§120 Department of Defense Executive Aircraft Controlled by Secretaries of Military Departments

Summary

Require the Secretary of Defense to have the Chief of the Air Force Special Air Mission Office schedule all Department of Defense executive aircraft that the military department Secretaries control so those planes support required use travelers. Within 180 days after the law is enacted, each military department Secretary must sign a memorandum of understanding with the Air Force Special Air Mission Office about how those aircraft will be managed. The Secretary of Defense must set rules to decide who gets priority to use the aircraft. The Secretary of Defense must also name a career Senior Executive Service appointee (as defined in section 3132(a) of title 5) to coordinate aircraft tasking and make sure rules are followed. Each military department Secretary keeps final say over scheduling their own required use travelers, and if their plane is not being used by their travelers it must be made available to other required use travelers. The Secretary of Defense may not create a new command for aircraft, and no executive aircraft may be permanently based where there is no required use traveler unless the Secretary of Defense approves. The law uses two defined terms: “required use traveler” — as defined in Department of Defense directive 4500.56, and “executive aircraft” — as defined in Department of Defense directive 4500.43, both as in effect on the date of the enactment of this section.