U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Monday recommended senior Pentagon official Michael Donley to be secretary of the Air Force and General Norton Schwartz as Air Force chief of staff, replacing leaders fired late last week over two mistakes in handling nuclear weapons and parts. Gates' recommendations to President George W. Bush come after Gates forced Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne and Chief of Staff Michael Moseley to resign after an investigation found that two nuclear-related incidents—the shipment of nuclear missile fuses to Taiwan and the cross-country flight by an Air Force bomber wrongly armed with nuclear weapons—resulted from systemic problems in the control of nuclear weapons and components. “I am confident that Mike Donley, General Schwartz, and the new Air Force leadership team have the qualifications, skill, and commitment … to guide the Air Force through this transition and beyond,” Gates said in a statement. Donley, who would become the top civilian in charge of the Air Force, is currently director of administration and management for the Defense Department. He previously has served as both assistant secretary of the Air Force and as acting secretary of the Air Force. Schwartz, who would become the service's top general, is currently commander of U.S. Transportation Command. He has held several positions working closely with other military branches.
