10 U.S.C. § 9020

Inspector General

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(a) There is an Inspector General of the Department of the Air Force who shall be detailed to such position by the Secretary of the Air Force from the general officers of the Air Force or the Space Force. An officer may not be detailed to such position for a tour of duty of more than four years, except that the Secretary may extend such a tour of duty if he makes a special finding that the extension is necessary in the public interest.(b) When directed by the Secretary, the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, or the Chief of Space Operations, the Inspector General shall—(1) inquire into and report upon the discipline, efficiency, and economy of the Department of the Air Force; and(2) perform any other duties prescribed by the Secretary, the Chief of Staff, or the Chief of Space Operations.(c) The Inspector General shall periodically propose programs of inspections to the Secretary of the Air Force and shall recommend additional inspections and investigations as may appear appropriate.(d) The Inspector General shall cooperate fully with the Inspector General of the Department of Defense in connection with the performance of any duty or function by the Inspector General of the Department of Defense under chapter 4 of title 5 regarding the Department of the Air Force.(e) The Inspector General shall have such deputies and assistants as the Secretary of the Air Force may prescribe. Each such deputy and assistant shall be an officer detailed by the Secretary to that position from the officers of the Air Force or the Space Force for a tour of duty of not more than four years, under a procedure prescribed by the Secretary.(Added Pub. L. 99–433, title V, § 521(a)(5), Oct. 1, 1986, 100 Stat. 1059, § 8020; renumbered § 9020, Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, § 806(c), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1833; amended Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title IX, § 923(b)(4), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3808; Pub. L. 117–286, § 4(b)(32), Dec. 27, 2022, 136 Stat. 4346; Pub. L. 118–31, div. A, title XVII, § 1741(a)(7), Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 680.)Editorial NotesAmendments

2023—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 118–31 struck out “the general, flag, or equivalent officers of” before “the Space Force”.

2022—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 117–286 substituted “chapter 4 of title 5” for “the Inspector General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App. 3)”.

2021—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 116–283, § 923(b)(4)(A), inserted “Department of the” after “Inspector General of the” and “or the general, flag, or equivalent officers of the Space Force” after “general officers of the Air Force”.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 116–283, § 923(b)(4)(B)(i), substituted “, the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, or the Chief of Space Operations” for “or the Chief of Staff”.

Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 116–283, § 923(b)(4)(B)(ii), inserted “Department of the” before “Air Force”.

Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 116–283, § 923(b)(4)(B)(iii), substituted “, the Chief of Staff, or the Chief of Space Operations” for “or the Chief of Staff”.

Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 116–283, § 923(b)(4)(C), inserted “or the Space Force” before “for a tour of duty”.

2018—Pub. L. 115–232 renumbered section 8020 of this title as this section.

Statutory Notes and Related SubsidiariesEffective 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.

Service of Incumbents in Certain Positions Without Reappointment

Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title IX, § 923(f), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3820, provided that:“(1)In general.—The individual serving in a position under a provision of law specified in paragraph (2) as of the date of the enactment of this Act [Jan. 1, 2021] may continue to serve in such position after that date without further appointment as otherwise provided by such provision of law, notwithstanding the amendment of such provision of law by subsection (b).“(2)Provisions of law.—The provisions of law specified in this paragraph are the provisions of title 10, United States Code, as follows:“(A) Section 9020, relating to the Inspector General of the Department of the Air Force.“(B) Section 9036. [sic] relating to the Surgeon General of the Air Force.“(C) Section 9037(a), relating to the Judge Advocate General of the Air Force.“(D) Section 9037(d), relating to the Deputy Judge Advocate General of the Air Force.“(E) Section 9039, relating to the Chief of Chaplains for the Air Force and the Space Force.”

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 1 case (1 in the last 5 years), 2025–2025 · leading case: Alexander v. Stack (D. Maryland 2025).

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Alexander v. Stack (D. Maryland 2025). · cites it 2× “48 (noting that “(a)ny person may file a complaint with the Inspector General’); see also 10 U.S.C. § 9020 (b) (stating that the Air Force Inspector General shall “inquire into and report upon the discipline, efficiency, and economy of the Department of the Air Force” “[w]hen…”

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