Newly sworn in undersecretary of the Air Force Matthew Donovan thanks his family and others in attendance at his swearing-in ceremony at the Pentagon in Arlington County, Va., on Aug. 11, 2017. Air Force photo by Scott M. Ash.
Air Force Undersecretary Matthew Donovan will take over as acting Secretary June 1 after Secretary Heather Wilson steps down, the Pentagon announced May 15.
The announcement makes official, what has been expected since Wilson announced her intent to become the next president of the University of Texas-El Paso.
“In her two years as Secretary, Heather defined the Air Force the nation needs and made incredible progress in implementing the strategy to get us there,” Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan said in a statement. “It is fitting that a key member of her leadership team will assume her role to keep the momentum going. Matt will do a fantastic job.”
Donovan took over as under secretary of the Air Force in August 2017.
He was previously the major policy director for the Senate Armed Services Committee, and he is a former command pilot with more than 2,900 flight hours in the F-5E and F-15C.