CSAF visits Maxwell, speaks at OTS graduation Published June 24, 2026 By Captain Rachael Parks Holm Center Public Affairs MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. -- Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Ken Wilsbach visited Maxwell Air Force Base June 18, where he served as the guest speaker for the newest class of leaders graduating from Officer Training School, Class 26-12. The visit provided the Air Force's top uniformed leader an opportunity to welcome more than 170 newly commissioned officers into the ranks while underscoring critical service priorities: readiness, character, and warrior culture. Addressing the graduates and over 1,000 family members and friends, Wilsbach highlighted the fundamental necessity of a high state of readiness and the responsibility of leading Airmen. He reminded the new officers that every Airman, will look to them and expect competence, good judgment, discipline, and moral courage. "Your Airmen do not expect perfection, but they do expect authenticity," Wilsbach said. " They expect you to lead from the front, to hold yourself accountable, and to care enough to enforce standards even when it would be easier not to. The standards you experienced here were not arbitrary. They exist because combat is unforgiving.” Throughout the speech, Wilsbach also emphasized the need to think clearly under pressure and make sound decisions in uncertainty. He challenged the new officers to build trust through consistency and reminded them to rely on the experience of their Non-Commissioned Officers. Equally important to clear decision-making, Wilsbach stressed, is moral and mental toughness. Fostering a warrior culture built on technical excellence, accountability, and pride in the profession was a central theme of his engagement with the graduates. "Toughness means doing the right thing when it costs something," Wilsbach told the graduating class. "It means maintaining standards when nobody is watching. It means accepting responsibility when things go wrong. It means taking care of your people while never losing focus on the mission." As the new officers prepare to depart Maxwell Air Force Base for their respective duty stations across the globe, the core message from the Chief of Staff was clear: the foundation of the Air Force's strength is its people, and their readiness forms the core of a credible national deterrent.