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27-582: The establishment of the Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal was announced by Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James on 27 May 2014. The timing of the announcement of the medal was very close to the timing of an announcement about the ongoing efforts of Air Force Global Strike Command to improve and reform the nuclear-capable and ICBM career fields. The creation of this medal

54-502: A date to be determined. To be eligible personnel had to have been assigned to the Nuclear Enterprise and performed duties in one of the following, including all Airmen assigned to nuclear missile and bomb wings, regardless of career field: The required length of service to be eligible for the Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal is 120 consecutive or 179 non-consecutive days attached, deployed, assigned, or mobilized to

81-674: A military service of its own, with the enactment of the National Security Act . On July 26, 2021 the United States Senate confirmed Frank Kendall III as the next Secretary of the Air Force. On July 28, 2021, Kendall was sworn in as the 26th Secretary of the Air Force. The secretary is the head of the Department of the Air Force. The Department of the Air Force is defined as a Military Department . It

108-447: A unit supporting the nuclear deterrence mission. After completion of the medal's requirements is certified by the individual's squadron commander, the group commander may approve the award of the medal. Subsequent awards may only be earned by completing the same service and requirements after a permanent change of station from the last assignment when the medal was earned. Certain individuals may be further recognized for their service with

135-533: Is nominated for appointment by the president , for a four-year term of office, and must be confirmed via majority vote by the Senate . Any Air Force officer with the rank of brigadier general and above may be appointed as chief of staff. Prospective nominees are typically laterally promoted from other four-star assignments. The chief can be reappointed to serve one additional term, but only during times of war or national emergency declared by Congress. To qualify for

162-563: Is not limited to the Washington headquarters staffs, rather it is an entity which includes all the components of the United States Air Force and United States Space Force, including their reserve components: The term 'department', when used with respect to a military department, means the executive part of the department and all field headquarters, forces, reserve components, installations, activities, and functions under

189-550: Is part of a multifaceted approach to attract and retain high-caliber personnel in the nuclear and missile operations career fields. The idea for this medal had been circulating within the Air Force for a few years prior to approval, with confirmation as early as 2011 that work was ongoing to develop this award. The Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal may be awarded to Active Duty, Reserve, and National Guard personnel for service in support of US Air Force and US Space Force nuclear deterrence operations from 26 December 1991 until

216-568: Is round and made of a gold colored metal. A graphic on the medal represents the core mission for personnel, nuclear capability. The medal is gold in color to represent the legacy of the United States' strategic nuclear deterrence mission. The medal is suspended from a blue ribbon with red, green and gold stripes. The blue represents "nuclear dominance of the sky", the red represents "power and passion" in providing nuclear deterrence, green represents Earth and global capability, and gold represents

243-628: Is the service chief of the United States Air Force . They are the principal military advisor to the secretary of the Air Force on matter pertaining to the Air Force. They are a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff , and thereby a military adviser to the National Security Council , the secretary of defense , and the president . The chief of staff is typically the highest-ranking officer on active duty in

270-406: The chain of command for Air Force and Space Force units for other purposes than the operational direction goes from the president to the secretary of defense to the secretary of the Air Force to the commanders of Air Force and Space Force Commands . Air Force and Space Force officers have to report on any matter to the secretary, or the secretary's designate, when requested. The secretary has

297-470: The Air Force is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff as prescribed by 10 U.S.C.   § 151 . 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. The chief of staff

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324-407: The Air Force may also be assigned additional responsibilities by the president or the secretary of defense, e.g. the secretary is designated as the " DoD Executive Agent for Space ", and as such: ... shall develop, coordinate, and integrate plans and programs for space systems and the acquisition of DoD Space Major Defense Acquisition Programs to provide operational space force capabilities to ensure

351-529: The Air Force, unless the chairman and/or the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff are Air Force officers. The chief of staff of the Air Force is an administrative position based in the Pentagon . The chief of staff does not have operational command authority over Air Force forces. That is within the purview of the combatant commanders who report to the secretary of defense. The chief of staff exercises supervision of Air Force units and organizations as

378-492: 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 . The first secretary of the Air Force, Stuart Symington , was sworn in on September 18, 1947, upon the split and re-organization of the Department of War and Army Air Forces into an air military department and

405-706: The Secretary of the Air Force is one of the Department of the Air Force's three headquarter staffs at the seat of government, with the others being the Air Staff and the Office of the Chief of Space Operations . The Office of the Secretary of the Air Force is composed of: Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force The chief of staff of the Air Force ( acronym : CSAF , or AF/CC )

432-414: The United States has the space power to achieve its national security objectives. The secretary of the Air Force's principal staff element, the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force , has responsibility for acquisition and auditing, comptroller issues (including financial management), inspector general matters, legislative affairs, and public affairs within the Department of the Air Force. The Office of

459-518: The authority to detail, prescribe the duties, and to assign Air Force and Space Force service members and civilian employees, and may also change the title of any activity not statutorily designated. The secretary has several responsibilities under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) with respect to Air Force and Space Force service members, including the authority to convene general courts martial and to commute sentences. The secretary of

486-652: The award of a gold "N" device to attach to the medal's suspension and service ribbons . Per AFI 36-2803 para A2.4.2.3.3, this device will be worn by airmen who meet one of the following criteria: A) Dispatched to a missile complex for 179 non-consecutive days in direct support of Intercontinental Ballistic Missile operations, and performed duties in one of the following Air Force Specialty Codes : B) for nuclear laden aircraft: nuclear certified aircrew, aircraft maintenance technicians, munitions maintenance technicians, combat crew communications, nuclear certified controllers, and security forces performing guard duties. The medal

513-595: The band of the hat. This cap is different from those worn by other general officers of the Air Force and it is for use by the Chief of Staff and Air Force officers serving as Chairman or Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. 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

540-491: 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. The chief of staff of

567-527: The control or supervision of the Secretary of the department. The exclusive responsibilities of the secretary of the Air Force are enumerated in 10 U.S.C.   § 9013(b) of the United States Code . They include, but are not limited to: (1) Recruiting. (2) Organizing. (3) Supplying. (4) Equipping (including research and development). (5) Training. (6) Servicing. (7) Mobilizing. (8) Demobilizing. (9) Administering (including

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594-405: The designee of the secretary of the Air Force. The 23rd and current chief of staff of the Air Force is General David W. Allvin . 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

621-403: The morale and welfare of personnel). (10) Maintaining. (11) The construction, outfitting, and repair of military equipment. (12) The construction, maintenance, and repair of buildings, structures, and utilities and the acquisition of real property and interests in real property necessary to carry out the responsibilities specified in this section. By direction of the secretary of defense,

648-543: The participating personnel, "the wealth of our nuclear enterprise". Subsequent awards of the medal are recognized by oak leaf clusters . The "N" device may only be awarded once. Secretary of the Air Force 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

675-473: The position, the nominee must have significant joint duty experience, and at least one full tour of duty in a joint duty assignment as a general officer , unless the President waives this requirement. By statute, the chief of staff is appointed as a four-star general without vacating his permanent rank. The chief of staff is authorized to wear a special service cap with clouds and lightning bolts around

702-477: The secretary of the Air Force assigns military units of the Air Force and Space Force, other than those who carry out the functions listed in 10 U.S.C.   § 9013(b) , to the Unified and Specified Combatant Commands to perform missions assigned to those commands. Air Force and Space Force units while assigned to Combatant Commands may only be reassigned by authority of the secretary of defense. However,

729-416: 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

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