WASHINGTON — The head of Air Force Global Strike Command said that he will seek retirement, according to a late Tuesday social media post.
In a post on Facebook published by AFGSC, Gen. Thomas Bussiere said that he will “request retirement from the United States Air Force for personal and family reasons.” A change of command ceremony for AFGSC is scheduled for Oct. 17, according to a spokesperson for the command, at which point Bussiere would be expected to depart from his current role.
“Serving alongside the exceptional men and women of our Air Force has been the privilege of a lifetime. I’m especially proud of the Warrior Airmen of Air Force Global Strike Command and everything we’ve accomplished together,” Bussiere said.
Bussiere earlier this year appeared to have a longer future in the Air Force after he was selected in July to serve as its No. 2 officer following the ouster of former Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. James Slife. But after no movement on his nomination, Aviation Week reported in September it had been pulled by the Trump administration.
As Breaking Defense previously reported, former Air Combat Command chief Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach quickly emerged as a frontrunner to replace Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin, who announced his surprise retirement in August. Bussiere at that time was seen as a leading contender for the chief of staff job too, and a highly unusual social media campaign cropped up to boost the general for the job over Wilsbach.
The campaigning was not successful: On Monday, the Senate formally received Wilsbach’s nomination to serve as Air Force Chief of Staff. The move likely foreclosed one of the only avenues forward for Bussiere as a four-star general, as his successor, Lt. Gen. Stephen Davis, has already been confirmed by the Senate. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has also been vocal about cutting the number of top brass.
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“I am deeply honored to have been nominated for Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force and profoundly grateful for the trust and confidence placed in me by the President,” Bussiere said in the Facebook post.
After assuming his current post in December 2022, Bussiere oversaw the Air Force’s nuclear deterrent and strategic assets like bombers. He formerly achieved the rating of a command pilot after logging thousands of hours on aircraft like the F-15 Eagle, B-2 Spirit and F-22 Raptor, according to his service biography and held numerous roles including as commander of the Eighth Air Force. He joined the Air Force in 1985 via the ROTC program at Norwich University.
The general was a strong advocate for modernization efforts underway across the Air Force, particularly for its aging bomber fleet. While Bussiere in his current post stewarded so-far successful programs like the B-21 Raider, his portfolio also included flagging efforts like the LGM-35A Sentinel, which he revealed will require new missile silos.
“While I’m stepping away from active duty, my commitment to service remains. I look forward to finding new ways to support our Air Force, our national defense, and the incredible people who make it all possible,” Bussiere said in the Facebook post, thanking “all who have supported me through this journey.”