[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 30, Number 17 (Monday, May 2, 1994)]
[Pages 894-895]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Executive Order 12908--Order of Succession of Officers To Act as 
Secretary of the Army

April 22, 1994

    By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and 
the laws of the United States of America, including section 3347 of 
title 5, United States Code, it is hereby ordered as follows:

    Section 1. Succession to Act as the Secretary of the Army. (a) In 
the event of the death, permanent disability, or resignation of the 
Secretary of the Army, the incumbents holding the positions designated 
below, in the order indicated, shall act for and exercise the powers of 
the Secretary of the Army:

    (1) The Under Secretary of the Army.

    (2) The Assistant Secretaries and General Counsel of the Army, in 
      the order fixed by their length of service as permanent appointees 
      in such positions.

    (3) The Chief of Staff of the Army.

    (b) In the event of the absence or temporary disability of the 
Secretary of the Army, the incumbents holding the Department of the Army 
positions designated in paragraph (a) of this section, in the order 
indicated, shall act for and exercise the powers of the Secretary of the 
Army.

    (1) The designation of an Acting Secretary of the Army under this 
      subsection applies only for the duration of the Secretary's 
      absence or disability, and does not affect the authority of the 
      Secretary to resume the powers of the Secretary's office.

    (2) When the Secretary of the Army is temporarily absent from the 
      position, the Secretary of the Army may continue to exercise the 
      powers and fulfill the duties of his office during his absence, 
      notwithstanding the provisions of this order.

    (c) Precedence among those officers designated in paragraph (a) of 
this section who have the same date of appointment shall be determined 
by the Secretary of the Army at the time that such appointments are 
made.

[[Page 895]]

    (d) Notwithstanding paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section, an 
officer shall not act for or exercise the powers of the Secretary of the 
Army under this order if that officer serves only in an acting capacity 
in the position that would otherwise entitle him to do so.
    Sec. 2. Temporary Nature of Succession. Succession to act for and 
exercise the powers of the Secretary of the Army pursuant to this order 
shall be on a temporary or interim basis and shall not have the effect 
of vacating the statutory appointment held by the successor.
                                            William J. Clinton
The White House,
April 22, 1994.

[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 10:59 a.m., April 25, 
1994]

Note: This Executive order was published in the Federal Register on 
April 26. This item was not received in time for publication in the 
appropriate issue.