Air Force Gen. Lance Smith on Nov. 9 turned over leadership of Joint Forces Command and NATO’s Allied Command Transformation to Marine Corps Gen. James Mattis. Smith formally retires in January after 38 years of service. At the change of command, Smith called the work of the members of the two commands “remarkable,” saying the commands had “struck a good balance” between support for current operations and preparation for future security needs. He called Mattis “exactly the right man for the job.”
Members of the House Armed Services Committee say the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile program has been set back three months due to the ongoing government shutdown. The comment is noteworthy because the JATM's status has been kept tightly under wraps.
