Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 65.djvu/362

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328 Organization, etc.

Officer personnel limitation.

NonapplicabiJity.

Report to Congress.

Tour of duty.

Restriction.

Effective date of subsection.

Chief of Staff, appointment.

Rank.

61 Stat. 796. 34 U.S.C. § 3a note. Vice Chief of Staff; Deputy Chiefs of Staff.

Duties of Chief of Stafl.

Post, p. 332.

PUBLIC LAW 150—SEPT. 19, 1951

[65

STAT.

(b) The Air Staff shall be organized in such manner, and its members shall perform such duties and bear such titles, as the Secretary of the Air Force may prescribe: Provided, That there shall be in the Air Staff a general officer who shall assist and advise the Secretary of the Air Force and the Chief of Staff on all matters relating to the reserve components of the Air Force and who shall perform such other duties in connection therewith as may be assigned by the Secretary or the Chief of Staff. (c) Except in time of war or national emergency hereafter declared by the Congress, not more than two thousand eight hundred officers of the Air Force shall be detailed or assigned to permanent duty in the Department of the Air Force: Provided, That the numerical limit prescribed in this subsection shall not apply upon a finding by the President that an increase in the number of officers in the Department of the Air Force is in the national interest: Provided further. That the Secretary of the xlir Force shall report quarterly to the Congress the number of officers in the Department of the Air Force and the justification therefor. (d) A commissioned officer of the Air Force now or hereafter detailed or assigned to duty in the Department of the Air Force shall serve for a tour of duty not to exceed four years, except that such tour of duty may be extended beyond four years upon a special finding by the Secretary of the Air Force that the extension is necessary in the public interest. Upon relief from such duty no such officer shall again be detailed or assigned within two years to duty in the Department of the Air Force except upon a like finding by the Secretary of the Air Force. This subsection shall not take effect until one year after the enactment of this Act, and shall be inapplicable in time of war or national emergency hereafter declared by the Congress. SEC. 202. The Chief of Staff shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, from the general officers of the Air Force, to serve during the pleasure of the President, but no person shall serve as Chief of Staff for a term of more than four years unless reappointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Chief of Staff, while holding office as such, shall have the grade of general, without vacation of his permanent grade in the Air Force, and shall take rank as prescribed by law. He shall receive the compensation prescribed by law and shall be counted as one of the officers authorized to be serving in grade above lieutenant general under the provisions of the Officer Personnel Act of 1947 (61 Stat. 886), as amended. SEC. 203. (a) The Vice Chief of Staff and the Deputy Chiefs of Staff shall be general officers of the Air Force detailed to those positions. In case of a vacancy in the office or the absence or disability of the Chief of Staff, the Vice Chief of Staff or the senior Deputy Chief of Staff, who is not absent or disabled, shall, unless otherwise directed by the President, perform the duties of Chief of Staff until his successor is appointed or such absence or disability shall cease. (b) I n case of a vacancy in the position, or the absence or disability, of the Vice Chief of Staff, the senior Deputy Chief of Staff who is not absent or disabled shall, unless otherwise directed by the Secretary of the Air Force, perform the duties of the Vice Chief of Staff until his successor is designated or such absence or disability shall cease. SEC. 204. (a) Under the direction of the Secretary of the Air Force, the Chief of Staff shall exercise command over the air defense command, the strategic air command, the tactical air command, and such other major commands as may be established by the Secretary under section 308(b), and shall have supervision over all other members and organizations of the Air Force, shall perform the duties prescribed