WASHINGTON (CN) - President Donald Trump on Monday announced former New Mexico Rep. Heather Wilson as his choice for secretary of the Air Force.
Wilson is currently the president of the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, a job she has held since 2013. She represented New Mexico as a Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1998-2009, serving on the House Armed Services Committee.
She eventually lost her seat when she chose to run for the Senate but was unable to make it out of the GOPÂ primary. She ran for the Senate again in 2012, but lost in the general election to Martin Heinrich, who still holds the seat.
An Air Force Academy graduate, Wilson worked on staff of the National Security Council during the George H. W. Bush administration. She would be the first academy graduate to lead the Air Force, according to the White House.
"Heather Wilson is going to make an outstanding secretary of the Air Force," Trump said in a statement. "Her distinguished military service, high level of knowledge and success in so many different fields gives me great confidence that she will lead our nation's Air force with the greatest competence and integrity. Our debt to America's men and women in uniform is eternal. Their service is an inspiration to us all and we honor their service and sacrifice."
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