Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force David Flosi announced his impending retirement in an October 13 email to the force, referring to the sudden death of his wife, Katy, last month.
The Air Force confirmed to Military Times that Flosi plans to retire and that the email is authentic.
“My family and I have decided to change the capacity in which I will serve our Airmen and this Nation we love,” Flosi wrote in the email, which has been shared on social media.
“After nearly 30 years in uniform, I am retiring from active-duty service, to ensure I take care of our family and learn to live with Katy in a new way, to continue to honor her as I should,” he wrote.
Katy Flosi died unexpectedly because of medical complications on Sept. 20. CMSAF Flosi released a statement on Sept. 25 to the force in which he referred to her not only as a wife and mother but also a “fierce friend.”
“Katy is a cherished soul, universally loved for her warmth, kindness, and vibrant spirit. She positively touched the lives of everyone fortunate enough to know her,” he wrote in the statement, adding, “Our family is heartbroken.”
A professional ballerina with Ballet Arizona from 1992 through 1994, Katy dedicated herself to supporting her husband in his very active military career. She provided “backup” for Flosi while he deployed in direct support of Operations Southern Watch, Iraqi Freedom, Inherent Resolve, and Freedom’s Sentinel, and supported him in his many responsibilities since as a senior enlisted leader while also caring for their children and helping other military families.
Being a military spouse was a role Katy embraced with enthusiasm as well as dedication, she told AFA’s 2024 Air, Space & Cyber Conference.
“David and I have been married for 27 years. He proposed to me the night before he went into basic training, and said, ‘Just please don’t send me a Dear John letter until I’ve graduated.’”
He’s like, ‘Just wait till I finish,’” she said.
“So we’ve been in this together forever, and that’s when I became a military spouse.”
Her commitment to supporting her husband and family, and support for the military, remained strong in the face of many challenges she said.
“We are grateful, the military has given us so much. Yes, it’s been painful at times, and it’s been hard on our children, it’s been hard on our marriage sometimes, but when you turn and look at what you are grateful for, there’s a lot,” she said.
Flosi served as the 20th chief master sergeant of the Air Force, which he described as “a lifetime commitment.”
“While my active-duty service comes to end, I look forward to serving you in the years to come,” he wrote in the email.
Zita Ballinger Fletcher previously served as editor of Military History Quarterly and Vietnam magazines and as the historian of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. She holds an M.A. with distinction in military history.