President Obama nominated Maj. Gen. Christopher Bogdan for a third star for his new assignment as director of the F-35 program office in Arlington, Va. If the Senate approves of this nomination, Bogdan would succeed Vice Adm. David Venlet, who has overseen the F-35 program since May 2010. Pentagon spokeswoman Cheryl Irwin told the Daily Report that “there is no indication at this time” when Venlet would leave the director’s job. Bogdan’s nomination reached the Senate Armed Services Committee on Aug. 2. Bogdan is currently the deputy director of the F-35 program office, having just transitioned to that role at the end of July, F-35 spokeswoman Cmdr. Kyra Hawn told the Daily Report on Aug. 7. Before that, Bogdan led the Air Force’s KC-46 program office at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. In May, Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz announced that Bogdan and then F-35 deputy director Maj. Gen. John Thompson would be switching positions. Thompson moved into the KC-46 leadership post last month. (Pentagon release)
US Space Command Should Always Be Led by a Guardian
Sept. 12, 2026
General Stephen Whiting took command of U.S. Space Command in January 2024, and if customary three-year tenures hold, his tour would end in January 2027. The question now before the President and Senate is who should follow him? Whoever they choose, it has to be a Guardian—and so should every successor…
