Saturday, April 20, 2024
Saturday, April 20, 2024
Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson has submitted her resignation, after being selected as the 'sole finalist' to serve as the president of the University of Texas at El Paso.
Reuters first reported the news of Wilson's departure.
A University of Texas Board of Regents spokeswoman confirmed to Inside Defense that Wilson had been chosen as the only finalist for the position. A formal decision on her selection will come at the end of the month -- after a mandatory 21-day waiting period.
“Upon a favorable vote by the University of Texas Board of Regents, the Secretary of the Air Force, Heather A. Wilson, will resign as Secretary of the Air Force effective May 31, 2019,” Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek said in a statement. “This will allow sufficient time for a smooth transition.”
Wilson was confirmed as Air Force secretary in May 2017. She said in the March 8 statement she is “proud of the progress that we have made restoring our nation's defense.”
“We have improved the readiness of the force; we have cut years out of acquisition schedules and gotten better prices through competition; we have repealed hundreds of superfluous regulations; and we have strengthened our ability to deter and dominate in space,” she said.
Since the beginning of her tenure, Wilson has advocated for the space mission to remain within the Air Force and has led the service as it pushes to speed up acquisition time lines and streamline authorities. She oversaw the cancellation of the Joint Surveillance and Target Attack Radar System and pushed for increased investment in science and technology programs.
House Armed Services strategic forces subcommittee Chairman Mike Turner (R-OH) praised Wilson for her service and said he hoped she would one day be selected to lead the Defense Department as its first female secretary.
“Heather Wilson is a dear friend and former colleague of mine,” Turner said. “The importance of her incredible work in the Air Force cannot be overstated. It is not surprising to me that Heather would be sought out by other organizations looking for her strong leadership. I wish Heather all the best in her future endeavors. She will be deeply missed. Hopefully, someday we can see Heather Wilson as the first female secretary of defense.”
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