Stephen W. Wilson

Gen. Stephen W. “Seve” Wilson served as vice chief of staff of the U.S. Air Force (VCSAF)—the Air Force’s second-highest-ranking officer—from July 2016 to November 2020. As VCSAF, according to his Air Force biography, Wilson ”presided over the Air Staff,” “served as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Requirements Oversight Council and Deputy Advisory Working Group,” and “assisted the Chief of Staff with organizing, training, and equipping of 685,000 active-duty, Guard, Reserve and civilian forces serving in the United States and overseas.” Wilson’s accomplishments in this position included leading the Spark Tank competition, conceiving the Vice Chief’s Challenge, partnering with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to establish an artificial intelligence accelerator, and being “instrumental in the development” of the B-21 Raider long-range strike bomber. Prior to serving as VCSAF, Wilson was a pilot and held numerous command positions, including deputy commander of U.S. strategic command. Wilson says on his Linkedin profile, “When it comes to space superiority and nuclear modernization, I am hard-nosed,” and “I am equally focused on the pursuit of innovation and game-changing technology.”

In August 2021, defense and aerospace company BAE Systems announced Wilson’s appointment to its board of directors for a term lasting through April 2024. BAE is one of several suppliers on the B-21 program and also supports two legs of the U.S. nuclear triad, consisting of sea-based and ground-based ballistic missiles. BAE was awarded $691.3 million in Air Force contracts in fiscal year 2020. In the announcement, BAE board chairman and former Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff said that Wilson’s “decades of national security experience … will ensure we are well prepared to continue supporting our customers.”

Wilson did not respond to request for comment.