Air Force officials announce changes to space functions Published Aug. 31, 2010 WASHINGTON -- Air Force officials announced the realignment of some Headquarters Air Force space functions Aug. 26, following the recent completion of a review of Headquarters Air Force space management and responsibilities, which was directed by Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley in December 2009. In a memorandum signed Aug. 26 Secretary Donley reinforced some existing alignments and directed several changes to Air Force headquarters space organizations, including the identification of the undersecretary of the Air Force as the focal point for space within Headquarters Air Force, with responsibility for coordination of functions and activities across the Air Force space enterprise. Also, the responsibility of space acquisition has been realigned from the undersecretary of the Air Force's office to the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition. "These decisions will allow us to perform our space work in a more streamlined and effective way, with our ultimate goal of providing the best space support to the warfighter," Secretary Donley said in the memorandum. "We recognize the importance and criticality of space not only for the Air Force, but for all our joint military and inter-agency partners, and with these changes I believe the Air Force and our headquarters will be better organized to carry out this vital work." The review was focused on Headquarters Air Force, so it did not address any changes within field organizations such as Air Force Space Command or the Space and Missile Systems Center. Richard W. McKinney, who was recently named deputy undersecretary for Space Programs, led the review that involved more than 70 interviews with key individuals and organizations from the Air Force, Department of Defense, Congress and other space related government, commercial and international organizations. (Courtesy of the Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs)