General Counsel of the Air Force


The General Counsel of the Air Force is the chief legal officer of the U.S. Department of the Air Force.
By U.S. law, the General Counsel of the Air Force is appointed from civilian life by the President of the United States upon the advice and consent of the United States Senate, and performs such duties as the Secretary of the Air Force specifies.
According to Secretary of the Air Force Order No. 111.5, dated July 14, 2005, "The General Counsel is the chief legal officer and chief ethics official of the Department of the Air Force. Legal opinions issued by the Office of the General Counsel shall be the controlling opinions of the Department of the Air Force. The General Counsel provides advice in accordance with applicable statues on any legal subject and on other matters as directed by the Secretary." In other words, the General Counsel of the Air Force advises the Secretary of the Air Force, the Under Secretary of the Air Force, and the Assistant Secretaries of the Air Force, as well as the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Chief of Space Operations, and other military leaders of the United States Air Force and United States Space Force on legal matters, other than those statutory duties under the Uniform Code of Military Justice performed by the Judge Advocate General of the Air Force.

List of General Counsels of the Air Force (incomplete list)

NameAssumed OfficeLeft OfficePresident Appointed BySecretary Served Under
Brackley Shaw19471949Harry S. TrumanW. Stuart Symington
William T. Thurman19501950Harry S. TrumanW. Stuart Symington, Thomas K. Finletter
James T. Hill Jr.19501952Harry S. TrumanThomas K. Finletter
John Alvin Johnson19521958Dwight EisenhowerThomas K. Finletter, Harold E. Talbott, Donald A. Quarles, James H. Douglas Jr.
Max Golden19581962Dwight Eisenhower, John F. KennedyJames H. Douglas Jr., Dudley C. Sharp, Eugene M. Zuckert
Gerritt W. Wesselink19641965Lyndon B. JohnsonEugene M. Zuckert
Stephen N. Shulman19651966Lyndon JohnsonEugene M. Zuckert, Harold Brown
J. William Doolittle19661968Lyndon JohnsonHarold Brown
John M. Steadman19681970Lyndon Johnson, Richard NixonHarold Brown, Robert C. Seamans, Jr.
Jack L Stempler19701977Richard Nixon, Gerald FordRobert C. Seamans, Jr., John L. McLucas, James W. Plummer, Thomas C. Reed,
Peter B. Hamilton19771978Jimmy CarterJohn C. Stetson
Stuart R. Reichart19791981Jimmy CarterJohn C. Stetson, Hans M. Mark, Verne Orr
David E. Place19811984Ronald ReaganVerne Orr
Eugene R. Sullivan19841986Ronald ReaganVerne Orr, Russell A. Rourke
Kathleen A. Buck19861987Ronald ReaganRussell A. Rourke, Edward C. Aldridge, Jr.
Anne N. Foreman19871989Ronald ReaganEdward C. Aldridge, Jr.
Ann Petersen19891993George H. W. BushDonald B. Rice
Gilbert F. Casellas19931994Bill ClintonSheila E. Widnall
Sheila C. Cheston19951998Bill ClintonSheila E. Widnall
Jeh Charles Johnson19982001Bill ClintonF. Whitten Peters
Mary L. Walker20012008George W. BushJames G. Roche, Michael Wynne
Charles A. Blanchard20092013Barack ObamaMichael B. Donley
Gordon O. Tanner20142017Barack ObamaDeborah Lee James
Thomas E. Ayres2018IncumbentDonald TrumpHeather Wilson