I am grateful for the freedoms we enjoy and it will be an honor to serve with you as Secretary of the Air Force.

In every generation, able volunteers step forward to protect the rest of us. Highly skilled and willing to defend the nation at all costs, you and your families represent the best of what it means to be an American. 

Under the guidance of Secretary of Defense Mattis and with the support of the Congress, we will restore the readiness of the force so that we can win any fight. Because our adversaries do not rest, we will cost-effectively modernize the force and drive innovation to bring new capabilities to the service of liberty. Underpinning it all will be a commitment to our people — to the development of leaders to command the finest combat force in the world. 

We will not take for granted American dominance in air and space power. We will use every taxpayer dollar entrusted to us to train for it, equip for it, and fight for it.

I know each of you will do your duty. I will do my best to do the same.