U.S. Air Force Secretary Michael Donley stepping down

PanARMENIAN.Net - U.S. Air Force Secretary Michael Donley said on Friday he was stepping down after nearly five years leading the service, during a time it faced scrutiny for mishandling nuclear weapons, a spate of sexual assaults and recurrent acquisition challenges, Reuters reported.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel called Donley an outstanding leader and said he had been an "invaluable adviser" during his first months in office.

"His leadership came during a challenging time for the Air Force, and he helped instill a culture of responsibility, initiative, and professionalism to the service," Hagel said in a statement.

Donley, 60, who plans to retire on June 21, was named acting Air Force secretary in June 2008 when then-Defense Secretary Robert Gates fired his predecessor and chief of staff over an incident that raised questions about Air Force oversight of nuclear weapons. Donley was confirmed in October 2008.

Former military officials said Donley rebuilt confidence in the Air Force on the nuclear weapon issue, but the service still grappled with acquisition issues and a controversy over sexual assaults that occurred on his watch.

Earlier this month, Hagel asked Congress to eliminate the power of top commanders to alter verdicts for major crimes like murder or sexual assault. The move came after a senior commander in Europe set aside the sexual assault conviction of an Air Force officer, Lieutenant Colonel James Wilkerson, stirring an uproar in Congress.

Carol DiBattiste, a lawyer and former undersecretary of the Air Force under President Bill Clinton, has emerged as one of the leading candidates for the top civilian job at the Air Force, according to a source familiar with the process.

DiBattiste held senior jobs with the Justice Department, the Navy and the Transportation Security Administration before moving to the private sector in 2005.