Washington D.C.
A husband who championed the progression of disability policy and the exceptional family member program received the 2012 Military Spouse of the Year Award here May 11. Jeremy Hilton, spouse of Air Force Lt. Col. Renae Hilton, an Air Force Office of Special Investigations agent on Joint Base Andrews, Md., received the award during a luncheon at the Marine Barracks Washington.
Florida
NASA inducted Retired Gen. Kevin Chilton into the Astronaut Hall of Fame during a ceremony May 5 at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Chilton piloted the Space Shuttle Endeavour on its maiden voyage during the Space Transportation System-49 mission, his first as an astronaut.
Southwest Asia
The 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing inactivated in a ceremony May 8 at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia. The ceremony marked the second time the 332nd AEW has been inactivated.
Mozambique
Military and civilian delegates and subject matter experts from 77 nations gathered for the 2012 IMilHAC in Maputo, Mozambique, May 7 to 10, to share best practices in HIV prevention, care and treatment.
Welsh nominated as next CSAF
Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta announced May 10 that the president has nominated Gen. Mark A. Welsh III to be the next Air Force chief of staff, succeeding Gen. Norton Schwartz, who has served in the position since August 2008.
“I’m tremendously honored and deeply humbled by the nomination to serve as the next Air Force chief of staff,†said Welsh, who currently serves as the U.S. Air Forces in Europe commander. “If confirmed, I’ll do everything in my power to live up to the example set by Gen. Norty Schwartz and the other great officers who have led our service so well throughout its remarkable history.
“It’s always a great day to be an Airman … but this one is extra special for me. I came into the Air Force because I was in love with the airplanes; I stayed in because I fell in love with the people,†he said. “Being allowed to continue to serve them, our Joint partners, and the nation in this role would be the privilege of a lifetime.â€
Welsh entered the Air Force in June 1976 as a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. He has been assigned to numerous operational, command and staff positions. Prior to his current position, he was the associate director of the Central Intelligence Agency for Military Affairs at the Central Intelligence Agency in Washington, D.C.
During a Pentagon press briefing May 10, Panetta recalled his close working relationship with Welsh when the secretary served as the CIA director.
“Over the course of our time working together, I developed a deep appreciation for his wisdom and his counsel,†said Panetta. “A former Air Force academy commandant, I believe that he has the right leadership qualities and distinguished background to follow his extraordinary predecessor, General Schwartz.â€
