Talk about taking on the hot seat... Major General John W. Rosa will be the next Air Force Academy superintendent as confirmed by a Senate vote, June 23. Rosa will assume command during a mid-July ceremony at the school in Colorado.

Rosa is the deputy director for current operations on the Joint Staff. He is directly responsible to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for all matters pertaining to current operations, including joint operations, special operations and oversight of the National Military Command Center.

Rosa entered the Air Force in May 1973 after receiving his commission from The Citadel in Charleston, S.C. He has served as an operations group commander and three times as wing commander.

Extensive Flying Background

He is a command pilot with more than 3,600 flying hours in the A-7, A-10 Thunderbolt II, the Hunter and Jaguar aircraft, F-16 Fighting Falcon, F-117A Nighthawk, HH-60G Pave Hawk and HC-130.

As a result of this posting, Rosa will be promoted to Lieutenant General and based on the political sensitivity of this posting, we sure he's going to earn it...).

FMI: www.usafa.af.mil