Title 10, Armed ForcesRelease 119-102
§9455 Board of Visitors
Title 10 › Subtitle D — Air Force and Space Force › PART III — TRAINING › CHAPTER 953 — UNITED STATES AIR FORCE ACADEMY › § 9455
Summary
Sets up a yearly Board of Visitors for the Air Force Academy made up mostly of members of Congress and six people the President picks. The group includes the chairs and ranking members of the Senate and House Armed Services Committees, four other Senators (some chosen by the Senate leaders, with one from the Senate Appropriations Committee), four other Representatives (some chosen by House leaders, with one from the House Appropriations Committee), and six presidential appointees. Presidential appointees serve three-year terms and at least two must be Academy graduates. If a member leaves or is removed, the person who picked them names a replacement for the rest of the term. Missing two meetings in a row without an approved excuse can lead to removal; the chairman can remove non-Congress members, but only the original picker can remove members of Congress, and the chairman must tell that picker if removal is possible. The Board must visit the Academy at least once a year and can make other visits with the Air Force Secretary’s permission. Board members get access to the campus, cadets, faculty, and staff to look into things like morale, discipline, curriculum, equipment, money matters, and other topics they choose. The Air Force must give honest information about problems. The Board must write reports twice a year with its views and recommendations and send them to the Secretary of Defense (through the Secretary of the Air Force) and to the Senate and House Armed Services Committees. With the Secretary’s OK, advisers can be brought in. Members and advisers can be paid travel costs under government rules. A majority can call an official meeting once a year, and members can attend in person or remotely.
Full Legal Text
Title 10, §9455
Armed Forces, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)A Board of Visitors to the Academy is constituted annually of—
(1)the chair of the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate, or the designee of such chair;
(2)the ranking member of the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate, or the designee of the ranking member;
(3)two other members of the Senate designated by the Majority Leader of the Senate, one of whom is a member of the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;
(4)two other members of the Senate designated by the Minority Leader of the Senate, one of whom is a member of the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;
(5)the chair of the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives, or the designee of such chair;
(6)the ranking member of the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives, or the designee of the ranking member;
(7)two other members of the House of Representatives designated by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, one of whom is a member of the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives;
(8)two other members of the House of Representatives designated by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives; and
(9)six persons designated by the President.
(b)(1)The persons designated by the President serve for three years each except that any member whose term of office has expired shall continue to serve until his successor is designated by the President. The President shall designate persons each year to succeed the members designated by the President whose terms expire that year.
(2)At least two of the members designated by the President shall be graduates of the Academy.
(c)(1)If a member of the Board dies or resigns or is terminated as a member of the Board under paragraph (2), a successor shall be designated for the unexpired portion of the term by the official who designated the member.
(2)(A)If a member of the Board fails to attend two successive Board meetings, except in a case in which an absence is approved in advance, for good cause, by the Board chairman, such failure shall be grounds for termination from membership on the Board. A person designated for membership on the Board shall be provided notice of the provisions of this paragraph at the time of such designation.
(B)Termination of membership on the Board under subparagraph (A)—
(i)in the case of a member of the Board who is not a member of Congress, may be made by the Board chairman; and
(ii)in the case of a member of the Board who is a member of Congress, may be made only by the official who designated the member.
(C)When a member of the Board is subject to termination from membership on the Board under subparagraph (A), the Board chairman shall notify the official who designated the member. Upon receipt of such a notification with respect to a member of the Board who is a member of Congress, the official who designated the member shall take such action as that official considers appropriate.
(d)The Board shall visit the Academy annually. With the approval of the Secretary of the Air Force, the Board or its members may make other visits to the Academy in connection with the duties of the Board or to consult with the Superintendent of the Academy. Board members shall have access to the Academy grounds and the cadets, faculty, staff, and other personnel of the Academy for the purposes of the duties of the Board.
(e)(1)The Board shall inquire into the morale, discipline, and social climate, the curriculum, instruction, physical equipment, fiscal affairs, academic methods, and other matters relating to the Academy that the Board decides to consider.
(2)The Secretary of the Air Force and the Superintendent of the Academy shall provide the Board candid and complete disclosure, consistent with applicable laws concerning disclosure of information, with respect to institutional problems.
(3)The Board shall recommend appropriate action.
(f)The Board shall prepare a semiannual report containing its views and recommendations pertaining to the Academy, based on its meeting since the last such report and any other considerations it determines relevant. Each such report shall be submitted concurrently to the Secretary of Defense, through the Secretary of the Air Force, and to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives.
(g)Upon approval by the Secretary, the Board may call in advisers for consultation.
(h)While performing duties as a member of the Board, each member of the Board and each adviser shall be reimbursed under Government travel regulations for travel expenses.
(i)(1)A majority of the members of the Board may call an official meeting of the Board once per year.
(2)A member may attend such meeting—
(A)in person, at the Academy; or
(B)remotely, at the election of such member.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Historical and Revision Notes
Revised sectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 9355(a) 9355(b)10:1055.10:1056 (1st sentence).10:1056 (less 1st sentence).
June 29, 1948, ch. 714, §§ 1–6, 62 Stat. 1094;
June 30, 1954, ch. 432, § 732, 68 Stat. 356. 9355(c)10:1057. 9355(d)10:1058. 9355(e)10:1059(a). 9355(f)10:1059(b). 9355(g)10:1059(c). 9355(h)10:1060. In subsections (a) and (b), the word “designated” is substituted for the word “appointed” to make it clear that the positions described are not constitutional offices. Subsection (b) is substituted for 10:1056(e) (less 1st sentence). In subsection (c), the words “during the term for which such member was appointed” and “Such successor shall be appointed * * * who died or resigned” are omitted as surplusage. In subsection (g), the words “as it may deem necessary or advisable to effectuate the duties imposed upon it by the provisions of section 1055–1060 of this title” are omitted as surplusage. In subsection (h), the words “called for consultation by the Board in connection with the business of the Board” are omitted as surplusage.
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2025—Subsec. (a)(8). Pub. L. 119–60 substituted “two other members” for “one other member”. 2024—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 118–159, § 558(c)(1), added subsec. (a) and struck out former subsec. (a) which set out 5 categories of members of the Board of Visitors to the Academy, as constituted annually. Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 118–159, § 558(c)(2), which directed insertion of “and the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives” after “the President” both places it appeared, could not be executed because “the President” no longer appeared in subsec. (f) after the general amendment of this section by Pub. L. 108–375, § 543. 2021—Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 117–81, § 554(c), substituted “is designated by the President” for “is designated”. Subsec. (i). Pub. L. 117–81, § 555(c), added subsec. (i). 2018—Pub. L. 115–232, § 806(a)(3), renumbered section 9355 of this title as this section. Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 115–232, § 593, added subsec. (d) and struck out former subsec. (d) which read as follows: “The Board should meet at least four times a year, with at least two of those meetings at the Academy. The Board or its members may make other visits to the Academy in connection with the duties of the Board. Board meetings should last at least one full day. Board members shall have access to the Academy grounds and the cadets, faculty, staff, and other personnel of the Academy for the purposes of the duties of the Board.” 2006—Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 109–364 substituted “Board under paragraph (2)” for “board under paragraph (2)”. 2004—Pub. L. 108–375 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section contained provisions relating to membership of Board of Visitors in subsec. (a), term of office in subsec. (b), designation of successor in subsec. (c), frequency of Academy visits in subsec. (d), scope of Board inquiries in subsec. (e), submission of reports in subsec. (f), calling in of advisers in subsec. (g), and reimbursement for travel in subsec. (h). 1999—Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 106–65 substituted “Committee on Armed Services” for “Committee on National Security”. 1996—Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 104–106, § 1502(a)(12), substituted “National Security” for “Armed Services”. Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 104–106, § 1061(e)(2), struck out “is entitled to not more than $5 a day and” after “each adviser”. 1980—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 96–579 required member whose term of office had expired to continue service until appointment of a successor.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
of 2018 AmendmentAmendment by section 806(a)(3) of 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.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
10 U.S.C. § 9455
Title 10, Armed Forces
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102