Upon assuming his post, new Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force David Wolfe prioritized high standards while pledging to ensure Airmen of all specialties get the equipment they need to project U.S. airpower.
Wolfe told attendees at a Dec. 8 installation ceremony that maintaining high-quality Airmen is the only way to achieve Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach’s vision for improving readiness.
“No team wins the championship with easy practices or mediocre standards,” Wolfe said. “Holding each other accountable is the hallmark of a winning organization, and we owe each other that accountability every day. Standards are not just benchmarks. Standards are statements of a belief, belief in what we are capable of.”
Wolfe, who was selected as the 21st Master Sergeant of the Air Force on Nov. 6, has been a long-time advisor to Wilsbach, serving as his command chief at Air Combat Command and Pacific Air Forces. During his Nov. 18 speech, Wilsbach stressed that the Air Force’s main focus must always be to fly and fix combat aircraft to win the next fight.
“I promise you—your chief of staff and I are committed to advocating for the resources you need to accomplish the mission,” he said.
Wolfe praised the dedication Airman show every day, no matter their specialty.
“Whatever your role may be, turning wrenches, defending the base, analyzing intelligence, managing logistics or executing any of the hundreds of vital missions that make up our United States Air Force, you matter,” he said. “Your work is essential to defending this great nation and preserving our national defense.”
“I promise to dedicate my tenure and my time to doing better,” Wolfe added. “We owe you better equipment, more parts and more resources to defend our nation, fix our aircraft and generate the air power that we need.”
Wolfe also pledged to continue to work on training, operational effectiveness, force development and family wellbeing.
“Great Work has been done on these, but more is needed,” he said. “We have more work to do on quality of life for our Airmen and their families, from healthcare to housing and spouse employment to childcare, we have our sights set on taking care of Airmen on and off duty.”
These are complex problems, but they can be solved, Wolfe said. “We will work together to develop lasting solutions that build on what’s working and fix what’s been lacking. And then when everyone tells us, ‘We can’t,’ ‘we can’t do it,’ and ‘it can’t be done,’ we’ll do what we always do—find a way.”
As the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, Wolfe will advise Wilsbach on personnel matters, such as morale, welfare, and quality of life, and other issues that affect Airmen. Wolfe will also serve as the Air Force’s public voice on policies that impact rank-and-file Airmen, such as fitness and grooming standards, which Wilsbach emphasized during his time at ACC and PACAF.
Wolfe joined the Air Force in 1992 and trained in security forces, the Air Force’s military police. He brings extensive operational experience to his role, having served as the senior enlisted leader to the Combined Joint Special Operations Air Component at Bagram, Afghanistan, from August to October of 2017. Prior to that, from June to December 2009, he was the superintendent for the 532nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron’s Entry Control Point Operations at Joint Base Balad, Iraq.
Wolfe acknowledged “big shoes to fill” in taking over for CMSAF No. 20, David A. Flosi, who retired following the death of his wife in September, as well as all the other past CMSAFs. He added he firmly believes every Airman deserves “outstanding leadership that cares about who they are, and sincerely and relentlessly helps them reach their goals.”
“That’s the standard for leadership in this Air Force,” Wolfe said. “We will not reach peace through strength with mediocrity. Whether deterring aggression or delivering decisive effects, we will be ready.
“What makes us strong is our shared commitment to this mission, every maintenance action, every training, sorting and every support function matters because they’re all integral to this singular purpose, projecting air power when our nation calls.”
