The Honorable Alex Wagner

The Honorable Alex Wagner served as Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Manpower & Reserve Affairs from 2022 to 2025, responsible for the entire human capital enterprise of the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force — including recruiting and retention, talent management, compensation, healthcare, education, and family support — for nearly 700,000 service members and civilians. Under his leadership, military childcare staffing increased from 65% to 86%, reducing waitlist times by 25%. Previously, Wagner served as Chief of Staff to the Secretary of the Army and Vice President for Strategic Initiatives at the Aerospace Industries Association. He is currently founder and principal of Pacer Forge Strategies, a strategic advisory firm, teaches at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School, and serves as a Senior Advisor at the Roosevelt Group and Hiring Our Heroes. He is also a Distinguished Fellow at the Atlantic Council and was a Fall 2025 Pritzker Fellow at the University of Chicago’s Institute of Politics. His writing on defense and military personnel policy has appeared in The Atlantic, The Washington Post, and Defense One.