Reference Message Network reported on May 15 according to a report by the Associated Press on May 13. On May 13, the Senate easily passed the appointment of Troy Meinke as Secretary of the Air Force with a vote of 74 to 25. This former KC-135 tanker navigator and aviation expert will be responsible for leading the Air Force.

Meinke has nearly 40 years of military and government work experience, including managing some of the most sensitive satellite intelligence capabilities and military aviation integrated assets in the United States.

He previously served as the Deputy Director of the National Reconnaissance Office. Although Meinke was the last among the three service branches' secretaries to receive approval for his appointment, he has the most comprehensive experience in national security and the military among the three.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegaseth posted on social media: "Your leadership is exactly what our Department of Defense needs to refocus on core missions - lethality, readiness, and putting warriors first."

Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll briefly served in the Army but mainly worked as a lawyer and investment banker. Navy Secretary John Fellen was a private investment executive and businessman, also the first Navy Secretary without military service experience since 2006.

Meinke will lead both the United States Air Force and Space Force. The Space Force was established by President Donald Trump during his first term and has been operational for five years.

As Meinke's appointment was approved by the Senate, the Trump administration was also working to reshape America's space capabilities, including developing the "Golden Dome" missile defense system - this future-oriented system was ordered to be developed just one week after Trump took office. If successful, it will enable the U.S. to deploy space weapons for the first time, aiming to destroy land-based missiles within seconds after launch.

Meinke is from Lemmon, South Dakota. He joined the Air Force in 1988 as a cadet in the Reserve Officer Training Corps at South Dakota State University. During his previous tenure at the National Reconnaissance Office, Meinke was responsible for managing more than 15 billion dollars related to budgets for acquiring new satellite capabilities. (Translated by Zheng Guoyi)

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