Air Force Leadership Resigns

Air Force Leadership Resigns: Secre

tary of Defense Robert Gates accepted the resignation of Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne and Gen. Michael Moseley, Chief of Staff, on June 5. Speaking to reporters at the Pentagon that same day, Gates said he believed that a change in leadership was needed “to bring in a new perspective and especially to underscore the issue of accountability.” Gates faulted USAF’s leadership pair for a “lack of effective oversight” in the service’s stewardship of nuclear weapons, “perhaps its most sensitive mission.” Indeed, he said, these declining standards were epitomized by the errant transfer of nuclear cruise missiles aboard a B-52 bomber last August and the mistaken shipment of Minuteman III ICBM missile components to Taiwan that came to light in March. Gates said these shortcomings “required strong action” on his part. The Taiwan incident “clearly was the trigger,” Gates said, in accepting the resignations. “I think it . . . prompted me to believe that there were serious systemic problems here” that went “well beyond” the B-52 incident. Gates said he consulted with President George Bush and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Michael Mullen on this action. He thanked Wynne and Moseley for their service, saying “they both deserve our gratitude.” He said he would recommend a new CSAF and service secretary shortly. Wynne issued a statement June 5, saying it has been “an honor and pleasure” to lead the service and its airmen “while working side-by-side with Gen. Moseley.” However, he said. “recent events convince me that it is now time for a new leader to take the stick and for me to move on.” Moseley, in his June 5 resignation announcement, said, “Recent events have highlighted a loss of focus on certain critical matters within the Air Force.” As USAF’s senior uniformed leader, “I take full responsibility for events which have hurt the Air Force’s reputation or raised a question of every Airman's commitment to our core values,” he said. “I think the honorable thing to do is to step aside.”

6/6/2008

Verbatim

Appreciative Host
"I know you're here during a difficult time. You're here through Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's. I promise you, we will find turkeys."
—Republic of Lithuania Chief of Defence Maj. Gen. Arvydas Pocius, expressing his thanks to airmen of the 493rd Fighter Squadron from RAF Lakenheath, Britain, who on Sept. 1, 2010, began a four-month stint with their F-15s in Lithuania to protect the airspace of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania under NATO's Baltic air policing mission.

Verbatim

Family Momentum
"In many ways, this was what the Year of the Air Force Family was all about—connecting airmen and their families with the resources they need. I have confidence the Air Force will capitalize on this strong momentum in the years ahead by continuing to improve our family support programs and ensuring people know what resources are available."
—Suzie Schwartz, wife of USAF Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz, commenting on the accomplishments of the Year of the Air Force Family initiative that concluded in July, in a statement provided to the Daily Report, Aug. 22, 2010.