U.S. Code > Title 10 Armed Forces > Subtitle D—Air Force (§§ 8010—9842) > PART I—ORGANIZATION (§§ 8010—8084) > CHAPTER 803—DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE (§§ 8010—8024) > § 8014. Office of the Secretary of the Air Force

§ 8014. Office of the Secretary of the Air Force

(a) There is in the Department of the Air Force an Office of the Secretary of the Air Force. The function of the Office is to assist the Secretary of the Air Force in carrying out his responsibilities.
(b) The Office of the Secretary of the Air Force is composed of the following:
(1) The Under Secretary of the Air Force.
(2) The Assistant Secretaries of the Air Force.
(3) The General Counsel of the Department of the Air Force.
(4) The Inspector General of the Air Force.
(5) The Chief of Legislative Liaison.
(6) The Air Reserve Forces Policy Committee.
(7) Such other offices and officials as may be established by law or as the Secretary of the Air Force may establish or designate.
(c)
(1) The Office of the Secretary of the Air Force shall have sole responsibility within the Office of the Secretary and the Air Staff for the following functions:
(A) Acquisition.
(B) Auditing.
(C) Comptroller (including financial management).
(D) Information management.
(E) Inspector General.
(F) Legislative affairs.
(G) Public affairs.
(2) The Secretary of the Air Force shall establish or designate a single office or other entity within the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force to conduct each function specified in paragraph (1). No office or other entity may be established or designated within the Air Staff to conduct any of the functions specified in paragraph (1).
(3) The Secretary shall prescribe the relationship of each office or other entity established or designated under paragraph (2) to the Chief of Staff and to the Air Staff and shall ensure that each such office or entity provides the Chief of Staff such staff support as the Chief of Staff considers necessary to perform his duties and responsibilities.
(4) The vesting in the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force of the responsibility for the conduct of a function specified in paragraph (1) does not preclude other elements of the executive part of the Department of the Air Force (including the Air Staff) from providing advice or assistance to the Chief of Staff or otherwise participating in that function within the executive part of the Department under the direction of the office assigned responsibility for that function in the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force.
(5) The head of the office or other entity established or designated by the Secretary to conduct the auditing function shall have at least five years of professional experience in accounting or auditing. The position shall be considered to be a career reserved position as defined in section 3132 (a)(8) of title 5.
(d)
(1) Subject to paragraph (2), the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force shall have sole responsibility within the Office of the Secretary and the Air Staff for the function of research and development.
(2) The Secretary of the Air Force may assign to the Air Staff responsibility for those aspects of the function of research and development that relate to military requirements and test and evaluation.
(3) The Secretary shall establish or designate a single office or other entity within the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force to conduct the function specified in paragraph (1).
(4) The Secretary shall prescribe the relationship of the office or other entity established or designated under paragraph (3) to the Chief of Staff of the Air Force and to the Air Staff and shall ensure that each such office or entity provides the Chief of Staff such staff support as the Chief of Staff considers necessary to perform his duties and responsibilities.
(e) The Secretary of the Air Force shall ensure that the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force and the Air Staff do not duplicate specific functions for which the Secretary has assigned responsibility to the other.
(f)
(1) The total number of members of the armed forces and civilian employees of the Department of the Air Force assigned or detailed to permanent duty in the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force and on the Air Staff may not exceed 2,639.
(2) Not more than 1,585 officers of the Air Force on the active-duty list may be assigned or detailed to permanent duty in the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force and on the Air Staff.
(3) The total number of general officers assigned or detailed to permanent duty in the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force and on the Air Staff may not exceed 60.
(4) The limitations in paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) do not apply in time of war or during a national emergency declared by the President or Congress. The limitation in paragraph (2) does not apply whenever the President determines that it is in the national interest to increase the number of officers assigned or detailed to permanent duty in the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force or on the Air Staff.