Air Force Chief of Staff General David Allvin announced he’s retiring in November, just two years into a four-year term as the Air Force’s top general.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve as the 23rd Air Force Chief of Staff and I’m thankful for Secretary Meink, Secretary Hegseth and President Trump’s faith in me to lead our service,” Allvin said in a statement released by the Air Force Monday. He gave no reason for his early departure.
“More than anything, I’m proud to have been part of the team of Airmen who live out our core values of integrity, service and excellence every day as we prepare to defend this great nation,” Allvin said.
Allvin was nominated in 2023 by President Joe Biden to be Air Force chief of staff.
He’s the most recent top officer to exit the military this year. In February, President Trump fired Gen. C.Q. Brown Jr., who was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth then ousted the chief of Naval Operations, the Air Force vice chief of staff, and weeks later, the head of U.S. Cyber Command. The commandant of the Coast Guard, which falls under the Department of Homeland Security, was also fired this year.
When asked about the circumstances of Allvin’s retirement, Hegseth’s office referred questions to the Air Force. An Air Force spokesperson said the Office of the Secretary of Defense was not involved in the decision for Allvin to retire.
Air Force Secretary Troy Meink said in a statement, “The Air Force is fortunate to have leaders like General Dave Allvin. During his tenure, the Air Force has undertaken transformational initiatives that will enable Airmen to answer their nation’s call for decades to come.”
A source familiar with why Allvin is retiring characterized it as a decision between Allvin and Meink.
Allvin, according to his Air Force biography, is a command pilot with more than 4,600 hours in over 30 aircraft, including 800 flight test hours and 100 combat hours. He graduated in 1986 from the U.S. Air Force Academy.
Before serving as Air Force chief of staff, he was the vice chief of staff, the No. 2 in the Air Force. He previously served as commanding general of NATO Air Training Command – Afghanistan, commander of 438th Air Expeditionary Wing in Afghanistan and deputy chief of staff for strategic plans and requirements for the Air Force.
Mary Walsh
contributed to this report.
Eleanor Watson is a CBS News multi-platform reporter and producer covering the Pentagon.
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