The Air Force’s top enlisted leader told senior noncommissioned officers in an internal message this week following the service chief’s sudden retirement announcement that airmen don’t swear loyalty to an individual.
The internal message sent Thursday was an apparent attempt to rally airmen amid the leadership shake-up, and was reviewed by Military.com. In it, Chief Master Sgt. David Flosi wrote that transitions “sometimes lead to uneasiness about our Air Force” and that he wanted to share his perspective following Gen. David Allvin’s surprise announcement on Monday that he is retiring later this year.
“Chiefs, our calling is to stand ready to make the ultimate sacrifice for our team. We raise our right hand and swear to it,” Flosi said in the message. “Not because of any individual, but because [of] the mission, our airmen, and the trust of our nation.”
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Allvin’s departure stemmed from the Trump administration’s desire to separate itself from former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall’s initiative focused on competing with China, which the top general was also involved in, multiple news outlets reported.
Flosi’s message to the force seemingly sought to calm the rank and file as the Pentagon goes through yet another major leadership shake-up, including the departures of at least three other service chiefs since the start of President Donald Trump’s second term.
A Department of the Air Force spokesperson told Military.com that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was “not involved in the decision for Gen. Allvin to retire.”
Flosi, as chief master sergeant of the Air Force, was Allvin’s top adviser on enlisted matters. He became the top enlisted leader in March 2024, according to his service biography, and his career spans nearly 30 years.
A spokesperson for Flosi’s office told Military.com that, when he mentions that airmen don’t join “because of any individual,” the top enlisted leader was referring to anyone.
“Transitions are a part of military life,” the spokesperson, reiterating a comment from Flosi, told Military.com on Friday. “Leaders of all walks come and go, but the one constant throughout that entire process is our airmen. They remain the backbone of the Air Force, and they are committed to the mission. I’m proud of them and the work they do every day.”
An airman’s oath of enlistment states that service members “will support and defend
the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic” and also notes “I will obey the orders of the president of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me.”
A Military.com request for comment sent to Pentagon officials was not immediately returned.
The Trump administration has taken an unprecedented interest in the military’s top generals. Last month, Military.com reported that Trump was meeting with four-star general nominees personally, a move that raised ethical concerns about the entangling of political roles and the military’s highest-ranking officials.
Hegseth’s Pentagon has quickly reacted to officials who seemingly break with the president’s agenda.
Military.com exclusively reported in April that a Space Force commander stationed in Greenland sent out an email to Pituffik Space Force Base distancing it from Vice President JD Vance’s overt criticism of Denmark during a visit to the installation. Shortly after that news broke, the commander was fired from her role.
Flosi, in his internal message, praised his noncommissioned officers amid the leadership shake-ups and encouraged them to be “steady, calm” professionals.
“In particular, the senior enlisted leader stands at the commander’s side, representing the spirit, strength and resilience of every airman,” the message read. “We owe it to them to brave the storms of change and be a guiding light.”
Related: Trump Is Vetting Top General Nominees. It Could Be Seen as a Loyalty Test.
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