Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force David A. Flosi says he is retiring. In a service-wide email on October 13, 2025, he told airmen he would leave active duty to take care of his family after the unexpected death of his wife, Katy, on September 20. Task & Purpose verified the email and reported that he did not include a retirement date, only his intent to depart.
How Flosi Got Here
Flosi enlisted in 1996 as a nuclear weapons specialist, the kind of job where a checklist is a survival kit and mistakes are not an option. He rose through the munitions and maintenance world, served in deployments that spanned Southern Watch, Iraqi Freedom, Inherent Resolve, and Freedom’s Sentinel, and earned a master’s degree in logistics and supply chain management from the Air Force Institute of Technology. Before the Pentagon, he served as command chief at the Air Force Sustainment Center, then at Air Force Materiel Command, which made him a natural pick when leaders went hunting for a seasoned senior enlisted advisor.
On March 8, 2024, Flosi became the 20th Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force at a change-of-responsibility ceremony at Joint Base Andrews.
What the CMSAF Does
The CMSAF is the senior enlisted leader for the United States Air Force and the primary enlisted adviser to the Chief of Staff and the Secretary of the Air Force. The job is part advocate, part traffic cop, and part translator between policy and the flight line. It includes shaping enlisted development, quality of life, and manpower policy, and representing the enlisted force to Congress, the public, and the rest of the Pentagon ecosystem.
What Flosi Did In The Seat
Flosi leaned into force development and standards, the daily bread of enlisted life. His office became a frequent source for nuts-and-bolts updates, such as uniform standards and boot guidance, and he engaged publicly when those changes sparked debate, even poking fun at himself when an online photo showed his tie out of spec. He also used his platform to speak bluntly about the realities of military service and readiness to fight.
Why He Is Leaving, And When
Flosi’s reason was straightforward. His wife, Katy, died of medical complications on September 20, and he told airmen he was stepping away to care for family and honor her memory. In a letter to the force on September 24, he wrote about her life and the impact she had on the community. As of his October 13 announcement, he did not set an exact departure date, but is expected to stay in his current role until the end of the year.
Who Might Replace Him
There is no official shortlist. Historically, the next CMSAF is chosen by the Chief of Staff and Secretary of the Air Force from among experienced command chiefs at major commands and Numbered Air Forces. With Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach nominated to succeed Gen. David Allvin as Chief of Staff, the incoming boss may select a new senior enlisted advisor soon after confirmation. That timing, and the fact that new service chiefs often pick their own enlisted partner, makes the transition window a prime moment for change.
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There is noise in the ranks and online. A lighthearted petition earlier this summer pushed for Chief Master Sgt. Jeremiah Grisham, a popular command chief, to become the next CMSAF. It was presented as a tribute, not a protest, and it does not signal an official move by the Air Force. Still, it shows how closely airmen watch this choice, because the CMSAF’s tone can shape everything from promotion conversations to how a new haircut policy lands on a Monday morning.
The Stakes Of The Hand-Off
This transition comes as the service shuffles its top leadership. Allvin announced in August that he would retire around November, and Wilsbach has since moved through nomination and hearing. Every new chief reshapes the command team for the fight at hand, and the enlisted half of that team matters. The CMSAF’s travel schedule is punishing, the inbox is full of issues that affect every airman’s wallet and family calendar, and the job requires credibility in squadron spaces as much as it does in hearing rooms on Capitol Hill. The next pick will inherit a force that cares about standards, housing, pay, and training with an eye on China and a budget tug-of-war in Washington.
Bottom Line
Flosi’s career reads like a map of the Air Force’s hardest work, from nuclear munitions bays to the E-ring. He took the top enlisted job in March 2024, pushed on everyday problems that add up to retention and readiness, and now steps away for family after a personal loss. The service has not named a successor or a firm departure date. Watch the Senate’s handling of Wilsbach’s nomination, then watch the list of senior command chiefs who show up on travel rosters to the Pentagon. That is where the next CMSAF usually comes from, and the Air Force will want a steady hand fast.
