President Donald Trump nominated Gen. Kenneth S. Wilsbach to serve as the Air Force’s 24th Chief of Staff on Monday. If confirmed, Wilsbach will succeed Gen. David W. Allvin, who announced in August that he would retire two years into his term. Allvin’s retirement ceremony is scheduled for Oct. 10, with a changeover tentatively planned for around Nov. 1.
“I’m deeply honored by the nomination to serve as the next Air Force Chief of Staff,” Wilsbach said in a statement. “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.”
Wilsbach, a former fighter pilot, most recently commanded Air Combat Command (ACC). After assuming command in February 2024, he ordered sweeping inspections following what he described as a “discernible decline” in discipline across the force. He also developed new metrics to measure fleet health with regular reports provided directly to him.
Prior to ACC, Wilsbach led Pacific Air Forces and held key commands in Korea, Alaska, and Japan. His experience in the Indo-Pacific is expected to weigh heavily if he takes on the role.
Air Force Secretary Troy E. Meink praised the nomination, calling Wilsbach a “combat tested aviator” with the experience to lead Airmen worldwide.
The service faces modernization challenges as current programs encounter setbacks and future systems advance slowly, all while balancing readiness against limited budgets. Wilsbach is expected to play a central role in guiding those choices and may shift direction on several re-optimization efforts launched in recent years.
Air & Space Forces Association President and CEO retired Lt. Gen. Burt Field urged quick Senate confirmation, adding, “Now, more than ever, the Air Force needs bold and innovative leadership as it modernizes in response to growing threats around the globe, and especially in the Indo-Pacific region.”
He’s going to have a hard time doing what he needs to do as long as the Air Force forced to pay for bullshit like moving space command to Alabama, paying for military parades, calling 800 generals to Washington to get bitched at about woke, flying Air Force One over the Super Bowl, flying Trump to foreign countries to play golf, and all the other stupid non-shit at the hands of mango Mussolini.