Lt. Gen. Kevin P. Chilton assumed command of 8th Air Force, headquartered at Barksdale AFB, La., on Aug. 10. He replaced Gen. (sel.) Bruce Carlson, who now commands Air Force Materiel Command.
U.S. Southern Command recently announced its first lethal strike on a suspected narco-trafficking vessel in two months, and the first under a newly formed permanent counter-cartel task force. The U.S. is also reportedly planning to transfer MQ-9 drones to Colombia to bolster its counter-cartel efforts.