty in a joint duty assignment as a general officer, unless the President waives this requirement.^[6] By statute, the chief of staff is appointed as a four-star general without vacating his permanent rank.^[6]

Special uniform cap

The chief of staff is 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.^[7]

List of chiefs of staff of the Air Force

Prior to the creation of this position, General Henry H. Arnold was designated the first chief of the Army Air Forces and commanding general of the Army Air Forces during World War II. His successor, Carl A. Spaatz became the first chief of staff of the Air Force upon the establishment of the United States Air Force.

Four chiefs of staff would go on to serve as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, namely Nathan F. Twining, George S. Brown, David C. Jones, and Charles Q. Brown Jr.

No.	Portrait	Name	Term			Background	Secretaries served under:		Ref.
			Took office	Left office	Duration		Air Force	Defense
1		Spaatz, Carl AndrewGeneral Carl A. Spaatz (1891–1974)	26 September 1947	29 April 1948	216 days	Fighters	Stuart Symington	James Forrestal	[6]
2		Vandenberg, Hoyt SanfordGeneral Hoyt S. Vandenberg (1899–1954)	30 April 1948[a]	29 June 1953	5 years, 60 days	Attack and Fighters	Stuart Symington Thomas K. Finletter Harold E. Talbott	James Forrestal Louis A. Johnson George C. Marshall Robert A. Lovett Charles Erwin Wilson	[6]
3		Twining, Nathan FarragutGeneral Nathan F. Twining (1897–1982)	30 June 1953[a]	30 June 1957[b]	4 years, 0 days	Fighters and Bombers	Harold E. Talbott Donald A. Quarles James H. Douglas Jr.	Charles Erwin Wilson	[6]
4		White, Thomas DresserGeneral Thomas D. White (1901–1965)	1 July 1957[a]	30 June 1961	3 years, 364 days	Observation aircraft and Staff	James H. Douglas Jr. Dudley Sharp Eugene Zuckert	Charles Erwin Wilson Neil H. McElroy Thomas Gates Robert McNamara	[6]
5		LeMay, Curtis EmersonGeneral Curtis E. LeMay (1906–1990)	30 June 1961[a]	31 January 1965	3 years, 215 days	Bombers	Eugene Zuckert	Robert McNamara	[6]
6		McConnell, John PaulGeneral John P. McConnell (1908–1986)	1 February 1965[a]	31 July 1969	4 years, 180 days	Fighters	Eugene Zuckert Harold Brown Robert Seamans	Robert McNamara Clark Clifford Melvin Laird	[6]
7		Ryan, John DaleGeneral John D. Ryan (1915–1983)	1 August 1969[a]	31 July 1973	3 years, 364 days	Bombers	Robert Seamans John L. McLucas	Melvin Laird Elliot Richardson James R. Schlesinger	[6]
8		Brown, George ScratchleyGeneral George S. Brown (1918–1978)	1 August 1973	30 June 1974[b]	333 days	Bombers	John L. McLucas	James R. Schlesinger	[6]
9		Jones, David CharlesGeneral David C. Jones (1921–2013)	1 July 1974	20 June 1978[b]	3 years, 354 days	Bombers	John L. McLucas Thomas C. Reed John C. Stetson	James R. Schlesinger Donald Rumsfeld Harold Brown	[6]
10		Allen, LewGeneral Lew Allen Jr. (1925–2010)	1 July 1978[a]	30 June 1982	3 years, 364 days	Bombers	John C. Stetson Hans Mark Verne Orr	Harold Brown Caspar Weinberger	[6]
11		Gabriel, Charles AlvinGeneral Charles A. Gabriel (1928–2003)	1 July 1982	30 June 1986	3 years, 364 days	Fighters	Verne Orr Russell A. Rourke Edward Aldridge	Caspar Weinberger	[6]
12		Welch, Larry D.General Larry D. Welch (born 1934)	1 July 1986	30 June 1990	3 years, 364 days	Fighters	Edward Aldridge Donald Rice	Caspar Weinberger Frank Carlucci Dick Cheney	[6]
13		Dugan, Michael JosephGeneral Michael J. Dugan (born 1937)	1 July 1990	17 September 1990 (relieved)	78 days	Fighters	Donald Rice	Dick Cheney	[6]
-		Loh, John MichaelGeneral John M. Loh (born 1938) Acting [c]	18 September 1990	29 October 1990	41 days	Fighters	Donald Rice	Dick Cheney	[6]
14		McPeak, Merrill AnthonyGeneral Merrill A. McPeak (born 1936)	30 October 1990	25 October 1994	3 years, 360 days	Fighters	Donald Rice Sheila Widnall	Dick Cheney Les Aspin William J. Perry	[6]
15		Fogleman, Ronald RobertGeneral Ronald R. Fogleman (born 1942)	26 October 1994	1 September 1997	2 years, 310 days	Fighters	Sheila Widnall	William J. Perry William Cohen	[6]
-		Eberhart, Ralph EdwardGeneral Ralph E. Eberhart (born 1946) Acting [c]	2 September 1997	5 October 1997	33 days	Fighters	Sheila Widnall	William Cohen	[6]
16		Ryan, MichaelGeneral Michael E. Ryan (born 1941)	6 October 1997	5 September 2001	3 years, 334 days	Fighters	Sheila Widnall F. Whitten Peters James G. Roche	William Cohen Donald Rumsfeld	[6]
17		Jumper, John PhillipGeneral John P. Jumper (born 1945)	6 September 2001	1 September 2005	3 years, 360 days	Fighters	James G. Roche	Donald Rumsfeld	[6]
18		Moseley, Teed MichaelGeneral T. Michael Moseley (born 1949)	2 September 2005[a]	11 July 2008 (resigned)	2 years, 344 days	Fighters	Michael Wynne	Donald Rumsfeld Robert Gates	[8]
-		McNabb, DuncanGeneral Duncan J. McNabb (born 1952) Acting [c]	12 July 2008	12 August 2008	31 days	Airlift	Michael B. Donley	Robert Gates	[8]
19		Schwartz, Norton AllanGeneral Norton A. Schwartz (born 1951)	12 August 2008	10 August 2012	3 years, 364 days	Airlift and Special Operations aircraft	Michael B. Donley	Robert Gates Leon Panetta	[9]
20		Welsh, Mark Anthony IIIGeneral Mark A. Welsh III (born 1953)	10 August 2012	24 June 2016	3 years, 319 days	Attack and Fighters	Michael B. Donley Deborah Lee James	Leon Panetta Chuck Hagel Ash Carter	[10]
21		Goldfein, David LeeGeneral David L. Goldfein (born 1959)	1 July 2016[a]	6 August 2020	4 years, 36 days	Fighters	Deborah Lee James Heather Wilson Barbara Barrett	Ash Carter Jim Mattis Mark Esper	[11]
22		Brown, Charles Quinton Jr.General Charles Q. Brown Jr. (born 1962)	6 August 2020	29 September 2023[b]	3 years, 54 days	Fighters	Barbara Barrett Frank Kendall III	Mark Esper Lloyd Austin	[12]
–[c]		General David W. Allvin (born 1963)	29 September 2023	2 November 2023	34 days	Airlift	Frank Kendall III	Lloyd Austin	[13]
23			2 November 2023	Incumbent	1 year, 60 days				[14]

Timeline

Notes

1. Served prior as Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force.
2. Appointed as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
3. In capacity as Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force.

References

1. "Air Force Chief of Staff". www.af.mil. U.S. Air Force. Archived from the original on 30 October 2024. Air Force Chief of Staff Seal.
2. Weckerlein, Julie (12 August 2008). "General Schwartz in as 19th chief of staff". www.af.mil. U.S. Air Force. Archived from the original on 21 November 2021.
3. "Air House: A History". U.S. Air Force.
4. 10 U.S.C. § 9033
5. 10 U.S.C. § 9034
6. "Former Air Force Chiefs of Staff". Air Force Historical Support Division. Archived from the original on 9 June 2022. Retrieved 2 October 2022. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
7. "USAF CHIEF OF STAFF SERVICE CAP". www.uniforms-4u.com. The Salute Uniforms. Archived from the original on 12 April 2024. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
8. "Air Force Magazine, Volume 100, Issues 1-10". Air Force Magazine. Air Force Association. 15 December 2016. Archived from the original on 13 September 2022. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
9. Weckerlein, Julie (13 August 2008). "General Schwartz assumes command of Air Force". Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs. Archived from the original on 3 October 2022. Retrieved 3 October 2022. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
10. Jones, Shawn (14 August 2012). "Welsh 'humbled' to serve as Air Force chief of staff". Buckley Space Force Base. Air Force Public Affairs Agency. Archived from the original on 22 June 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2022. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
11. Gibson, Alyssa (1 July 2016). "Goldfein swears in as 21st CSAF". U.S. Air Force. Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs Command Information. Archived from the original on 7 July 2022. Retrieved 3 October 2022. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
12. Pope, Charles (6 August 2020). "Brown formally installed as 22nd Air Force Chief of Staff". U.S. Air Force. Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs. Archived from the original on 24 November 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2022. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
13. Pope, Charles (29 September 2023). "Brown's tenure as CSAF leaves lasting imprint on the service, its evolution". Air Combat Command. Arlington, Virginia: Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs. Archived from the original on 30 September 2023. Retrieved 30 September 2023. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
14. Hadley, Greg; Gordon, Chris (2 November 2023). "USAF's New Chief: Allvin Confirmed as Air Force's 23rd Chief of Staff". Air & Space Forces Magazine. Retrieved 3 January 2023.