Air Force Names John Roth as Acting Secretary

John Roth will serve as acting secretary of the Air Force until a permanent replacement has been nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate.

Roth succeeds 25th Secretary of the Air Force Barbara Barrett, who had served in the role from October 2019 to Jan. 20, the Air Force said Wednesday.

In an Air Force press release, Roth said he is looking forward to working with Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., the Air Force chief of staff, and Gen. John W. Raymond, the Space Force chief of operations, to ensure that the personnel are properly equipped to face national security challenges.  

As acting secretary, Roth now heads both the Air Force and the Space Force. tasked to organize, equip and train some 697,000 active duty, guard, reserve and civilian airmen. 

He will direct strategy, policy, acquisitions, personnel and risk management, in addition to implementing decisions of the president and Congress. 

Roth previously served as the assistant secretary of the Air Force for financial management and chief financial officer. As CFO, he served as the principal adviser on all financial matters.

He oversaw the budgeting, auditing, cost estimating and financial operations in accordance with the direction of Congress, the secretary of defense and the Air Force. 

His awards and decorations include the Distinguished Civilian Service Medal, Meritorious Executive Presidential Rank Award, Distinguished Executive Presidential Rank Award Distinguished Civilian Service Award and the Defense Exceptional Civilian Service Award.

Roth earned a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, and a master of science in administration from George Washington University.