Sen. Conrad Burns (R-Mont.) dropped his hold on Defense Department civilian nominees on Aug. 3 after the Pentagon promised to do “whatever is necessary” to streamline the overseas voting process for deployed troops by November, according to the Associated Press news service. The nomination of Anita Blair was not among those confirmed on Aug. 3.
An important U.S. Air Force E-3 Sentry AWACS command and control plane was among the aircraft damaged in a March 27 Iranian missile and drone attack on Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, people familiar with the matter told Air & Space Forces Magazine.