Chain of Command
Lloyd James Austin III was sworn in as the 28th Secretary of Defense on January 22, 2021. Mr. Austin is the principal assistant to the President in all matters relating to the Department of Defense and serves on the National Security Council.
Frank Kendall is the 26th Secretary of the Air Force responsible for organizing, training, and equipping the U.S. Air and Space Forces. In this capacity, he directs the Department of the Air Force’s annual budget exceeding $173 billion, provides Air and Space forces to combatant commanders for global military operations, and is accountable for the welfare of nearly 700,000 active duty, Guard, Reserve, and civilian Airmen and Guardians and their families.
General Charles Q. Brown, Jr. is the 21st Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the nation’s highest-ranking military officer, and the principal military advisor to the President, Secretary of Defense, and National Security Council.
Gen. David W. Allvin is the Vice Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Virginia. As Vice Chief, he presides over the Air Staff and serves as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Requirements Oversight Council and the Deputy's Management Action Group. He assists the Chief of Staff with organizing, training and equipping of 689,000 active-duty, Guard, Reserve and civilian forces serving in the United States and overseas.
Gen. B. Chance Saltzman is the Chief of Space Operations, United States Space Force. As Chief, he serves as the senior uniformed Space Force officer responsible for the organization, training and equipping of all organic and assigned space forces serving in the United States and overseas. As members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Chief of Space Operations and other service chiefs function as military advisers to the Secretary of Defense, National Security Council, and the President.
Lt. Gen. Brian S. Robinson is the Commander, Air Education and Training Command, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas. He is responsible for the recruitment, training and education of Air and Space Force personnel. His command includes Air Force Recruiting Service, two numbered Air Forces and Air University. The command operates more than 1,400 trainer, fighter and mobility aircraft, 24 wings and 11 installations. It trains more than 293,000 students per year with approximately 60,000 active duty, Reserve, Guard, civilian and contractor personnel.
Lt. Gen. Andrea D. Tullos is Commander and President, Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. She provides full spectrum education, research and outreach at every level through professional military education, professional continuing education, and academic degree granting. She leads the intellectual and leadership-development center of the U.S. Air Force, graduating more than 50,000 resident and 120,000 non-resident officers, enlisted and civilian personnel each year. Additionally, she is responsible for officer commissioning through Officer Training School and the Reserve Officer Training Corps.
Brig. Gen. Houston R. Cantwell is Commander, Jeanne M. Holm Center for Officer Accessions and Citizen Development, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. As the Air Force’s largest officer accession source, Brig. Gen. Cantwell leads more than 3,300 Airmen, training 120,000 cadets at 2,085 global locations. The command includes 15,000 cadets at 1,200 colleges and universities nationwide for Air Force ROTC, 3,500 cadets in Air Force Officer Training School at Maxwell AFB, and more than 101,000 cadets in 885 high schools globally supporting Air Force Junior ROTC. The Holm Center produces more than 85% of the Air Force’s front line officers, chaplains, judge advocates and medical officers.
Colonel Corey M. Ramsby is Commander, Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps.
Colonel Allen R. Henderson is the Commander, AFROTC Southwest Region. The region includes AFROTC detachments at 36 colleges and universities in the southwest United States from Mississippi to Hawaii.
Lieutenant Colonel D. Shane Richardson is the Commander at Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC), Detachment 025, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona. As the commander, he is responsible for a comprehensive college program focused on recruiting, training and preparing more than 175 officer candidates from Arizona State University and 11 cross-town universities. Additionally, Lieutenant Colonel Richardson is the Professor of Aerospace Studies, where he instructs all Air Force Aerospace courses, covering a variety of topics on National Security and facilitating cadets’ transition to the Department of the Air Force.
Major Wrendy K. Rayhill is the Operations Officer at Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) Detachment 025, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona. She is responsible for detachment operations, recruiting, and education functions. Major Rayhill oversees cadre training, and professional development. She leads, recruits, trains, mentors, counsels, and evaluates 175 qualified men and women as prospective Air Force officers. Additionally, Major Rayhill is an Assistance Professor of Aerospace Studies, where she instructs Aerospace 401/403: National Security, Leadership Responsibilities, and Commissioning Preparation.
Captain Priscilla Ledesma is the Operations Flight Commander at Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps, Detachment 025, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona. The mission of the detachment is to educate and train cadets who will ultimately commission as Air and Space Force officers to serve in a variety of career fields. As the Operations Flight Commander, she is responsible for all facets of cadet training and discipline, including directing/supervising leadership laboratory, field training preparation, and career guidance.