(a) There is in the Department of the Army an Office of the Secretary of the Army. The function of the Office is to assist the Secretary of the Army in carrying out his responsibilities.

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(b) The Office of the Secretary of the Army is composed of the following:

(1) The Under Secretary of the Army.

(2) The Assistant Secretaries of the Army.

(3) The Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Army.

(4) The General Counsel of the Department of the Army.

(5) The Inspector General of the Army.

(6) The Chief of Legislative Liaison.

(7) The Army Reserve Forces Policy Committee.

(8) Such other offices and officials as may be established by law or as the Secretary of the Army may establish or designate.

(c)(1) The Office of the Secretary of the Army shall have sole responsibility within the Office of the Secretary and the Army Staff for the following functions:

(A) Acquisition.

(B) Auditing.

(C) Comptroller (including financial management).

(D) Information management.

(E) Inspector General.

(F) Legislative affairs.

(G) Public affairs.

(2) The Secretary of the Army shall establish or designate a single office or other entity within the Office of the Secretary of the Army to conduct each function specified in paragraph (1). No office or other entity may be established or designated within the Army Staff to conduct any of the functions specified in paragraph (1).

(3) The Secretary shall prescribe the relationship of each office or other entity established or designated under paragraph (2) to the Chief of Staff and to the Army Staff and shall ensure that each such office or entity provides the Chief of Staff such staff support as the Chief of Staff considers necessary to perform his duties and responsibilities.

(4) The vesting in the Office of the Secretary of the Army of the responsibility for the conduct of a function specified in paragraph (1) does not preclude other elements of the executive part of the Department of the Army (including the Army Staff) from providing advice or assistance to the Chief of Staff or otherwise participating in that function within the executive part of the Department under the direction of the office assigned responsibility for that function in the Office of the Secretary of the Army.

(5) The head of the office or other entity established or designated by the Secretary to conduct the auditing function shall have at least five years of professional experience in accounting or auditing. The position shall be considered to be a career reserved position as defined in section 3132(a)(8) of title 5.

(d)(1) Subject to paragraph (2), the Office of the Secretary of the Army shall have sole responsibility within the Office of the Secretary and the Army Staff for the function of research and development.

(2) The Secretary of the Army may assign to the Army Staff responsibility for those aspects of the function of research and development that relate to military requirements and test and evaluation.

(3) The Secretary shall establish or designate a single office or other entity within the Office of the Secretary of the Army to conduct the function specified in paragraph (1).

(4) The Secretary shall prescribe the relationship of the office or other entity established or designated under paragraph (3) to the Chief of Staff of the Army and to the Army Staff and shall ensure that each such office or entity provides the Chief of Staff such staff support as the Chief of Staff considers necessary to perform his duties and responsibilities.

(e) The Secretary of the Army shall ensure that the Office of the Secretary of the Army and the Army Staff do not duplicate specific functions for which the Secretary has assigned responsibility to the other.

(f)(1) The total number of members of the armed forces and civilian employees of the Department of the Army assigned or detailed to permanent duty in the Office of the Secretary of the Army and on the Army Staff may not exceed 3,250.

(2) Not more than 1,900 officers of the Army on the active-duty list may be assigned or detailed to permanent duty in the Office of the Secretary of the Army and on the Army Staff.

(3) The total number of general officers assigned or detailed to permanent duty in the Office of the Secretary of the Army and on the Army Staff may not exceed 67.

(4) The limitations in paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) do not apply in time of war.

(5) Each limitation in paragraphs (1) and (2) may be exceeded by a number equal to 15 percent of such limitation in time of national emergency.