The
Air Force announced Friday afternoon that CMSgt. James Roy will be the new top enlisted airman, replacing CMSAF Rodney McKinley, who announced his retirement earlier this year. Schwartz called Roy, who currently serves as the command chief master sergeant for US Pacific Command, a “worthy successor” to McKinley, who Schwartz said has been a “tremendous leader and advocate” for enlisted airmen. Roy entered the Air Force in 1982 and served initially as a heavy equipment operator and subsequently in various supervisory positions in civil engineering units. He has served as command chief at wing, numbered air force, and joint levels. He will become the 16th Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force during a June 30 ceremony.
A new report from the Government Accountability Office calls for the Pentagon’s Chief Technology Officer to have budget certification authority over the military services’ research and development accounts—a move the services say would add a burdensome and unnecessary layer of bureaucracy.

