Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force

Department of the Air Force Under the authority, direction and control of the secretary of the Air Force, the chief of staff presides over the Air Staff. They act as the secretary's executive agent in carrying out approved plans, and exercises supervision, consistent with authority assigned to the commanders of the unified combatant commands, over organizations and members of the Air Force as determined by the secretary. The chief of staff may perform other duties as assigned by either the president, the secretary of defense or the secretary of the Air Force. The vice chief of staff of the Air Force, also a four-star general, is the chief of staff's principal deputy. Member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff The chief of staff of the Air Force is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff as prescribed by . When performing his JCS duties, the chief of staff is directly responsible to the secretary of defense. Like the other members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the chief of staff is an administrative position, with no operational command authority over the United States Air Force. ==Appointment and rank==

, or the VJCS, when either is from the Air Force. ==List of chiefs of staff of the Air Force==

Prior to the creation of this position, General Henry H. Arnold was designated the first chief of the Army Air Forces and commanding general of the Army Air Forces during World War II. His successor, Carl A. Spaatz became the first chief of staff of the Air Force upon the establishment of the United States Air Force. Four chiefs of staff would go on to serve as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, namely Nathan F. Twining, George S. Brown, David C. Jones, and Charles Q. Brown Jr. Timeline ==Notes==