) is the Head of the Department of the Air Force, a component organization within the
of the United States of America. The Secretary of the Air Force is appointed from civilian life by the
. The Secretary reports to the
, and is by statute responsible for and has the authority to conduct all the affairs of the Department of the Air Force.
into a military department and a military service of its own, independent of the
The Secretary is the head of the Department of the Air Force, analogous to that of a
of a corporation. The Department of the Air Force is defined as a
. It is not limited to the Washington headquarter staffs, rather it is an entity which includes all the components of the
The exclusive responsibilities of the Secretary of the Air Force are enumerated in Title 10 Section 8013 (b) of the
. They include, but are not limited to:
By direction of the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of the Air Force assigns military units of the Department of the Air Force, other than those who carry out the functions listed in
, to the Unified and Specified Combatant Commands to perform missions assigned to those commands. Air Force units while assigned to Combatant Commands may only be re-assigned by authority of the Secretary of Defense.
However, the chain of command for Air Force units for other purposes than the operational direction goes from the
. Air Force Officers have to report on any matter to the Secretary, or the Secretary's designate, when requested. The Secretary has the authority to detail, prescribe the duties, and to assign air force service members and civilian employees, and may also change the title of any activity not statutorily designated. The Secretary has several responsibilities under the
(UCMJ) with respect to Air Force service members, including to authority to convene General Courts Martial and to commute sentences.
The Secretary of the Air Force may also be assigned additional responsibilities by the President or the Secretary of Defense, e.g. the Secretary is designated as the "
, has responsibility for acquisition and auditing, comptroller issues (including financial management), inspector general matters, legislative affairs, and public affairs within the Department of the Air Force. The Office of the Secretary of the Air Force is one of the Department of the Air Force's two headquarter staffs at the seat of government, the other one is the
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Name |
Term of Office |
Secretaries of DefenseThe Secretary of Defense is the head and chief executive officer of the Department of Defense of the United States of America. This position corresponds to what is generally known as a Defense Minister in other countries...
serving under: |
President 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....
appointed by: |
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Ended |
Days of Service |
| 1 |
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William S. SymingtonWilliam Stuart Symington was a businessman and political figure from Missouri. He served as the first Secretary of the Air Force from 1947 to 1950 and was a Democratic United States Senator from Missouri from 1953 to 1976.-Education and business career:...
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September 18, 1947 |
April 24, 1950 |
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James Forrestal
Louis Johnson |
Harry S. TrumanHarry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
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| 2 |
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Thomas K. Finletter Thomas Knight Finletter , was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman.-Biography:Finletter was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of Thomas Dickson Finletter and Helen Grill Finletter...
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April 24, 1950 |
January 20, 1953 |
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Louis Johnson
George MarshallGeorge Catlett Marshall was an American military leader, Chief of Staff of the Army, Secretary of State, and the third Secretary of Defense...
Robert Lovett |
| 3 |
 |
Harold E. Talbott Harold Elstner Talbott, Jr. was the third United States Secretary of the Air Force.-Biography:He was born in Dayton, Ohio, in March 1888 and died in 1957...
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February 4, 1953 |
August 13, 1955 |
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Charles Wilson Charles Erwin Wilson , American businessman and politician, was United States Secretary of Defense from 1953 to 1957 under President Eisenhower. Known as "Engine Charlie", he previously worked as CEO for General Motors. In the wake of the Korean War, he cut the defense budget significantly.-Early...
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Dwight D. EisenhowerDwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
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| 4 |
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Donald A. QuarlesDonald Aubrey Quarles was a communications engineer, senior level executive with Bell Telephone Laboratories and Western Electric, and a top official in the United States Department of Defense during the Eisenhower Administration...
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August 15, 1955 |
April 30, 1957 |
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| 5 |
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James H. Douglas, Jr.James Henderson Douglas, Jr. was a lawyer and senior-level official in the United States Government. He was Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, serving under both President Herbert Hoover and President Franklin Roosevelt...
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May 1, 1957 |
December 10, 1959 |
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Charles Wilson
Neil McElroy
Thomas Gates |
| 6 |
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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:...
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December 11, 1959 |
January 20, 1961 |
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Thomas Gates |
| 7 |
 |
Eugene M. ZuckertEugene Martin Zuckert was the seventh Secretary of the Air Force from January 23, 1961 to September 30, 1965. During his service as secretary, he witnessed the shifting of decision-making powers from the military departments to the Office of the Secretary of Defense, a process that continued...
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January 24, 1961 |
September 30, 1965 |
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Robert McNamaraRobert Strange McNamara was an American business executive and the eighth Secretary of Defense, serving under Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson from 1961 to 1968, during which time he played a large role in escalating the United States involvement in the Vietnam War...
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John F. KennedyJohn Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
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| 8 |
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Harold BrownHarold Brown , American scientist, was U.S. Secretary of Defense from 1977 to 1981 in the cabinet of President Jimmy Carter. He had previously served in the Lyndon Johnson administration as Director of Defense Research and Engineering and Secretary of the Air Force.While Secretary of Defense, he...
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October 1, 1965 |
February 15, 1969 |
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Robert McNamara
Clark Clifford
Mel Laird |
Lyndon B. JohnsonLyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
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| 9 |
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Robert C. Seamans, Jr. |
February 15, 1969 |
May 15, 1973 |
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Mel Laird
Elliot RichardsonElliot Lee Richardson was an American lawyer and politician who was a member of the cabinet of Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. As U.S...
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Richard M. Nixon |
| (acting) |
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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...
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May 15, 1973 |
July 18, 1973 |
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Elliot Richardson
James Schlesinger |
| 10 |
July 18, 1973 |
November 23, 1975 |
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James Schlesinger
Donald RumsfeldDonald Henry Rumsfeld is an American politician and businessman. Rumsfeld served as the 13th Secretary of Defense from 1975 to 1977 under President Gerald Ford, and as the 21st Secretary of Defense from 2001 to 2006 under President George W. Bush. He is both the youngest and the oldest person to...
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| (acting) |
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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....
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November 24, 1975 |
January 1, 1976 |
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Donald Rumsfeld |
Gerald FordGerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the 40th Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974...
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| 11 |
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Thomas C. Reed Thomas Care Reed was the 11th Secretary of the Air Force from January 2, 1976 - April 6, 1977 under Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter.-Early life:...
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January 2, 1976 |
April 6, 1977 |
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Donald Rumsfeld
Harold Brown |
| 12 |
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John C. Stetson |
April 6, 1977 |
May 18, 1979 |
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Harold BrownHarold Brown , American scientist, was U.S. Secretary of Defense from 1977 to 1981 in the cabinet of President Jimmy Carter. He had previously served in the Lyndon Johnson administration as Director of Defense Research and Engineering and Secretary of the Air Force.While Secretary of Defense, he...
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Jimmy CarterJames Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
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| (acting) |
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Hans Mark Hans Michael Mark is a former Secretary of the Air Force and a former Deputy Administrator of NASA. He is an expert and consultant in aerospace design and national defense policy...
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May 18, 1979 |
July 26, 1979 |
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| 13 |
July 26, 1979 |
February 9, 1981 |
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Harold Brown
Caspar Weinberger |
| 14 |
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Verne Orr Verne Orr was the 14th Secretary of the Air Force, appointed by President Ronald Reagan. From California, he was a businessman and educator who served in both state and national government positions.-Early life:Verne Orr was born on November 12, 1916 in Des Moines, Iowa...
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February 9, 1981 |
November 30, 1985 |
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Caspar WeinbergerCaspar Willard "Cap" Weinberger , was an American politician, vice president and general counsel of Bechtel Corporation, and Secretary of Defense under President Ronald Reagan from January 21, 1981, until November 23, 1987, making him the third longest-serving defense secretary to date, after...
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Ronald ReaganRonald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
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| 15 |
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Russell A. Rourke Russell A. Rourke was a lawyer and public official. He served in key staff positions on Capital Hill and in senior executive positions within the Federal Government...
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December 9, 1985 |
April 6, 1986 |
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| (acting) |
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Edward C. Aldridge Jr. Edward "Pete" Cleveland Aldridge Jr. has served in many top U.S. Defense Department and defense industry jobs, including as Under Secretary of the Air Force from 1981–1986, Director of the National Reconnaissance Office 1981-1988, and as the Secretary of the Air Force from 1986-1988...
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April 6, 1986 |
June 8, 1986 |
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| 16 |
June 9, 1986 |
December 16, 1988 |
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Caspar Weinberger
Frank CarlucciFrank Charles Carlucci III is a former official in the United States Government, associated with the Republican Party. The most prominent office held by Carlucci was as Secretary of Defense from 1987 until 1989 in the Reagan Administration.-Early life and career:Carlucci was born in Scranton,...
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| (acting) |
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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...
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December 16, 1988 |
April 29, 1989 |
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Frank Carlucci
Dick Cheney |
| (acting) |
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John J. Welch, Jr. John James "Jack" Welch, Jr. was a United States scientist and businessman who served as Assistant Secretary of the Air Force from 1987 to 1992.-Biography:...
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April 29, 1989 |
May 21, 1989 |
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Dick CheneyRichard Bruce "Dick" Cheney served as the 46th Vice President of the United States , under George W. Bush....
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George H. W. BushGeorge Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
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| 17 |
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Donald B. Rice |
May 1, 1989 |
January 20, 1993 |
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| (acting) |
 |
Michael B. DonleyMichael Bruce Donley is the 22nd Secretary of the United States Air Force. Donley has 30 years of experience in the national security community, including service on the staff of the United States Senate, White House and The Pentagon...
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January 20, 1993 |
July 13, 1993 |
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Les AspinLeslie "Les" Aspin, Jr. was a United States Representative from 1971 to 1993, and the United States Secretary of Defense under President Bill Clinton from January 21, 1993 to February 3, 1994.-Early life:...
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Bill ClintonWilliam Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
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| (acting) |
 |
Merrill A. McPeak Merrill Anthony "Tony" McPeak was the 14th Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force. He retired from the service on November 1, 1994.-Education:McPeak was born in Santa Rosa, California...
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July 14, 1993 |
August 5, 1993 |
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| 18 |
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Sheila E. WidnallSheila Marie Evans Widnall is an American aerospace researcher and Institute Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She served as United States Secretary of the Air Force between 1993 and 1997, making her the first female Secretary of the Air Force and first woman to lead an...
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August 6, 1993 |
October 31, 1997 |
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Les Aspin
William PerryWilliam James Perry is an American businessman and engineer who was the United States Secretary of Defense from February 3, 1994, to January 23, 1997, under President Bill Clinton...
William Cohen |
| (acting) |
 |
F. Whitten Peters |
November 1, 1997 |
July 30, 1999 |
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William CohenWilliam Sebastian Cohen is an author and American politician from the U.S. state of Maine. A Republican, Cohen served as Secretary of Defense under Democratic President Bill Clinton.-Early life and education:...
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| 19 |
July 30, 1999 |
January 20, 2001 |
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| (acting) |
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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...
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January 21, 2001 |
May 31, 2001 |
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Donald RumsfeldDonald Henry Rumsfeld is an American politician and businessman. Rumsfeld served as the 13th Secretary of Defense from 1975 to 1977 under President Gerald Ford, and as the 21st Secretary of Defense from 2001 to 2006 under President George W. Bush. He is both the youngest and the oldest person to...
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George W. BushGeorge Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
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| 20 |
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James G. RocheDr. James G. Roche was the 20th Secretary of the Air Force, serving from January 20, 2001 to January 20, 2005. Prior to serving as secretary, Roche served in the United States Navy for 23 years, and as an executive with Northrop Grumman....
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June 1, 2001 |
January 20, 2005 |
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| (acting) |
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Peter B. Teets Peter B. Teets was the thirteenth Director of the National Reconnaissance Office and the Under Secretary of the Air Force....
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January 20, 2005 |
March 25, 2005 |
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| (acting) |
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Michael Montelongo Michael Montelongo was nominated by Pres George W. Bush as the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Financial Management. He was formerly a Senior Project Manager with Cap Gemini Ernst & Young in Atlanta, Georgia, and has been with Ernst & Young since 1999...
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March 25, 2005 |
March 28, 2005 |
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| (acting) |
 |
Michael L. Dominguez Michael L. Dominguez retired as the Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness within the United States Department of Defense...
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March 28, 2005 |
July 29, 2005 |
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| (acting) |
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Pete GerenPreston M. "Pete" Geren, III served as the 20th United States Secretary of the Army from July 16, 2007 to September 16, 2009...
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July 29, 2005 |
November 4, 2005 |
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| 21 |
 |
Michael WynneMichael W. Wynne is an American business executive and was the 21st United States Secretary of the Air Force. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates asked for and received his resignation Michael W. Wynne (born September 4, 1944) is an American business executive and was the 21st United States...
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November 4, 2005 |
June 20, 2008 |
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Donald Rumsfeld
Robert Gates |
| (acting) |
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Michael B. DonleyMichael Bruce Donley is the 22nd Secretary of the United States Air Force. Donley has 30 years of experience in the national security community, including service on the staff of the United States Senate, White House and The Pentagon...
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June 21, 2008 |
October 2, 2008 |
|
Robert Gates
Leon PanettaLeon Edward Panetta is the 23rd and current United States Secretary of Defense, serving in the administration of President Barack Obama since 2011. Prior to taking office, he served as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency...
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| 22 |
October 2, 2008 |
Incumbent |
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