The nomination of Gen. Philip Breedlove to be NATO’s supreme allied commander in Europe and head of US European Command took a step forward on Wednesday. Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) interrupted Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel’s opening remarks at the committee’s hearing on the Defense Department’s Fiscal 2014 budget request to announce that the committee officially had a quorum, which allowed it to vote on hundreds of pending military nominations, including Breedlove’s. After the committee recommended moving the nominations to the full Senate, Hagel jokingly asked if the hearing was over. Levin replied, “It is. At least for the 549 nominees it’s over.” Hagel responded, “A damn efficient committee.” Breedlove, currently US Air Forces in Europe commander, went before the committee on April 11 for his nomination hearing.
A recent seven-day exercise sent Air Force F-22s—along with other USAF aircraft—to austere, challenging environments across Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. Agile Reaper, taking place for the second time after its inaugural edition last year, featured 800 Airmen and 29 aircraft across five different locations from April 10-16, training…