The Pentagon said May 10 that President Bush will nominate Vice Adm. Eric T. Olson, for a fourth star and to head US Special Operations Command, replacing Army Gen. Bryan Brown, who plans to retire. Olson currently serves as SOCOM deputy commander. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be the first naval officer to head the 20-year-old command. The Army has dominated leadership of the special ops combatant command, with one exception: Air Force Gen. Charles Holland commanded SOCOM from Oct. 27, 200 to Sept. 2, 2003.
The emphasis on speed in the Pentagon’s newly unveiled slate of acquisition reforms may come with increased near-term cost increases, analysts say. But according to U.S. defense officials, the new weapons-buying construct provides the military with enough flexibility to prevent runaway budget overruns in major programs.
