Secretary announces provisional Global Strike commander

Published Feb. 11, 2009

WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- The secretary of the Air Force here selected a commander for the provisional Air Force Global Strike Command Dec. 18.

Secretary Michael B. Donley chose Brig. Gen. James M. Kowalski to lead the provisional command.

Air Force officials will propose a three-star general lead the permanent command. The provisional command will be temporarily located at Bolling Air Force Base, D.C. Air Force leaders are currently in the process for determining a permanent location for the Air Force Global Strike Command.

Air Force officials first proposed the activation of the Air Force Global Strike Command as the lead major command for the Air Force nuclear operations in October upon publication of the service's Nuclear Roadmap.

The provisional command, along with detachments at Air Combat Command and Air Force Space Command, are scheduled to be activated Jan. 12, 2009, Secretary Donley said.

"With Air Force Global Strike Command, we are establishing a single organization operationally focused on the nuclear and global strike missions," the secretary said. "AFGSC represents a crucial commitment to our responsibility for day-to-day excellence and unquestionable stewardship of the nuclear and strategic deterrence missions."

General Kowalski will assume command upon activation of the provisional command. He will be responsible for implementing the organization's program action directive, which outlines necessary actions to standup the new Air Force Global Strike Command. This includes assisting in identifying a final location, and identifying manpower and resource requirements that will transfer to the newly established Air Force Global Strike Command.

The provisional command staff will also work closely with Headquarters Air Force Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration Office (A10), Air Combat Command, Air Force Space Command, Air Force Materiel Command and U.S. Strategic Command as they refine the roles and responsibilities of the new major command.

General Kowalski will be reporting from the Joint Staff Global Operations Directorate where he served as the deputy director for global operations.

Although the permanent location of the major command has not been determined, Bolling AFB will not be the final location for the Air Force Global Strike Command headquarters. The program action directive for Air Force Global Strike Command will include a schedule for resolving the final headquarters location as soon as possible, to include satisfactory completion of the environmental impact analysis process.

The Air Force Global Strike Command will eventually include 8th Air Force, a bomber numbered Air Force currently under ACC, and 20th Air Force, a missile numbered Air Force currently under Air Force Space Command.

The ACC, AFSPC and AFMC commanders will continue to focus on day-to-day operations and work with the provisional command to establish the role of AFGSC. Personnel will be temporarily attached to the provisional major command until it transitions from a provisional status to a permanent command.