President Obama announced his intent to nominate Air Force Undersecretary Erin Conaton to be undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness. Conaton has been the Air Force’s No. 2 top civilian leader since March 2010. She has had a large role in shaping the service’s space and energy policy, among her engagement, during her tenure. If the Senate approves her forthcoming nomination, Conaton would be the senior policy advisor to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta on recruitment, career development, pay, and benefits for US military personnel and Defense Department civilians. She would also oversee the overall state of military readiness. (White House release)
The U.S. has approved a $310.5 million Foreign Military Sale to provide Ukraine with maintenance and training for its F-16 fighter jets, the State Department announced May 2. Meanwhile, the U.S. Air Force has been sending retired F-16s to Ukraine to be used for spare parts.