United States Secretary of the Air Force

The Secretary of the Air Force (SecAF, or SAF/OS) is the Head of the Department of the Air Force. It is an organization within the Department of Defense of the United States of America.

Secretary of the Air Force
Seal of the Department of the Air Force
Flag of the secretary
Incumbent Troy Meink since May 16, 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 (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
Website	Office of the Secretary

The Secretary of the Air Force is appointed from civilian life by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Secretary reports to the Secretary of Defense and/or the Deputy Secretary of Defense, and is by statute responsible for and has the authority to conduct all the affairs of the Department of the Air Force.

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, 176 days
	A. Ashworth, GaryGary A. Ashworth Acting	January 20, 2025	May 16, 2025	116 days		Trump, DonaldDonald Trump (2025–present)
	Meink, TroyTroy Meink	May 16, 2025	Incumbent	185 days

United States Secretary Of The Air Force Media

• 

  Stuart Symington is sworn-in as the first Secretary of the Air Force by Chief Justice Fred M. Vinson on September 18, 1947.