Air Force Lt. Gen. David Goldfein, current director of the Joint Staff at the Pentagon, has been nominated to succeed the retiring Gen. Larry Spencer as vice chief of staff for the service branch.
The Defense Department announced the transition Wednesday and said Goldfein, a 32-year Air Force veteran, was also nominated for a promotion to the rank of general.
Goldfein has led the Joint Staff since August 2013 and served as head of Air Forces Central Command for the three years prior to his current assignment.
Spencer, who has served as the Air Force’s number two uniformed officer since July 2012, will join the Air Force Association later this year as president after a 34-year military career, according to a release from the nonprofit education organization.
He was selected for promotion to four-star general upon his appointment to the vice chief of staff role and currently works with the chief of staff to organize, train and equip 690,000 active duty, National Guard, reserve and civilian personnel.
