Former ACC Command Chief Wolfe Tapped as New CMSAF

Chief Master Sgt. David R. Wolfe, a former Security Forces Airman with a long history of mentorship, will be the 21st Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, the service announced Nov. 6. 

Wolfe was selected to become the Air Force’s top enlisted leader by new Chief of Staff Gen. Kenneth S. Wilsbach, who was sworn in on Nov. 3. Wolfe has been a trusted advisor to the new Chief, having served as his enlisted advisor during his last two command tours at Air Combat Command and Pacific Air Forces. 

It is traditional for new Chiefs to choose their own senior enlisted advisors, and the previous Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force David A. Flosi is retiring following the unexpected death of his wife Katy in September. Allvin is also retiring early after two years as the Air Force’s top officer.

“Chief Wolfe has been my wingman, advisor, and confidant for multiple command assignments,” Wilsbach said in a statement. 

At the start of his 33-year career, Wolfe trained in security forces, the Air Force’s military police. He went on to perform missile security, space warning security, logistics, and as an elite guard.

“I’m honored to have the opportunity to continue to serve Airmen and families,” Wolfe said in a statement to Air & Space Forces Magazine. “Throughout my career I have learned that the answers to the challenges we face are far more likely to be found in places like hangars, guardmounts, and SCIFS than in headquarters buildings.”

Wolfe brings real-world operational experience to his new post. From August to October 2017, he served as the senior enlisted leader to the Combined Joint Special Operations Air Component at Bagram, Afghanistan. From June to December 2009, he was the superintendent for the 532nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron’s Entry Control Point Operations at Joint Base Balad, Iraq. And from December 1993 to March 1994, he served as a security specialist with the 4404th Composite Wing at King Abdul Aziz Air Base in Saudi Arabia. 

At the same time, he has worked to shape the next generation of Air Force enlisted leaders. He served as an instructor at the Airman Leadership School and the Air Force Noncommissioned Officer Academy from February 2004 to December 2007. 

While at PACAF, Wolfe stressed that young Airmen and Guardians have to be taught to understand that they will be critical to halting what the U.S. views as China’s aggression in the Pacific through the service’s new Agile Combat Employment strategy. It will be up to them to serve as examples of professionalism to the enlisted ranks of partner nations in the region, he said. 

“I can’t emphasize enough the importance of all of us in this room taking on the responsibility of communicating to our youngest people why this stuff is so important,” Wolfe said during a discussion at AFA’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference in 2022. 

China “should be looking out across the landscape and seeing us operating everywhere and then just going back to the drawing board because we’ve done something else … that’s pushed them back on their timeline with their ambitions,” Wolfe added. “And it’s going to be each and every one of you that’s in this room that’s going to figure out how to change that value of X in their equation that makes them think twice about advancing their goals.” 

Wolfe’s selection came as no surprise to one of his predecessors, former Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Joanne S. Bass. 

“Dave has always been one of the strongest leaders that I know—strong, principled, steady,” Bass told Air & Space Forces Magazine. “He’s a security forces defender, but he also has an upbringing in professional military education. So, he’s really an all-around leader that understands the value that all Airmen bring.” 

Wolfe, who joined the Air Force in February 1992, is not ashamed to admit that he needed a bit of strict military discipline to put him on the right path. 

“I didn’t exactly start my Air Force career on the right foot,” Wolfe said in a recent Air Force news release. “An Article 15 [non-judicial punishment] and a stint in correctional custody made it clear I needed to change course. It was a rough start, but it turned out to be exactly what I needed.” 

Wolfe did not go into detail about the incident but said it taught him that “real leadership is about offering a path to redemption.” 

“It’s about more than just saying you’ll let someone recover,” Wolfe added. “It’s about actively giving them a fresh start, a chance to prove themselves. That’s a different thing entirely, and I’m deeply grateful that my leadership did that for me.” 

As the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, Wolfe will be the principal advisor to the Air Force Chief of Staff and Secretary of the Air Force on personnel matters, such as welfare, morale, quality of life, and other issues that affect Airmen. Wolfe will also serve as the Air Force’s public voice on policies that impact rank-and-file Airmen, such as fitness and grooming standards, which Wilsbach emphasized during his time at ACC and PACAF. 

“We as leaders owe our people the resources they need to do the jobs we’re asking them to do,” Wolfe said in August. “It doesn’t matter how skilled our Airmen are if they don’t have the parts, the tools, or the resources to get the mission done.” 

Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink praised Wilsbach’s pick. 

“The selection of Chief Wolfe as our 21st Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force is the right decision during this critical time for the Air Force,” Meink said in a statement. “I know that he will continue to serve and advocate for Airmen and their families.” 

In his new role, Wolfe will be charged with advocating for the interests of enlisted Airmen, which make up roughly 80 percent of the Active-duty Air Force. He will also serve as the face of the force to Congressional leaders and other government leaders as the service makes its case for future resources. 

“The Airmen of the United States Air Force are incredibly innovative and eager to contribute when given a voice and opportunity, and I am committed to ensuring they have both,” Wolfe said in his statement to Air & Space Forces Magazine. “Ours is a no fail mission that begins and ends with people. I promise to serve with integrity, transparency, and the belief that every Airman has value and something to contribute to our collective success.”