by Aamer Madhani
Defense Secretary Robert Gates has picked the two men he would like to see take the place of the ousted Air Force secretary and the service's top man in uniform.
Gates has recommended President Bush nominate the head of Pentagon's management office, Michael Donley, to replace Michael Wynne. He also recommended the president nominate Gen. Norton Schwartz to replace Gen. Michael Moseley as the Air Force Chief of Staff.
Donley had previously served as acting Air Force secretary in 1993. Schwartz, a 35-year Air Force veteran, served in senior joint military positions as director of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, director for operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff and deputy commander of Special Operations Command.
Gates has recommened that Donley be appointed acting secretary as of June 21.
"I am confident that Mike Donley, General Schwartz and the new Air Force leadership team have the qualifications, skill and commitment to excellence necessary to guide the Air Force through this transition and beyond," Gates said in a statement.
Gates abruptly dumped Wynne and Moseley last week after receiving a report that was critical of the Air Force's leadership's management of the U.S. nuclear arsenal.
Gates cited a failure of leadership in the Air Force's top echelon in stewarding the U.S. nuclear deterrent, the Air Force's central and most sensitive mission. Gates had asked Wynne to fire Moseley, but he refused, according to a defense source who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Gates then decided to ask for the resignations of both men.
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