Gen. Raymond Odierno became the 38th Army Chief of Staff during a ceremony at JB Myer-Henderson Hall, Va. Odierno, who was the last commander of US Joint Forces Command, replaced Gen. Martin Dempsey, who is transitioning to his new role as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. “Ray Odierno brings to this job impressive, even impeccable, credentials as a soldier and leader, commanding units at every level during a career that spans some three and a half decades,” said Army Secretary John McHugh during Wednesday’s change-of-command ceremony. McHugh added, “Gen. Odierno is only the second officer since Vietnam to command at division, corps, and Army level during the same conflict.” Dempsey on Sept. 30 will become the first Army general in 10 years to lead the Joint Chiefs, succeeding Adm. Mike Mullen, who is retiring. (AFPS report by Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall)
The U.S., South Korea, and Japan flew an unusual trilateral flight with two U.S. B-52H Stratofortress bombers escorted by two Japan Air Self-Defense Force F-2s, and two ROK Air Force KF-16 fighters—both countries’ respective variants of the F-16—July 11. That same weekend, the top military officers of the three nations…