The Senate confirmed both Adm. Timothy Keating and Air Force Lt. Gen. Victor Renuart Jr. on March 19 for their new posts as head of US Pacific Command and NORAD/US Northern Command, respectively. The two successfully passed a March 8 confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee. Advance questions for Renuart, who also will add a fourth star, included ones on his views of National Guard employment and whether the No. 2 spot at NORTHCOM should go to a Guardsman. Renuart believes seeking the “best qualified” is the right approach.
B-52 Stratofortress bombers marked a new first in Operation Epic Fury when some of the BUFFs flew over Iran carrying JDAM-guided gravity bombs, according to people familiar with the matter. The development signals a weakening of Iranian air defenses and a new use for the venerable bomber in the nearly…