Elevating the head of Air Force Global Strike Command to a four-star billet is part of the Air Force’s effort to get back into the national debate over nuclear weapons, Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh said on April 2 during an AFA-sponsored, Air Force event in Arlington, Va. “We should be in the middle of policy debates” on nuclear forces because “we lead and execute two-thirds of the nuclear triangle,” said Welsh. A four-star “in that position allows us to [participate] in those discussions where having a three-star made it difficult.” It also gives the AFGSC chief “more ability to influence” what happens with the nuclear enterprise. Welsh said he envisions the head of AFGSC being invited to policy discussions at the DOD leadership and National Security Council level. USAF “should be very clearly expressing concern, identifying things” that affect the deterrence mission and “we should not be waiting for things to happen” in that arena, he said.
Three of four congressional committees with influence over defense policy have voted to change the official name of the Department of Defense to the Department of War—but final approval of the Pentagon rebrand is months away and not yet assured.