AFA Welcomes Senate Confirmation of Barbara Barrett as Secretary of the Air Force
October 17, 2019
October 17, 2019
AFA Welcomes Senate Confirmation of Barbara Barrett as Secretary of the Air Force
Arlington, Va. – The Air Force Association (AFA) welcomes the U.S. Senate confirmation of Ambassador Barbara Barrett as the 25th Secretary of the Air Force. Barrett brings extensive experience with government, business, and diplomacy.
“Secretary Barrett brings a great breadth of knowledge to our Air Force, her experience in the aviation and space sector will be of great benefit to our Air Force,” said Gerald Murray, former Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, AFA’s Chairman of the Board. “Her leadership experience and knowledge of the current threat environment will be key in dealing with the adversaries our nation faces.”
Barrett was appointed by President George W. Bush as a U.S. Ambassador to Finland. She was also appointed by President Ronald Reagan to serve as the deputy administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration and vice chairman of the Civil Aeronautics Board.
She is an instrument-rate pilot who became the first civilian woman to land an F/A-18 on an aircraft carrier, and she is certified for space flight. Barrett currently serves as the Chairman of the Board of the Aerospace Corporation’s Board of Trustees, as well as serving on the boards of RAND, Caltech, Smithsonian, and the Lasker Foundation.
“Secretary Barrett is an exceptional leader with a deep knowledge of our Air Force and national security matters, and our Airmen and their families could not ask for a better secretary at this critical time in our nation’s history,” said Lt. Gen. Bruce “Orville” Wright, USAF (Ret.), President of AFA. “The Air Force Association congratulates Secretary Barrett on her confirmation, and we look forward to working with her to support Airmen and their families.”