The
Chief of Staff of the Air Force (
CSAF) is the senior uniformed officer in
United States Air ForceThe United States Air Force is the aerial warfare branch of the U.S. armed forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on 18 September 1947 under the National Security Act of 1947 - 80 P.L....
and is a member of the
Joint Chiefs of StaffThe Joint Chiefs of Staff is a group of military leaders in the United States armed forces who advise the civilian government of the United States...
. The CSAF heads the Air Staff and reports directly to the
Secretary of the Air ForceThe Secretary of the Air Force is the civilian head of the United States Department of the Air Force, a component organization of the Department of Defense. He reports directly to the Secretary of Defense and is responsible for running the day-to-day affairs of the United States Air Force...
on matters of the Air Force. Under the authority of the secretary, the CSAF is responsible for the organization, training, and equipping of more than 700,000 active-duty, National Guard, Reserve, and civilian forces serving in the United States and overseas.
The
Chief of Staff of the Air Force (
CSAF) is the senior uniformed officer in
United States Air ForceThe United States Air Force is the aerial warfare branch of the U.S. armed forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on 18 September 1947 under the National Security Act of 1947 - 80 P.L....
and is a member of the
Joint Chiefs of StaffThe Joint Chiefs of Staff is a group of military leaders in the United States armed forces who advise the civilian government of the United States...
. The CSAF heads the Air Staff and reports directly to the
Secretary of the Air ForceThe Secretary of the Air Force is the civilian head of the United States Department of the Air Force, a component organization of the Department of Defense. He reports directly to the Secretary of Defense and is responsible for running the day-to-day affairs of the United States Air Force...
on matters of the Air Force. Under the authority of the secretary, the CSAF is responsible for the organization, training, and equipping of more than 700,000 active-duty, National Guard, Reserve, and civilian forces serving in the United States and overseas. The CSAF also designates Air Force personnel and resources to the commanders of
Unified Combatant CommandA Unified Combatant Command is a United States joint military command composed of forces from two or more services, has a broad and continuing mission, and is organized either on a geographical basis or on a functional basis...
s . The CSAF also performs all other functions prescribed under and those assigned by the Secretary of the Air Force, or delegates those duties and responsibilities to other officers in his administration under his name.
The CSAF is nominated for appointment by the
PresidentThe President of the United States is the head of state and head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in the United States by influence and recognition...
and must be confirmed via majority vote by the
SenateThe United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral United States Congress, the lower house being the House of Representatives. The composition and powers of the Senate and the House are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution . Each U.S state is represented by two senators,...
. By statute, the CSAF is appointed as a four-star
generalIn the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, general is a four-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-10. General ranks above lieutenant general and below General of the Army or General of the Air Force; the Marine Corps does not have an...
. Like the other Joint Chiefs, the CSAF is an administrative position, with no operational command authority over the United States Air Force.
The current Air Force Chief of Staff is General
Norton A. SchwartzGeneral Norton A. Schwartz, USAF is the 19
th and current Chief of Staff of the Air Force. He previously served as Commander, United States Transportation Command from September 2005 to August 2008...
.
Chronological list of Chiefs of Staff
Prior to the creation of this position, General
Henry H. ArnoldGeneral of the Army Henry Harley "Hap" Arnold was a five-star general officer holding the grades of General of the Army and later General of the Air Force. He is the only officer to ever hold a five-star grade in two different U.S. military services...
was designated
Chief of the Army Air Forces during
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He was later promoted to the lifetime position of General of the Air Force.
| | Name | Photo | Start | End | Primary Background |
|---|
| 1 |
Carl A. SpaatzCarl Andrew "Tooey" Spaatz GBE was an American World War II general and the first Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force.-Early life:...
|
|
26 September 1947 |
29 April 1948 |
Fighter Pilot (3 "kills" in WW I) |
| 2 |
Hoyt S. VandenbergHoyt Sanford Vandenberg was a U.S. Air Force general, its second Chief of Staff, and the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.Vandenberg was briefly the U.S...
|
|
30 April 1948 |
29 June 1953 |
Fighter and Tactical Bomber Pilot |
| 3 |
Nathan F. TwiningNathan Farragut Twining was a United States Air Force General, born in Monroe, Wisconsin. He was Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force from 1953 until 1957...
* |
|
30 June 1953 |
30 June 1957 |
Fighter and Bomber Pilot |
| 4 |
Thomas D. WhiteGeneral Thomas Dresser White was the fourth Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force.White was born in Walker, Minnesota, in 1901...
|
|
1 July 1957 |
30 June 1961 |
Fighter Pilot |
| 5 |
Curtis E. LeMayCurtis Emerson LeMay was a General in the United States Air Force and the vice presidential running mate of American Independent Party candidate George Wallace in 1968....
|
|
30 June 1961 |
31 January 1965 |
Heavy Bomber Pilot |
| 6 |
John P. McConnellGeneral John Paul McConnell was the sixth Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force. As chief of staff of the U.S. Air Force, General McConnell served in a dual capacity...
|
|
1 February 1965 |
31 July 1969 |
Fighter Pilot |
| 7 |
John D. RyanGeneral John Dale Ryan was the seventh Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force. As chief of staff of the U.S. Air Force, General Ryan served in a dual capacity. He was a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff which, as a body, acts as the principal military adviser to the president, the...
|
|
1 August 1969 |
31 July 1973 |
Bomber Pilot |
| 8 |
George S. Brown* |
|
1 August 1973 |
30 June 1974 |
Bomber Pilot |
| 9 |
David C. JonesDavid Charles Jones is a retired U.S. Air Force general and former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.David C. Jones was born in Aberdeen, South Dakota and raised in Minot, North Dakota, where he graduated from Minot High School....
* |
|
1 July 1974 |
20 June 1978 |
Bomber Pilot |
| 10 |
Lew Allen Jr.Lew Allen, Jr. was a United States Air Force four-star general who served as the tenth Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force...
|
|
1 July 1978 |
30 June 1982 |
Bomber Pilot |
| 11 |
Charles A. GabrielGeneral Charles A. Gabriel was the 11th Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force. As chief of staff of the U. S. Air Force, General Gabriel served in a dual capacity. He was a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff which, as a body, acts as the principal military adviser to the president, the...
|
|
1 July 1982 |
30 June 1986 |
Fighter Pilot (2 kills) |
| 12 |
Larry D. WelchGeneral Larry D. Welch was the 12th Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force. As chief, he served as the senior uniformed Air Force officer responsible for the organization, training and equipage of a combined active duty, Guard, Reserve and civilian force serving at locations in the United...
|
|
1 July 1986 |
30 June 1990 |
Fighter Pilot |
| 13 |
Michael J. Dugan |
|
1 July 1990 |
17 September 1990 |
Fighter Pilot |
| Acting |
John M. LohJohn Michael Loh was a four-star general in the United States Air Force who last served as Commander, Air Combat Command from June 1992 to July 1995...
|
|
18 September 1990 |
29 October 1990 |
Fighter Pilot (AFTPSThe U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School is a military unit that trains experimental test pilots, flight test engineers, and flight test navigators to carry out test and evaluation of aerospace weapon systems. The school was established on September 9, 1944 as the Flight Test Training Unit at...
) |
| 14 |
Merrill A. McPeak Merrill Anthony "Tony" McPeak is a former Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force. He retired from the service on November 1, 1994.-Education:...
|
|
30 October 1990 |
25 October 1994 |
Fighter Pilot (ThunderbirdThe Thunderbirds are the air demonstration squadron of the U.S. Air Force , based at Nellis AFB in Las Vegas, Nevada. The squadron tours the United States and much of the world, performing aerobatic formation and solo flying in specially-marked USAF jet aircraft.Officers serve a two-year assignment...
) |
| 15 |
Ronald R. Fogleman |
|
26 October 1994 |
1 September 1997 |
Fighter Pilot |
| 16 |
Michael E. RyanMichael E. Ryan is a retired United States Air Force general Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force. He served as the senior uniformed Air Force officer responsible for the organization, training and equipage of 700,000 active-duty, Guard, Reserve and civilian forces serving in the United...
|
|
6 November 1997 |
5 September 2001 |
Fighter Pilot |
| 17 |
John P. JumperGeneral John P. Jumper is a United States Air Force officer who served as Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force from September 6, 2001 to September 2, 2005. He retired from the Air Force on November 1, 2005. Jumper was succeeded as Chief of Staff by General T. Michael...
|
|
6 September 2001 |
2 September 2005 |
Airlift and Fighter Pilot |
| 18 |
T. Michael MoseleyTeed Michael Moseley, USAF, KBE, is a retired United States Air Force four-star general who served as the 18th Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force...
|
|
2 September 2005 |
1 August 2008 |
Fighter Pilot |
| 19 |
Norton A. SchwartzGeneral Norton A. Schwartz, USAF is the 19 th and current Chief of Staff of the Air Force. He previously served as Commander, United States Transportation Command from September 2005 to August 2008...
|
|
12 August 2008 |
Incumbent |
Airlift and Special Ops Pilot |
*: These individuals also served as
Chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of StaffThe Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is by law the highest ranking military officer in the United States armed forces, and the principal military adviser to the President of the United States, the National Security Council, and the Secretary of Defense...
:
- 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.
External links