United States Under Secretary of the Air Force
Encyclopedia
The Under Secretary of the Air Force (USECAF, or SAF/US) is the second-highest ranking civilian official in the Department of the Air Force of the United States of America, serving directly under the Secretary of the Air Force
. In the absence of the Secretary, the Under Secretary exercises all the powers and duties of the Secretary and serves as Acting Secretary when the position of Secretary is vacant. The Under Secretary of the Air Force is appointed by the President
, by and with the advice and consent the Senate
, to serve at the President's pleasure.
The Secretary and Under Secretary, together with two military officers (the Chief of Staff of the Air Force
and the Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force
), constitute the senior leadership team of the Department of the Air Force.
The Under Secretary of the Air Force supervises the following officials:
The current Under Secretary of the Air Force is Erin C. Conaton
, who was appointed by President Barack Obama
in 2009.
United States Secretary of the Air Force
The Secretary of the Air Force is the Head of the Department of the Air Force, a component organization within the Department of Defense of the United States of America. The Secretary of the Air Force is appointed from civilian life by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate...
. In the absence of the Secretary, the Under Secretary exercises all the powers and duties of the Secretary and serves as Acting Secretary when the position of Secretary is vacant. The Under Secretary of the Air Force is appointed by the President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
, by and with the advice and consent the Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
, to serve at the President's pleasure.
The Secretary and Under Secretary, together with two military officers (the Chief of Staff of the Air Force
Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force
The Chief of Staff of the Air Force is a statutory office 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...
and the Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force
Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force
The Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force is the second highest ranking military officer in the United States Air Force. In the event that the Chief of Staff of the Air Force is absent or is unable to perform his duties, the VCSAF assumes the duties and responsibilities of the CSAF...
), constitute the senior leadership team of the Department of the Air Force.
The Under Secretary of the Air Force supervises the following officials:
- Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Acquisition)Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Acquisition)The Assistant Secretary of the Air Force is a civilian office in the United States Department of the Air Force....
- Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Financial Management & Comptroller)Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Financial Management & Comptroller)The Assistant Secretary of the Air Force is a civilian official in the United States Department of the Air Force.- Responsibilities :According to U.S...
- Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Installations, Environment & Logistics)Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Installations, Environment & Logistics)Assistant Secretary of the Air Force is the title of a civilian office in the United States Department of the Air Force...
- Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Manpower & Reserve Affairs)Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Manpower & Reserve Affairs)Assistant Secretary of the Air Force is the title of a civilian office in the United States Department of the Air Force...
- General Counsel of the Air ForceGeneral Counsel of the Air ForceThe General Counsel of the Air Force is the general counsel of the United States Department of the Air Force.By U.S. law, the General Counsel of the Air Force is appointed from civilian life by the President of the United States upon the advice and consent of the United States Senate...
The current Under Secretary of the Air Force is Erin C. Conaton
Erin C. Conaton
Erin Cathleen Conaton is the current United States Under Secretary of the Air Force, having been sworn in to office on March 15, 2010.-Biography:...
, who was appointed by President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
in 2009.
List of Under Secretaries of the Air Force
| # | Portrait | Name | Tenure |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arthur S. Barrows Arthur S. Barrows Arthur Stanhope Barrows was the president of Sears from 1942 to 1946, and the first United States Under Secretary of the Air Force, holding that office from 1947 to 1950.-Biography:... |
September 26, 1947 - April 21, 1950 | |
| 2 | John A. McCone | June 15, 1950 - October 12, 1951 | |
| 3 | Roswell L. Gilpatric | October 19, 1951 - February 5, 1953 | |
| 4 |  |
James H. Douglas, Jr. | March 3, 1953 - April 30, 1957 |
| 5 | Malcolm A. MacIntyre Malcolm A. MacIntyre Malcolm A. MacIntyre , born in Boston, Massachusetts, was an American lawyer and hall of fame lacrosse player. He attended Yale University and Oxford University before returning to Yale Law School to receive his J.S.D.... |
June 5, 1957 - July 31, 1959 | |
| 6 | Dudley C. Sharp Dudley C. Sharp Dudley Crawford Sharp was Secretary of the Air Force from December 11, 1959 until January 20, 1961, under president Dwight D. Eisenhower.-Biography:... |
August 3, 1959 - December 10, 1959 | |
| 7 | Joseph V. Charyk Joseph V. Charyk Joseph Vincent Charyk was the first Director of the National Reconnaissance Office.Charyk consolidated the CIA, Air force, and Navy space programs into the NRO. He brought the first United States imagery satellite, CORONA, into operation and demonstrated signals intelligence technology from space... |
January 28, 1960 - March 1, 1963 | |
| 8 | Brockway McMillan Brockway McMillan Brockway McMillan is a retired American government official and scientist, who served as the eighth Under Secretary of the Air Force and the second Director of the National Reconnaissance Office.... |
June 12, 1963 - September 30, 1965 | |
| 9 | Norman S. Paul Norman S. Paul Norman Stark Paul was United States Assistant Secretary of Defense for Legislative Affairs from January 25, 1961 to June 30, 1962; Assistant Secretary of Defense for Force Management Policy from August 8, 1962 to September 30, 1965; and United States Under Secretary of the Air Force from October... |
October, 1965 - September, 1967 | |
| 10 | Townsend Hoopes Townsend Hoopes Townsend Walter Hoopes II was an American historian, who reached the height of his career as Under Secretary of the Air Force from 1967 to 1969.-Biography:Hoopes, known as Tim, was born in Duluth, Minnesota... |
September, 1967 - February, 1969 | |
| 11 | John L. McLucas John L. McLucas John Luther McLucas was United States Secretary of the Air Force from 1973 to 1975, becoming Secretary of the Air Force on July 19, 1973. He had been Acting Secretary of the Air Force since May 15, 1973, and Under Secretary of the Air Force since March 1969... |
February 1969 - July 1973 | |
| 12 | James W. Plummer James W. Plummer James W. Plummer is a retired engineer who served as the fifth Director of the National Reconnaissance Office. Mr. Plummer was the first Director NRO to come from private industry. He previously served as the Lockheed Corporation program manager for the CORONA and LANYARD imaging systems. Mr.... |
December 21, 1973 - June, 28 1976 | |
| 13 | Hans M. Mark | 1977 - 1979 | |
| 14 | Antonia Handler Chayes Antonia Handler Chayes Antonia "Toni" Handler Chayes is a United States lawyer and educator who served as Assistant Secretary of the Air Force from 1977 to 1979 and as United States Under Secretary of the Air Force from 1979 to 1981.... |
1979 - 1981 | |
| 15 | Edward C. Aldridge, Jr. | 1981 - June 9, 1986 | |
| 16 | James F. McGovern James F. McGovern James F. McGovern was United States Under Secretary of the Air Force from 1986 to 1989.-Biography:James F. McGovern was born in Dayton, Ohio on November 28, 1946. He was educated at the United States Naval Academy, receiving a B.S. in 1969... |
1986 - 1989 | |
| 17 | Anne N. Foreman Anne N. Foreman Anne Newman Foreman is a United States diplomat, lawyer, and businesswoman, who was General Counsel of the Air Force from 1987 to 1989 and United States Under Secretary of the Air Force from 1989 to 1993.-Biography:... |
1989 - 1993 | |
| 18 | Rudy de Leon Rudy de Leon Rudolph "Rudy" F. de Leon is an American former senior Department of Defense official, military adviser, lobbyist, and foreign policy adviser... |
1994 - 1997 | |
| 19 |  |
F. Whitten Peters | 1997 - 1999 |
| 20 | Carol A. DiBattiste Carol A. DiBattiste Carol A. DiBattiste is a United States lawyer who served as United States Under Secretary of the Air Force from 1999 to 2001.-Biography:... |
1999 - 2001 | |
| (acting) | Lawrence J. Delaney Lawrence J. Delaney Lawrence John Delaney is a United States scientist and businessman who served as Assistant Secretary of the Air Force from 1999 to 2001, and briefly as Acting United States Secretary of the Air Force in 2001.-Biography:Lawrence J... |
2001 | |
| 21 | Peter B. Teets Peter B. Teets Peter B. Teets was the thirteenth Director of the National Reconnaissance Office and the Under Secretary of the Air Force.... |
2001 - 2005 | |
| 22 | Ronald M. Sega Ronald M. Sega Ronald "Ron" Michael Sega is professor of systems engineering at Colorado State University and vice president for applied research for the Colorado State University Research Foundation . From August 2005 to August 2007, he served as Under Secretary of the Air Force... |
2005 - 2007 | |
| Vacancy 2007-2010 | |||
| 23 | Erin C. Conaton Erin C. Conaton Erin Cathleen Conaton is the current United States Under Secretary of the Air Force, having been sworn in to office on March 15, 2010.-Biography:... |
2010 - Present | |
Sources
- HAF MISSION DIRECTIVE 1-2, UNDER SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE, 8 SEPTEMBER 2008, accessed on 2011-01-10.
- Department of Defense Key Officials 1947-2004. Washington, D.C.: Historical Office, Office of the Secretary of Defense, 2004
- Office of the Secretary of the Air Force – Organizational and Functional Charts 1947-1984. Washington, D.C.; Office of Air Force History, 1985
- Report To The Congress – Use of Missile Procurement Funds To Finance Research And Development Efforts – B-146876. Washington, D.C.; Comptroller General of the United States, 1969
- Watson, George M., Office of the Secretary of the Air Force 1947-65. Washington, D.C.; Center for Air Force History, 1993