Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach nominated as 24th Air Force chief of staff

  • Published
  • Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs
ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) --  

Portrait of Gen. Kenneth S. Wilsbach

President Donald Trump has nominated Gen. Ken Wilsbach to serve as the twenty-fourth Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo)
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President Donald Trump has nominated Gen. Ken Wilsbach to serve as the 24th Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force.

Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink offered his congratulations to Wilsbach.

“I am pleased to support the nomination of General Kenneth Wilsbach to serve as the next chief of staff of the Air Force,” Meink said. “He is a combat tested aviator and has the experience of leading combat forces around the globe. I have full confidence that he will make sure Airmen embody a warrior ethos and are ready to defend our nation and maintain our dominance against all adversaries. I also believe he will be a great partner to help continue advocating for the capabilities the Air Force needs not just for today, but also in the future to make sure we remain the most lethal Air Force in the world.”

Wilsbach recently commanded Air Combat Command and was planning to retire after nearly four decades of active-duty service.

“I’m deeply honored by the nomination to serve as the next Air Force chief of staff,” said Wilsbach. “The trust and confidence placed in me is not something I take lightly. If confirmed, I intend to strengthen our warrior ethos and to build a more lethal force that is always ready to defend our homeland and deter our adversaries around the world. Cindy and I have always prioritized the needs of our Airmen and their families, and we remain committed to advocating for them in this position."

Willsbach is a 1985 distinguished graduate of the University of Florida's ROTC program and weapons school graduate. He has served as a commander at the squadron, group and wing levels; Air Expeditionary Task Force; and numbered air force and major command levels and brings a wealth of both flying and command experience to the position. Furthermore, Wilsbach has flown 71 combat missions during operations Northern Watch, Southern Watch and Enduring Freedom.

Current Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin affirmed this experience and added his congratulations.

“I congratulate General Wilsbach on his nomination to be our next chief of staff,” Allvin said. “I wish him all the best and trust that he will continue the momentum and advocate for the best interests of our Airmen, today’s readiness and modernizing our force for the future fight.”