With less pomp and public attention due to the government shutdown, three Air Force major commands have gained new leaders in the past week—continuing a major revamp of the service’s senior leadership.
- Lt. Gen. Clark J. Quinn took command of Air Education & Training Command Oct. 31, succeeding Lt. Gen. Brian S. Robinson, who is retiring.
- Lt. Gen. Jason T. Hinds took over U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa Oct. 31, where he had been acting commander since the retirement of Gen. James B. Hecker.
- Gen. S.L. Davis took charge of Air Force Global Strike Command on Nov. 4, succeeding Gen. Thomas A. Bussiere, who retired.
Hinds’ ascension at USAFE-AFAFRICA is particularly notable because he takes the job as a three-star, a downgrade of the job, which for decades had been a four-star command. The Air Force downgraded the command to a three-star job to align with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s directive to slash the number of general officers across the military.
Changes of command can be splashy affairs, livestreamed on social media with plenty of dignitaries in attendance. But in keeping with the Pentagon’s shutdown protocols, these recent changes went largely unpublicized outside of a few short press releases.
Other three-star Air Force generals confirmed by the Senate on Oct. 30 include Lt. Gen. Jason R. Armagost as Davis’ new deputy at AFGSC, and Lt. Gen. Michael J. Lutton as deputy commander at U.S. Strategic Command.
Quinn takes over AETC at a unique moment. A 2024 plan had intended to transform AETC into a new Airman Development Command, but like other changes encompassed by the Air Force’s “Reoptimize for Great Power Competition” initiative, those plans have since been put on ice. Some elements of the plan could survive, however, such as centralizing training oversight and establishing new centers of excellence.
Davis takes over Global Strike Command from Bussiere, whose nomination to become Vice Chief of Staff was pulled shortly before he announced his retirement last month. AFGSC’s modernization portfolio is burgeoning, with the new B-21 bomber now in test at the same time as the troubled Sentinel ICBM program works to get back on track.
MAJCOM bosses operate a little like the senior operating committee for the Air Force, and the new ones arrive at roughly the same time as new Chief of Staff Gen. Kenneth S. Wilsbach, who was sworn in Nov. 3. Relationships between the Chief and the MAJCOMs frayed under Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin, as MAJCOM leaders resisted some of the biggest “re-optimization” initiatives championed by Allvin.
But the full leadership team is still not complete. With Bussiere retiring instead of assuming the Vice Chief’s job, as expected, the Air Force enters its ninth month without a No. 2 leader. Then-Vice Chief of Staff Gen. James C. Slife was dismissed in February among a number of generals fired that day, and the vacancy is now the longest for the No. 2 job in the Air Force’s history. Lt. Gen. Scott L. Pleus, the director of staff at Air Force headquarters, has fulfilled most of the Vice Chief’s duties during this time.
Also vacant: Air Force Materiel Command, which has also been without a permanent leader since Gen. Duke Z. Richardson retired in July. The Air Force’s principal acquisition command has been led on an acting basis by Deputy Commander Lt. Gen. Linda S. Hurry since Richardson retired, and the White House and Pentagon have yet to announce a nominee. As at USAFE, the AFMC job is also likely to be downgraded from four to three stars.
