Former Air Combat Command Lead Steps in After Gen. Allvin’s Unexpected Retirement

Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach has officially and unsurprisingly been confirmed as the next Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force following the slightly more surprising early retirement of Gen. David Allvin. The Senate approved his nomination by unanimous consent to close out October, giving the service a new top officer after several months of leadership shake-ups.

Wilsbach brings decades of operational experience to the position. Over his career, he has flown the F-15, F-16, and F-22 and has led US air operations across the Pacific and the Middle East. His resume includes time as deputy commander of US and UN forces in South Korea, as well as operations chief at US Central Command during the initial campaign against ISIS from 2014 to 2016. Most recently, Wilsbach oversaw more than 1,600 aircraft and 155,000 personnel as the head of Air Combat Command.

Wilsbach’s confirmation follows a brief but relatively smooth nomination process, aside from a few pointed questions during his hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee. The general stopped short of committing to uphold certain congressional spending directives, but otherwise cleared the chamber without issue. Air Force Secretary Troy Meink welcomed the appointment, calling Wilsbach “the right leader” for the service’s current challenges.

The leadership handoff comes amid some internal turbulence. Allvin’s sudden departure, barely halfway through what should have been a four-year term, was reportedly tied to widespread opposition over a proposed modernization command and other Biden-era restructuring plans. Wilsbach had retired from Air Combat Command in August before unexpectedly reemerging as the frontrunner to replace Allvin.

His path wasn’t entirely clear, either. After his name surfaced, online critics resurfaced Wilsbach’s previous remarks supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, leading some to speculate that Global Strike Command chief Gen. Thomas Bussiere might take over instead. In the end, Bussiere’s nomination for vice chief was pulled, and he has since announced his retirement.

Though Wilsback is now confirmed as the 24th Chief of Staff, the Air Force still faces one vacancy at the top: the vice chief position. The exact timing of Wilsbach’s swearing-in has not yet been announced.

FMI: www.af.mil