WASHINGTON – The Senate voted Monday 76-22 to confirm President Trump’s Air Force Secretary pick Heather Wilson, making her the first military service secretary in the Trump administration to be confirmed, and the first Air Force Academy graduate in that position.
Wilson, 56, takes the reigns as Trump looks to rebuild the military and lower the costs of expensive weapons systems such as the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. The service is also facing a challenging pilot shortage of 800 pilots.
Wilson has been the president of the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, an engineering and science university, since 2013. She served as a congresswoman representing New Mexico from 1998 to 2009, serving as a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and on the House Armed Service Committee.
Wilson graduated from the Air Force Academy in 1982 and was in its third class to include women. She served until 1989, including in Europe during the Cold War. She earned masters and doctoral degrees as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University in England and served on the National Security Council Staff under President George H.W. Bush.
Wilson, an instrument-rated private pilot, is married to attorney and retired Air Force Col. Jay Hone, and they have three adult children.
The Senate Armed Services Committee voted 22-5 in support of her nomination after her confirmation hearing on March 30.
“Heather Wilson is going to make an outstanding Secretary of the Air Force,” Trump said in a statement announcing her nomination. “Her distinguished military service, high level of knowledge, and success in so many different fields gives me great confidence that she will lead our nation’s Air Force with the greatest competence and integrity.”
Wilson is now the Pentagon’s second Senate-confirmed political appointment in the Trump administration. Defense Secretary James Mattis was the first. There are now 55 more such positions to be filled.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.