Moseley confirmation hearing held

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Mitch Gettle
  • Air Force Print News
WASHINGTON --  The Air Force chief of staff nominee testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee here June 29.

"I am deeply humbled and honored to be here," Gen. T. Michael Moseley said. "I truly appreciate the enormity and responsibility of the office of chief of staff of the Air Force."

General Moseley, the current Air Force vice chief of staff, said it is a humbling experience to look down the path of history and see the faces of the people who have held this position before him.

"If confirmed as the next chief of staff, I will wake up every morning and pledge to do all in my power to live up to their legacy," he said. "Today, I am incredibly proud to be a member of an Air Force family that has over 28,000 Airmen deployed in every continent and every zone in a true joint environment alongside Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Coast Guardsmen and Merchant Marines.”

General Moseley said his priorities will be to further refine and improve joint warfighting skills, continue to strengthen the Air Force's greatest asset -- its people -- and to recapitalize the aging aircraft fleet to meet future warfighting needs.

"Our people are our greatest asset and every day they serve without asking for much," he said.

The senators asked General Moseley about acquisition reform and the challenges he and the Air Force face in light of the religious-respect issue at the Air Force Academy.

Besides fighting the war on terrorism and taking care of Airmen, General Moseley said these two issues would be a top priority.

"One of the pillars of our society in this great country is religious freedom and the freedom to practice one's faith and spirituality," he said. "It is unsatisfactory to have (cadets) feel that (they) cannot practice their faith or somehow believe they are disadvantaged because of their faith."

General Moseley said too many people were taken out of the oversight role in the acquisition process during the Air Force’s downsizing.

"My pledge to you, the committee and my Air Force is … to get the right people back into this process," he said. "This is so critical to the recapitalization and modernization of the Air Force that we have to do this right."

If the Armed Services Committee approves the nomination, the full Senate could vote on the nominations before adjourning for the July Fourth holiday.