SECAF bids formal farewell

JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. - Two years and nine days since becoming the 24th Secretary of the Air Force, Heather Wilson bid a formal farewell May 21 at Joint Base Andrews’ Hanger 3. “I lived a blessed life,” Wilson said in a 15-minute speech that reflected on her tenure as the Air Force’s highest-ranking civilian official. But, in the end, she said: “I will always be an Airman.” Wilson announced her resignation in March after she was selected to be president of the University of Texas-El Paso. Her last day as Air Force secretary is May 31. Under her direction, the AF became both more prepared and nimble. A shortage of more than 4,000 active duty maintenance personnel greeted Wilson in 2017, and today has been closed to zero. Aggressive efforts to streamline the procurement process shaved 100 years off traditional timelines while a series of major contracts approved in recent years saved more than $17B. Overall, the AF today is 17 percent more ready than it was when she was confirmed. (Source: Secretary of the Air Force 05/21/19)