Who publishes TOs?

• A. Secretary of the Air Force
• B. Secretary of Defense
• C. Chief of Staff of the Air Force
• D. Air Force Materiel Command

Answer: (A)

Technical Orders are the official instructions that tell Air Force personnel how to operate, maintain, and support equipment. The authority to publish and issue these orders rests with the Department of the Air Force under the civilian leadership of the Secretary of the Air Force. The Secretary designates the appropriate offices to prepare, approve, and disseminate TOs, but the ultimate publishing authority comes from the Secretary.

The other options don’t hold that ultimate authority: the Secretary of Defense oversees the entire DoD but does not publish Air Force TOs; the Chief of Staff of the Air Force directs and implements Air Force policy but does not publish TOs by itself; and the Air Force Materiel Command handles management and development of systems and associated data, but publishing TOs is a responsibility that sits with the Secretary of the Air Force.