Jewish general nominated to lead US Air Force

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   admin

   April 29, 2016 at 4:25 pm

   The Department of Defense released this press conference transcript on April 29, 2016:

   Remarks by Secretary Carter and Air Force Secretary James regarding the Nomination of General Goldfein to be Air Force Chief of Staff

   SECRETARY OF DEFENSE ASH CARTER: Good afternoon, everyone.

   I am very honored to bring to this room a tested warrior, one of most proven strategic thinkers across our joint force, and that is General Dave Goldfein.
   I want to extend my deepest congratulations to Dave on his nomination by President Obama as our next Air Force chief of staff.

   Then-Colonel Goldfein wrote in his book, “Sharing Success, Owning Failure,” quote, “the single most important element of success in war is leadership.” And it was because of General Goldfein’s strong and also visionary leadership over a demanding succession of roles, including commander of U.S. Air Forces-Central Command, director of the joint staff, and most recently vice chief of staff of the Air Force, that I recommended General Goldfein to the president to serve as the next Air Force chief of staff.

   In each of these positions, Dave has led with the courage and commitment of the combat-tested pilot he is, one who has logged 4,200 hours in the cockpit, flown missions during the conflicts in the Balkans, Afghanistan and Iraq.

   From his experience in CENTCOM and as combined forces air component commander, Dave developed a deep knowledge of a region where the U.S. Air Force is now carrying out the vast majority of airstrikes against ISIL.

   It was also during that tour that he advanced the integrated air missile defense of the Arabian Gulf, and developed the Gulf Command Air Operation Center, working closely with nations who are today our critical partners in the counter-ISIL campaign.

   If confirmed as Air Force chief of staff, Dave’s extensive politico-military experience will be to our great benefit as we continue to accelerate our efforts to deal ISIL a lasting defeat.

   As director of the joint staff and as vice chief of staff of the Air Force, Dave has also demonstrated superb skill as a consensus builder and a manager. During a time when our joint forces’ need for the Air Force’s global vigilance, global reach and global power has only increased, General Goldfein has helped to expertly manage competing demands on the Air Force’s 55 combat-coded fighter squadrons and other forces in an era of exceptional demand.

   I myself have worked with General Goldfein frequently as secretary, deputy secretary. We go back quite a ways. And I’ve seen how Dave’s strategic approach and his management skill have helped the Air Force maintain investments in near-term readiness while making sure that we continue also the Air Force’s vital modernization efforts.

   I’ve seen Dave bring creative problem-solving to bear in helping the Air Force manage our ISR enterprise during a time, as I said, of insatiable demand for these resources.

   And as we’ve worked together to move forward with critical new platforms, including the KC-46 tanker, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and the B-21 long-range strike bomber, I’ve seen Dave’s ability not just to manage current demands but also to steer a course towards the Air Force of the next five years, and the next 50 years.

   From General Goldfein’s experience at the highest levels of the Air Force and the joint force, he understands deeply the evolving nature of warfare and the threats we face. Dave knows how the security environment today is far different from what we’ve command — confronted over the last 25 years. He’s developed a keen appreciation for the strategic horizon and in particular, the need to develop resilient cyber and space capabilities as well, which will allow the United States to continue to dominate across all domains.

   He knows how to foster innovation by conducting what then-Chairman Dempsey called a campaign of learning. It’s a program which drills tunnels through the walls of the Pentagon and brings in experts from academia and private sector to lend insight to our efforts.

   Across Dave’s career, with all of that, he’s also never forgotten where our greatest strength lies, and that’s in our people. And in fact, on Tuesday, when his nomination went to the Hill and was announced publicly, he was with one of the people who has been so vital to his own career, and might — and one might even say to his own longevity, to his being here in the first place.

   He was at a summit for wounded warriors and caregivers at the time, and Jeremy Hardy, one of the airmen who rescued him after his F-16 was hit by a SAM in Serbia 17 years ago, was at his side. Just happened to be at his side. Great, great, meaningful coincidence.

   Dave’s never forgotten the men and women he served alongside nor his responsibility to the people under his command. That’s important to me. I know it’s important to the president and all of you.

   And his commitment to our people extends to efforts to ensure that the Air Force of the future remains as strong as the Air Force of today. As vice chief of staff, he’s emphasized the Air Force’s ability to recruit and retain talented men and women in some of the most critical fields for the future, including cyber, intelligence, battlefield airmen.

   From cyberspace to outer space to the defense of the global commons, every one of us, not just in this country but around the world, benefits from the security and peace of mind the United States Air Force provides. And there’s no — and there’s no one more qualified than General Goldfein to serve as our next Air Force chief of staff, to lead the 660,000 men and women of the Air Force as they confront today’s full-spectrum threats and prepare for future challenges.
   It’s my hope that his nomination will move through quickly through Congress. I’m sure it will.

   I also want to congratulate and thank Dave’s wife, Dawn, and not here but daughter Diana and his other daughter Dani. Now this, if you’re getting the pattern; this is going to be easy to remember.

   (Laughter.)

   So this is good, because we’ve got Dave, and we’ve got Dawn, and we got Diana and Dani and — we’ll all be in the same rowboat here for quite a while. Good to have a way to remember all that.

   Dani, by the way, is an Air Force captain herself, carrying forward the proud family tradition.

   So I want to thank them also for their continued service and support.

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