Another reason Gen. Bruce Carlson isn’t a long shot to head US Pacific Command (see above) is that his immediate predecessor, Gen. Gregory Martin, originally was picked for the PACOM job. He withdrew when Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) threatened to turn Martin’s confirmation process into a circus over USAF’s tanker lease program and the Darleen Druyun affair. Martin did nothing wrong, but wanted to spare the service a public rehash of the tanker soap opera. The Pentagon then tapped Adm. William Fallon to replace Martin as the PACOM nominee.
Unit commanders are being told to separate service members who can’t shave their cheeks and chin for medical reasons for more than a year, according to new guidance from Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.
