President Donald Trump nominated Maj. Gen. Kirk Pierce for a third star and assignment as commander of 1st Air Force at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.
If confirmed, Pierce, who currently serves as deputy commander of the Air National Guard, would replace Lt. Gen. Marc Sasseville, who has led 1st Air Force since June 2019. Sasseville has been tapped to serve as vice chief of the Air National Guard.
If confirmed, Pierce would serve as the continental U.S. joint forces air component commander at North American Aerospace Defense Command and the joint force air component commander of U.S. Northern Command. He also would oversee homeland air defense for the continental United States, aerial support of civil authorities, and theater security cooperation for North America.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to clarify Pierce’s roles and responsibilities.