Air Force Gen. Lance Smith, commander of US Joint Forces Command and NATO Supreme Allied Commander Transformation wants to retire come January, after serving some 37 years in the Air Force. NATO, in an Aug. 27 statement concurred, saying he had completed his term in the position. Now, it falls upon President Bush to nominate another US flag officer to take Smith’s place.
An F-16 Fighting Falcon assigned to the Texas Air National Guard’s 149th Fighter Wing crashed during a training mission in Michigan on Sept. 17. The fighter's sole pilot ejected and is in stable condition at a local hospital.
