1. (a) Except as otherwise prescribed by law or by the Secretary of Defense, the Air Force shall be divided into such organizations as the Secretary of the Air Force may prescribe.
2. (b) For Air Force purposes, the United States, its possessions, and other places in which the Air Force is stationed or is operating, may be divided into such areas as directed by the Secretary. Officers of the Air Force may be assigned to command Air Force activities, installations, and personnel in those areas. In the discharge of the Air Force’s functions or other functions authorized by law, officers so assigned have the duties and powers prescribed by the Secretary.

(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 495, § 8074; Pub. L. 85–599, § 4(f), Aug. 6, 1958, 72 Stat. 517; Pub. L. 89–37, title III, § 306(a), June 11, 1965, 79 Stat. 129; Pub. L. 99–433, title V, § 523, Oct. 1, 1986, 100 Stat. 1063; Pub. L. 107–107, div. A, title IX, § 931(b), Dec. 28, 2001, 115 Stat. 1200; Pub. L. 109–163, div. A, title X, § 1057(a)(2), Jan. 6, 2006, 119 Stat. 3440; renumbered § 9074, Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, § 806(c), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1833; renumbered § 9065, Pub. L. 116–92, div. A, title IX, § 952(b)(1), Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 1561.)

In subsection (b), the words “from time to time” are omitted as surplusage.

In subsection (d), the words “have the duties and powers” are substituted for the words “shall perform such duties and exercise such powers”. The words “of America”, “elements of”, “other provisions of”, and “so assigned” are omitted as surplusage.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2019—Pub. L. 116–92 renumbered section 9074 of this title as this section.

2018—Pub. L. 115–232 renumbered section 8074 of this title as section 9074 of this title.

2006—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 109–163 struck out “its Territories,” after “the United States,”.

2001—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 107–107 struck out subsec. (c) which read as follows: “The Military Air Transport Service is redesignated as the Military Airlift Command.”

1986—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 99–433 substituted “Except as otherwise prescribed by law or by the Secretary of Defense, the” for “The”.

1965—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 89–37 added subsec. (c).

1958—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 85–599, § 4(f)(1), substituted provisions permitting the Air Force to be divided into such organizations as the Secretary of the Air Force may prescribe for provisions which established an air-defense, a strategic, and a tactical command in the Air Force.

Subsecs. (b) to (d). Pub. L. 85–599, § 4(f)(2), redesignated subsec. (d) as (b), and repealed former subsecs. (b) and (c) which permitted the Secretary of the Air Force to establish additional commands and organizations in the interest of efficiency and economy of operation, and, for the duration of any war or national emergency, to establish new major commands or to discontinue or consolidate major commands.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2018 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 115–232 effective Feb. 1, 2019, with provision for the coordination of amendments and special rule for certain redesignations, see section 800 of Pub. L. 115–232, set out as a note preceding section 3001 of this title.

Effective Date of 1965 Amendment

Pub. L. 89–37, title III, § 306(b), June 11, 1965, 79 Stat. 129, provided that:

“The amendment made by subsection (a) of this section [amending this section] shall become effective

January 1, 1966.”