AFA Announces New President

AFA's Board of Directors have approved Craig R. McKinley, the 26th Chief of the National Guard Bureau, as the next AFA President. McKinley will be succeeding Michael M. Dunn, who retired after completing his term in the five-year position.

McKinley has had a long service in key AFA leadership positions – at the chapter, state and region levels. Now, as AFA's top staff executive, he will direct the association's professional staff in all functional areas and be responsible for the management and operations of the association, which include professional development events across the country and countless aerospace educational initiatives. He will also hold the position of publisher of Air Force Magazine, the official journal of the association.

McKinley retired as a four-star general Friday, September 7. In addition to serving as the Chief of the National Guard Bureau, he served as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In this capacity, he was a military adviser to the President, the Secretary of Defense, the National Security Council and was the Department of Defense's official channel of communication to the Governors and to State Adjutants General on all matters pertaining to the National Guard.

“I feel very fortunate to have been selected to lead AFA, as this association has always had a strong culture with important missions,” said McKinley. “As this nation faces hard decisions in the near future, it will continue to need associations like AFA to promote national security and defense. I look forward to building upon the sturdy foundation and accelerating the momentum that in already in place at AFA, while preserving the heritage and attributes that have gotten AFA to where it is today.”

AFA is excited to welcome McKinley into his next role!