United States Under Secretary of the Air Force in the context of "Chief of Space Operations"

The United States Department of the Air Force (DAF) is one of the three military departments within the Department of Defense of the United States of America. The Department of the Air Force was formed on September 18, 1947, per the National Security Act of 1947 (codified into Title 10 of the United States Code) and it is the military department within which the United States Air Force and the United States Space Force are organized.

The Department of the Air Force is headed by the secretary of the Air Force (SAF/OS), a civilian, who has the authority to conduct all of its affairs, subject to the authority, direction and control of the secretary of defense. The secretary of the Air Force's principal deputy is the under secretary of the Air Force (SAF/US). Their senior staff assistants in the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force are five assistant secretaries for acquisition, technology & logistics; financial management & comptroller; installations, environment & energy; manpower & reserve affairs; and space acquisition & integration and a general counsel. The highest-ranking military officers in the department, and senior military advisers to the secretary, are the chief of staff of the Air Force and chief of space operations.

The secretary of the Air Force, sometimes referred to as the secretary of the Department of the Air Force, (SecAF, or SAF/OS) is the head of the Department of the Air Force and the service secretary for the United States Air Force and United States Space Force. The secretary of the Air Force is a civilian appointed 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.

The secretary works closely with their civilian deputy, the under secretary of the Air Force; and their military deputies, the chief of staff of the Air Force and the chief of space operations.

Assistant Secretary of the Air Force is the title of five civilian officials in the United States Department of the Air Force. They report to and assist the United States Secretary of the Air Force and the United States Under Secretary of the Air Force.

According to U.S. law, there are five Assistant Secretaries of the Air Force "appointed from civilian life by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate." "The Assistant Secretaries shall perform such duties and exercise such powers as the Secretary of the Air Force may prescribe." The duties of three of the Assistant Secretaries are statutorily defined:

Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Installations, Environment & Energy) (abbreviated SAF/IE) is the title of a civilian office in the United States Department of the Air Force. Along with the four other assistant secretaries of the air force, the assistant secretary of the air force (installations, environment & environment) assists the secretary and the under secretary of the air force.

By law, the assistant secretary of the air force (installations, environment & energy) is appointed by the president of the United States "from civilian life with the advice and consent of the United States Senate." Unlike the other assistant secretaries, whose duties are statutorily defined, the office of Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Installations, Environment & Energy) evolved to meet the needs of the United States Air Force as determined by the secretary of the air force. The assistant secretary of the air force (installations, environment & energy) is primarily tasked with all United States Air Force installations. This includes responsibility for all installations, environment, & energy required to keep the United States Air Force in a state of readiness, occupational safety and health on Air Force installations, and environmental issues related to maintaining the Air Force's fleet and installations. The assistant secretary of the air force (installations, environment & energy) also manages the Office of Energy Assurance (OEA), which develops, implements and oversees an integrated facility energy portfolio.

Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Manpower & Reserve Affairs) is the title of a civilian office in the United States Department of the Air Force. Along with the four other assistant secretaries of the air force, the assistant secretary of the air force (manpower & reserve affairs) assists the secretary and the under secretary of the air force.

By law, the assistant secretary of the air force (manpower & reserve affairs) is appointed by the president of the United States from civilian life with the advice and consent of the United States Senate." One of the assistant secretaries serves as assistant secretary of the air force (manpower & reserve affairs) and has "as his principal duty the overall supervision of manpower and reserve component affairs of the Department of the Air Force."