President Trump on Thursday nominated Matt Donovan, a former F-15C pilot and member of the Senate Armed Services Committee professional staff, as the next undersecretary of the Air Force.
If confirmed, Donovan will succeed former undersecretary Lisa Disbrow.
Donovan has an extensive history with the Air Force and the other military services. He served as an Air Force officer from 1982 to 2008 and has more than 2,900 flying hours in the F-15 and F-5E, according to a biography on the Air Force Senior Leader Orientation Course's website. He flew combat missions over Iraq during Operation Southern Watch and commanded the 95th Fighter Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida. He also served at Officer Training School at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama.
After retiring from active duty, Donovan served at the Pentagon as the staff director for the Air Force's deputy chief of staff for strategic plans and requirements.
Donovan currently serves as adviser to SASC Chairman John McCain, R-Arizona, on fixed wing, manned and unmanned tactical aviation programs for all four services, as well as on Air Force bomber, mobility and special mission aircraft and research and development, aircraft procurement and sustainment programs.
In a 2002 Air Force story, Donovan — then a lieutenant colonel commanding the 95th — rejected the idea that the F-15 was ready to be put out to pasture and called it "just a superb fighting airplane."
And in March, Donovan traveled to the 52nd Maintenance Squadron at Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany to learn about the problems maintainers faced, such as undermanning, excessive extra duties and long hours.
Donovan's nomination comes as the Trump administration has struggled to fill top positions in the Defense Department. Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson, who was sworn in on May 16, is the only service secretary in place.
In the Army, Trump has nominated former Army Ranger Ryan McCarthy to be the Army undersecretary. His nomination comes after two failed attempts by the White House to nominate a new Army secretary, a post that has been filled in a temporary, acting role by Robert Speer since January.
Trump's first choice for Navy secretary, Philip Bilden, withdrew from consideration in February citing privacy concerns and the difficulty of separating from his business interests. Richard Spencer, a former Marine Corps captain, has been nominated for the job.
Stephen Losey is the air warfare reporter for Defense News. He previously covered leadership and personnel issues at Air Force Times, and the Pentagon, special operations and air warfare at Military.com. He has traveled to the Middle East to cover U.S. Air Force operations.
Leo covers Congress, Veterans Affairs and the White House for Military Times. He has covered Washington, D.C. since 2004, focusing on military personnel and veterans policies. His work has earned numerous honors, including a 2009 Polk award, a 2010 National Headliner Award, the IAVA Leadership in Journalism award and the VFW News Media award.
