United States Secretary of the Air Force facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Secretary of the Air Force
Flag of the secretary
Seal of the Department of the Air Force
Incumbent Gary A. Ashworth since January 20, 2025
Department of the Air Force
Style	Mr. Secretary The Honorable (formal address in writing)
Reports to	Secretary of Defense Deputy Secretary of Defense
Appointer	The President with the advice and consent of the Senate
Term length	No fixed term
Precursor	Secretary of War
Inaugural holder	Stuart Symington
Formation	September 18, 1947; 77 years ago (1947-09-18)
Succession	3rd in SecDef succession
Deputy	The Under Secretary (principal civilian deputy) The Chief of Staff (military deputy) The Chief of Space Operations (military deputy)
Salary	Executive Schedule, Level II

The Secretary of the Air Force (often called SecAF) is the main leader of the United States Department of the Air Force. This department includes both the United States Air Force and the United States Space Force.

The Secretary of the Air Force is a civilian, not a military officer. The President chooses this person, and the Senate must agree with the choice. The Secretary reports to the Secretary of Defense. They are in charge of everything that happens in the Department of the Air Force.

The Secretary works closely with other important leaders. These include the Under Secretary of the Air Force (a civilian helper) and military leaders like the Chief of Staff of the Air Force and the Chief of Space Operations.

The first Secretary of the Air Force was Stuart Symington. He started his job on September 18, 1947. This happened when the Department of War and the Army Air Forces were reorganized. They became a separate military department for air power, thanks to the National Security Act of 1947.

On July 26, 2021, Frank Kendall III became the 26th Secretary of the Air Force. He was confirmed by the United States Senate.

What Does the Secretary of the Air Force Do?

Stuart Symington takes his oath to become the first Secretary of the Air Force in 1947.

The Secretary is the top boss of the Department of the Air Force. This department is a "Military Department." It includes all parts of the United States Air Force and Space Force. This means all their bases, groups, and reserve forces.

The Secretary's main jobs are listed in the United States Code. These jobs include:

• Finding and signing up new people (recruiting).
• Organizing the different parts of the Air Force and Space Force.
• Making sure they have all the supplies they need.
• Getting and developing new equipment.
• Training all personnel.
• Providing services to military members and their families.
• Getting forces ready for action (mobilizing).
• Bringing forces back home after action (demobilizing).
• Managing the department and caring for the well-being of its people.
• Keeping equipment in good working order.
• Building and fixing military equipment.
• Building, maintaining, and fixing buildings and other facilities. This also includes getting land needed for these tasks.

The Secretary of Defense tells the Secretary of the Air Force which Air Force and Space Force units to send to different Unified and Specified Combatant Commands. These commands carry out specific missions. Once assigned, only the Secretary of Defense can move these units.

For other matters, the chain of command goes from the President to the Secretary of Defense. Then it goes to the Secretary of the Air Force. Finally, it reaches the commanders of the Air Force and Space Force Commands. Air Force and Space Force officers must report to the Secretary when asked. The Secretary can also assign duties to military members and civilian employees.

The Secretary also has duties under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). This includes the power to hold military trials and change sentences.

The President or Secretary of Defense can give the Secretary of the Air Force more duties. For example, the Secretary is also the "DoD Executive Agent for Space." This means they help plan and manage space systems for national security.

The Office of the Secretary of the Air Force

Office of the Secretary of the Air Force

Agency overview
Formed	1947
Headquarters	Pentagon
Parent agency	Department of the Air Force

Secretary of the Air Force Verne Orr (center) with other military leaders in 1982.

The Office of the Secretary of the Air Force is the main group of people who help the Secretary. They handle things like buying new equipment and checking finances. They also deal with inspections, working with lawmakers, and public relations.

This office is one of three main headquarters for the Department of the Air Force. All three are located in the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. The other two are the Air Staff and the Office of the Chief of Space Operations.

Who Works in the Office?

The Office of the Secretary of the Air Force includes:

• The Under Secretary of the Air Force.
  • This includes deputies for international affairs and space programs.
• The Assistant Secretary for Buying, Technology, and Logistics.
• The Assistant Secretary for Money Management.
• The Assistant Secretary for Bases, Environment, and Energy.
• The Assistant Secretary for People and Reserve Forces.
• The Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration.
• The General Counsel of the Department of the Air Force (the chief lawyer).
• The Inspector General (who checks for problems).
• The Chief of Legislative Liaison (who works with Congress).
• The Administrative Assistant to the Secretary.
• The Auditor General (who checks financial records).
• The Air Reserve Forces Policy Committee.

List of Secretaries of the Air Force

Image	Name	Start	End	Duration	President(s)
	Symington, StuartStuart Symington	September 18, 1947	April 24, 1950	2 years, 218 days		Truman, Harry S.Harry S. Truman (1945–1953)
	Finletter, Thomas K.Thomas K. Finletter	April 24, 1950	January 20, 1953	2 years, 271 days
	Talbott, Harold E.Harold E. Talbott	February 4, 1953	August 13, 1955	2 years, 190 days		Eisenhower, Dwight D.Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953–1961)
	Quarles, Donald A.Donald A. Quarles	August 15, 1955	April 30, 1957	1 year, 258 days
	Douglas Jr., James H.James H. Douglas Jr.	May 1, 1957	December 10, 1959	2 years, 223 days
	Sharp, Dudley C.Dudley C. Sharp	December 11, 1959	January 20, 1961	1 year, 40 days
	Zuckert, Eugene M.Eugene M. Zuckert	January 24, 1961	September 30, 1965	4 years, 249 days		Kennedy, John F.John F. Kennedy (1961–1963)
						Johnson, Lyndon B.Lyndon B. Johnson (1963–1969)
	Brown, HaroldHarold Brown	October 1, 1965	February 15, 1969	3 years, 137 days
						Nixon, RichardRichard Nixon (1969–1974)
	Seamans Jr., Robert C.Robert C. Seamans Jr.	February 15, 1969	May 15, 1973	4 years, 89 days
	McLucas, John L.John L. McLucas	May 15, 1973	July 18, 1973	2 years, 192 days
		July 18, 1973	November 23, 1975
						Ford, GeraldGerald Ford (1974–1977)
	Reed, Thomas C.Thomas C. Reed	January 2, 1976	April 6, 1977	1 year, 94 days
						Carter, JimmyJimmy Carter (1977–1981)
	Stetson, John C.John C. Stetson	April 6, 1977	May 18, 1979	2 years, 42 days
	Mark, HansHans Mark	May 18, 1979	July 26, 1979	1 year, 267 days
		July 26, 1979	February 9, 1981
						Reagan, RonaldRonald Reagan (1981–1989)
	Orr, VerneVerne Orr	February 9, 1981	November 30, 1985	4 years, 294 days
	Rourke, Russell A.Russell A. Rourke	December 9, 1985	April 6, 1986	118 days
	Aldridge Jr., Edward C.Edward C. Aldridge Jr.	April 6, 1986	June 8, 1986	2 years, 254 days
		June 9, 1986	December 16, 1988
	McGovern, James F.James F. McGovern	December 16, 1988	April 29, 1989	134 days
						Bush, George H. W.George H. W. Bush (1989–1993)
	Welch Jr., John J.John J. Welch Jr.	April 29, 1989	May 21, 1989	22 days
	Rice, Donald B.Donald B. Rice	May 21, 1989	January 20, 1993	3 years, 244 days
	Donley, Michael B.Michael B. Donley Acting	January 20, 1993	July 13, 1993	174 days		Clinton, BillBill Clinton (1993–2001)
	McPeak, Merrill A.Merrill A. McPeak Acting	July 14, 1993	August 5, 1993	22 days
	Widnall, SheilaSheila Widnall	August 6, 1993	October 31, 1997	4 years, 86 days
	Peters, F. WhittenF. Whitten Peters	November 1, 1997	July 30, 1999	3 years, 80 days
		July 30, 1999	January 20, 2001
	Delaney, Lawrence J.Lawrence J. Delaney Acting	January 21, 2001	May 31, 2001	130 days		Bush, George W.George W. Bush (2001–2009)
	Roche, James G.James G. Roche	June 1, 2001	January 20, 2005	3 years, 233 days
	Teets, Peter B.Peter B. Teets Acting	January 20, 2005	March 25, 2005	64 days
	Montelongo, MichaelMichael Montelongo Acting	March 25, 2005	March 28, 2005	3 days
	Dominguez, Michael L.Michael L. Dominguez Acting	March 28, 2005	July 29, 2005	123 days
	Geren, PetePete Geren Acting	July 29, 2005	November 4, 2005	98 days
	Wynne, MichaelMichael Wynne	November 4, 2005	June 20, 2008	2 years, 229 days
	Donley, Michael B.Michael B. Donley	June 21, 2008	October 2, 2008	5 years, 0 days
		October 2, 2008	June 21, 2013
						Obama, BarackBarack Obama (2009–2017)
	Fanning, EricEric Fanning Acting	June 21, 2013	December 20, 2013	182 days
	James, Deborah LeeDeborah Lee James	December 20, 2013	January 20, 2017	3 years, 31 days
	Disbrow, LisaLisa Disbrow Acting	January 20, 2017	May 16, 2017	116 days		Trump, DonaldDonald Trump (2017–2021)
	Wilson, HeatherHeather Wilson	May 16, 2017	May 31, 2019	2 years, 15 days
	Donovan, MatthewMatthew Donovan Acting	June 1, 2019	October 18, 2019	139 days
	Barrett, BarbaraBarbara Barrett	October 18, 2019	January 20, 2021	1 year, 94 days
	Roth, John P.John P. Roth Acting	January 20, 2021	July 28, 2021	189 days		Biden, JoeJoe Biden (2021–2025)
	Kendall III, FrankFrank Kendall III	July 28, 2021	January 20, 2025	3 years, 353 days
	A. Ashworth, GaryGary A. Ashworth Acting	January 20, 2025	present			Trump, DonaldDonald Trump (2025–present)

See also

In Spanish: Secretario de la Fuerza Aérea de los Estados Unidos para niños

• Department of the Air Force Decoration for Exceptional Civilian Service