Moseley Retires

Gen. Michael Moseley, Chief of Staff since September 2005, formally retired from the Air Force on July 11 after 37 years of service. “We lose a participant, a creator, and a valuable member of today’s Air Force,” former USAF Secretary Michael Wynne said during Moseley’s retirement ceremony at Bolling AFB, D.C. Wynne presented Moseley, the Air Force’s 18th CSAF, with the Distinguished Service Medal as well as personal letters of appreciation from President Bush, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, and Acting Air Force Secretary Michael Donley. “It was a real treat and honor to work with Mr. Wynne and fight the good fight for what was best for the US Air Force,” Moseley said in his final address. “Every day, at every opportunity, I always felt we were working with the best interests of the republic, doing what was right for America.” Moseley is now on terminal leave until Aug. 1, the date on which his official retirement takes effect. He and Wynne tendered their resignations on June 5 at the urging of Defense Secretary Robert Gates over what Gates said was his dissatisfaction with the Air Force’s stewardship of nuclear weapons. But there were additional frictions, such as Moseley’s and Wynne’s belief that the Air Force had to properly prepare for tomorrow’s potential conflicts as well as fight and win the current fight. Conversely, Gates has called for a focus on the present conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. Wynne’s farewell ceremony was June 20. The White House nominated Moseley’s would-be replacement, Gen. Norton Schwartz, on July 10. (Includes AFPN report)