Trump picks a former air crewman and space expert to head the Air Force President-elect Donald Trump has named Troy Meink, a former Air Force KC-135 tanker aircraft navigator and former deputy of the National Reconnaissance Office, as his choice to serve as the top civilian leader for the Air Force.
If confirmed, Meink would assume the role as the Air Force and U.S. Space Force, which was established by Trump during his first term and just hit its fifth year in existence — are hurriedly trying to reshape the nation's space capabilities.
“Troy will work with our incredible Secretary of Defense Nominee, Pete Hegseth, to ensure that our Nation’s Air Force is the most effective and deadly force in the World, as we secure peace through strength,” Trump wrote on his online platform Truth Social.
Meink has almost four decades of experience as both a military member and in government service in national security, including roles managing some of the nation’s most sensitive satellite intelligence capabilities and the military’s space portfolio.
Meink is from Lemmon, South Dakota, and joined the Air Force as an ROTC cadet at South Dakota State University in 1988.
