Mark A. Welsh III (born 1953) is a United States Air Force four-star general who currently serves as the 34th Commander, U.S. Air Forces in Europe which he also concurrently serves as Commander, Allied Air Command Ramstein, Germany and Director, Joint Air Power Competence Center at Kalkar, Germany. He is responsible for Air Force activities, conducted through 3rd Air Force, in an area of operations covering almost one-fifth of the globe. This area includes 51 countries in Europe, Asia and the Middle East, and the Arctic and Atlantic oceans with a total population reaching nearly one billion people speaking more than 80 languages. He also has administrative control of 17th Air Force, providing support, logistics and resources to U.S. Africa Command. General Welsh previously served as Associate Director of the Central Intelligence Agency for Military Support and Associate Director for Military Affairs, Central Intelligence Agency, Washington, D.C. from August 2008 to December 2010. As the ADMA, he served as the principal advisor to the Director of the CIA on military matters and is the primary bridge between the CIA and the Department of Defense for the coordination and planning of military and interagency operations. Additionally, he assisted in the formulation of CIA policies regarding military affairs, managed the provision of direct support to deployed forces, and oversaw the Director of Central Intelligence Agency representation at the combatant commands and senior service schools. He assumed his current assignment on December 13, 2010. As of 10 May 2012, General Mark A. Welsh III., has been nominated to be the next Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force.