An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Air Force update: Goldfein announces Cody’s retirement

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Chip Pons
  • Air Education and Training Command Public Affairs
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. --  Just months after his tenure began, Gen. David Goldfein, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, affirmed his colleagues, Airmen and industry partners of his steadfast priorities during the 2016 Air, Space and Cyber conference Sept. 20, 2016, at National Harbor, Maryland.

After introducing his wife, Dawn, members of "Team Blackjack," and three former Air Force chiefs of staff, Goldfein turned to Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James Cody, applauding his illustrious and accomplished career, as this would Cody’s final Air Force Association conference.

“I have watched Chief Cody in action,” Goldfein said. I have been a fan ever since he became the CMSAF. I have watched him fight for Airmen at the highest levels of government, and if there’s ever been a person who speaks truth to power, it is Chief Jim Cody. He has been a great wingman and an incredible chief master sergeant of the Air Force.”

Goldfein began his Air Force update by giving attendees some biographical information, as he stated the Air Force is “built upon people and their experiences.”

“We are all a product of our experiences,” Goldfein said. “I am second generation Air Force. My mom and dad spent 33 years in the Air Force; my father a retired Vietnam veteran. My older brother is a retired major general; my younger brother is a retired lieutenant colonel; my daughter is a captain and my nephew is Thunderbird #3 - this is family business.”

Additionally, Goldfein went on to address his three priorities: revitalizing squadrons; strengthening joint leaders and teams; and building the connective tissue for multi-domain, multi-functional coalition command and control.

“We have leaders in place that will be relentlessly focused on these priorities over the course of the next four years,” Goldfein said. “If we focus on these, we will be ready for the next . I do know one thing with absolute, 100 percent clarity - we have from right now until then to get ready.”

“And it will take all of us - Airmen, industry, allies, joint partners - working together to present the air component where squadrons are revitalized as the heartbeat of our Air Force,” he continued. “Where our Air Force consists of joint leaders and teams that can step in if there is a crisis…and that the connective tissue of the joint team and the future of combined arms, the multi-domain, multi-component, coalition-friendly command and control has moved forward because we’ve been the connective tissue for the joint team .”

Goldfein concluded his update with an inclusionary statement, that despite the various missions across the Air Force, each piece works together seamlessly to propel the force forward into a dominating future filled with airpower.

“We are one Air Force,” Goldfein stated. “Three components, five core missions and we are the finest Air Force on the planet. I could not be more proud to lead us as your 21st chief of staff of the Air Force!”