### §9031. The Air Staff: function; composition

(a) There is in the executive part of the Department of the Air Force an Air Staff. The function of the Air Staff is to assist the Secretary of the Air Force in carrying out his responsibilities.

(b) The Air Staff is composed of the following:

(1) The Chief of Staff.

(2) The Vice Chief of Staff.

(3) The Deputy Chiefs of Staff.

(4) The Assistant Chiefs of Staff.

(5) The Surgeon General of the Air Force.

(6) The Judge Advocate General of the Air Force.

(7) The Chief of the Air Force Reserve.

(8) Other members of the Air Force or the Space Force assigned or detailed to the Air Staff.

(9) Civilian employees in the Department of the Air Force assigned or detailed to the Air Staff.

(c) Except as otherwise specifically prescribed by law, the Air Staff shall be organized in such manner, and its members shall perform such duties and have such titles, as the Secretary may prescribe.

(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 490, §8031; Pub. L. 89–718, §45, Nov. 2, 1966, 80 Stat. 1121; Pub. L. 93–608, §1(5), Jan. 2, 1975, 88 Stat. 1968; Pub. L. 98–525, title V, §515, Oct. 19, 1984, 98 Stat. 2522; Pub. L. 99–433, title V, §522(a), Oct. 1, 1986, 100 Stat. 1060; renumbered §9031, Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, §806(c), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1833; Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title IX, §923(b)(5), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3809.)

| Revised section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 8031(a)8031(b) | 10:1811(a).10:1811(b). | Sept. 19, 1951, ch. 407, §201, 65 Stat. 327. |
| 8031(c) | 10:1811(c). | |
| 8031(d) | 10:1811(d). | |

8031(b)

10:1811(b).

In subsection (a), the words "an Air Staff consisting of—" are substituted for the words "a staff, which shall be known as the Air Staff, and which shall consist of—". The words "under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Air Force" are omitted, since the Secretary has inherent authority to issue regulations appropriate to exercising his statutory functions.

In subsection (b), 10:1811(b) (proviso) is omitted as superseded by section 264(c) of this title.

In subsection (c), the third sentence is substituted for 10:1811(c) (1st 13 words and 1st proviso). The words "officers and employees * * * or under the jurisdiction of" are omitted as surplusage.

In subsections (c) and (d), the word "hereafter" is omitted, since all wars and emergencies declared by Congress before September 19, 1951, have been terminated.

In subsection (d), the words "now or hereafter" are omitted as surplusage and as executed. The second sentence is substituted for 10:1811(d) (last 31 words of 1st sentence). The third sentence is substituted for 10:1811(d) (2d sentence). 10:1811(d) (1st 13 words of last sentence) is omitted as executed. The words "This subsection does not apply" are substituted for the words "and shall be inapplicable".

#### **Editorial Notes**

#### Amendments

2021—Subsec. (b)(8). Pub. L. 116–283 inserted "or the Space Force" after "of the Air Force".

2018—Pub. L. 115–232 renumbered section 8031 of this title as this section.

1986—Pub. L. 99–433 amended section generally, substituting "The Air Staff: function; composition" for "Composition: assignment and detail of members of Air Force and civilians" in section catchline and substituting in text provisions relating to establishment and composition of the Air Staff and authorizing the Secretary to prescribe the organization, duties, and titles of the Air Staff for provisions relating to establishment and composition of the Air Staff, authorizing the Secretary to prescribe the organization, duties, and titles of the Air Staff, and limiting the number of officers who may be assigned or detailed to permanent duty in the executive part of the Department of the Air Force.

1984—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 98–525 struck out subsec. (d) which had provided that no commissioned officer who was assigned or detailed to duty in the executive part of the Department of the Air Force could serve for a tour of duty of more than four years, but that the Secretary could extend such a tour of duty if he made a special finding that the extension was necessary in the public interest, that no officer could be assigned or detailed to duty in the executive part of the Department of the Air Force within two years after relief from that duty, except upon a special finding by the Secretary that the assignment or detail was necessary in the public interest, and that the subsection did not apply in time of war, or of national emergency declared by Congress.

1975—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 93–608 struck out requirement of annual report to Congress on the number of officers in the executive part of the Department of the Air Force and the justification therefor.

1966—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 89–718 changed the reporting requirement from quarterly to annually.

#### **Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries**

#### Effective Date of 2018 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 115–232 effective Feb. 1, 2019, with provision for the coordination of amendments and special rule for certain redesignations, see section 800 of Pub. L. 115–232, set out as a note preceding section 3001 of this title.

#### Effective Date of 1984 Amendment

Pub. L. 98–525, title V, §515, Oct. 19, 1984, 98 Stat. 2522, provided in part that the repeal of subsec. (d) of this section is effective Oct. 1, 1984.