General Ken Wilsbach
Air Force Chief of Staff
Kenneth Stephen Wilsbach was born in 1963. He earned an undergraduate degree from the University of Florida, Gainesville. He received master’s degrees from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla., Naval Command and Staff College, and Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair. He availed himself of multiple military academic opportunities.
Wilsbach went through pilot training at Laughlin AFB. He served as an instructor pilot at Langley AFB, Tyndall AFB, and Kadena Air Base. He became a commander after serving as an operations officer. He served as commander over the 9th Air and Space Expeditionary Task Force, the Alaska Command, and the 11th Air Force. He then commanded the Air Component Command of the United Nations Command and Combined Forces Command. He commanded the 7th Air Force and the Pacific Air Forces before serving as air component commander for U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, then as executive director of the Pacific Air Combat Operations Staff.
Wilsbach commanded the Air Combat Command before retiring in August 2025. He was recalled to active duty when he was nominated to be the U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff. The Senate confirmed him in November 2025.
General Wilsbach is a command pilot with more than 6,200 flying hours and has flown 71 combat missions.
In the News…
Air Force Chief of Staff Ken Wilsbach spoke about the U.S. defense doctrine of “leave no one behind” after the military operation that successfully recovered a wounded Air Force colonel from the mountains in Iran.
General Wilsbach stated, “We will never leave an Airman behind; it’s our creed and our warrior ethos. The combat search and rescue mission to bring our pilot and weapon systems officer home was one of the most impressive operations I’ve seen in 40 years of service.”
“The survival skills our Airmen displayed to evade enemy capture, the teamwork between our special operations forces and recovery crew to lay down key strikes and extract deep behind enemy lines speaks to the strength of our warfighters,“ the general continued. “We displayed air supremacy, showing the overwhelming capability of the U.S. military. The enemy doesn’t stand a chance. I couldn’t be more proud of our Air Force, Joint Force and all those involved.”
