Maj. Gen. Peter Lambert (l) is slated to become the assistant deputy Air Force chief of staff for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance. Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Tailiaferro has been assigned to be operations vice director for the Joint Staff. Brig. Gen. James Cluff (r) will replace Lambert as the Joint Staff's ISR operations deputy director. Air Force photos.
Three Air Force general officers are moving to new jobs on the Joint Staff and within the intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance community, the service announced Aug. 22.
Brig. Gen. James Cluff, the Air Force’s director for remotely piloted aircraft and airborne ISR, will become the Joint Staff’s ISR operations deputy director, where he will be responsible for spreading ISR capabilities across each military service. Cluff is currently heading an Air Force organization intended to mesh ISR, information operations, and planning and requirements and act as the “functional lead for penetrating and persistent multi-role remotely piloted aircraft and manned airborne ISR capabilities,” according to his service biography. He previously flew the F-16, MQ-1, MQ-9, RQ-4, and RQ-170 and served in multiple RPA and intelligence leadership positions.
Cluff replaces Maj. Gen. Peter Lambert, who is leaving to become the assistant deputy Air Force chief of staff for ISR. Lambert’s previous roles include a stint as Air Combat Command’s intel director.
Meanwhile, Air Force Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Taliaferro, US Northern Command’s operations director, has been assigned to become operations vice director on the Joint Staff. Prior to joining NORTHCOM in May 2017, Taliaferro had been deputy air commander for US Forces-Afghanistan.
Air Forces Cyber boss Maj. Gen. Robert Skinner is also leaving his post in September, to serve as US Indo-Pacific Command’s director of command, control, communications, and cyber, a 24th Air Force spokeswoman recently confirmed. His replacement has not yet been named.
Also notable: Lt. Gen. VeraLinn Jamieson, USAF deputy chief of staff for ISR and cyber effects operations, will retire Jan. 1, 2020, according to her official biography. Fifth Domain first reported on her departure.
The Senate on July 31 confirmed Jamieson’s replacement, 25th Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. Mary O’Brien, for promotion to lieutenant general and to her new post.