Chief Master Sgt. David A. Flosi was selected Dec. 11 to be the 20th Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, adding a deeply experienced and proven Airman to the top echelon of Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin's emerging leadership team.
In announcing the selection, Allvin noted Flosi's experience, leadership and achievements across his Air Force career and said Flosi brings qualities to the job that are especially important when the Air Force is navigating one of the most challenging moments in its history.
"Our Airmen deserve the best leaders possible - and that's Chief Flosi," Allvin said. "He is a phenomenal leader and wingman who will empower our Total Force. His unique experiences, attitude and commitment will prove essential as we re-optimize our force for Great Power Competition. I am excited to work with him as we follow through on our efforts to meet today's pacing challenge."
Flosi emerged as the clear choice from a group of the most highly respected, experienced graduated command chief master sergeants from across the Air Force's global operations, officials said. These leaders were selected based on breadth of experience, recommendations from senior commanders and performance across each candidate's Air Force career.
"I'm honored and humbled to represent all Airmen as your 20th Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force," Chief Master Sgt. David A. Flosi said. "We are serving at a time of great consequence where success hinges on our ability to optimize this team toward the changing character of war. I'm excited to serve the Total Force supporting the SECAF and CSAF's priorities. We have heard the call for action from General Allvin … it is time to follow through!"
With Flosi's selection, the current Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, JoAnne S. Bass, will soon close out her tenure as the service's highest ranking noncommissioned leader. Bass has been in the job since August 2020. She was the first woman in Air Force history to be named CMSAF, and the first woman in Department of Defense history to serve as a service-level Senior Enlisted Advisor.
"Chief Flosi is an incredibly strong leader who has proven himself in every role at every level," Bass said. "I have no doubt he will continue building and developing our Air Force to be the future force our nation needs to compete, deter and win in any domain."
Department of the Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall offered praise and his endorsement, as well.
"The Department of the Air Force relies on our Senior Enlisted Advisors to represent the needs and perspectives of all our enlisted Airmen and Guardians, the majority of our force," Kendall said. "I have high confidence that Chief Flosi will build upon the great example provided by his predecessors and serve with distinction as our twentieth Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force."
Flosi moves into his new job from Air Force Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, where he serves as the command chief master sergeant. That role is similar in many respects to the role he will assume at the Pentagon. At Materiel Command he is the senior enlisted leader and the primary advisor to the commander on all matters regarding the readiness, training, professional development and effective utilization of the command's 89,000 total force Airmen.
Prior to his tour at Wright-Patterson AFB, Flosi served as the command chief master sergeant at the Air Force's Sustainment Center at Tinker AFB, Oklahoma.
Flosi began his Air Force career in 1996 as a nuclear weapons specialist. That focus expanded over the years to include various leadership duties in conventional and nuclear munitions, as well as missile operations, program management and test and contingency operations.
Like his predecessor, Flosi has a deployment history, including tours in support of operations Southern Watch, Iraqi Freedom, Inherent Resolve and Freedom's Sentinel.
Also, like previous CMSAFs, Flosi will be the public face for Air Force personnel to those in all levels of government. He will be a personal adviser to Allvin and other senior leaders, both military and civilian, and will be expected to provide insight on issues regarding the welfare, readiness, morale and proper utilization and progress of the Air Force's entire cadre of Airmen.
Through his leadership, Flosi will provide direction for the Total Force and will represent the interests of all Airmen. A link to Chief Master Sgt. David A. Flosi's biography can be found here.
