Lt. Gen. Daniel Darnell has been nominated to become deputy commander of US Pacific Command at Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii, the Defense Department announced May 11. He would remain a lieutenant general in that position. Darnell has been serving as deputy chief of staff for air, space, and information operations, plans and requirements since November 2007. He would replace Lt. Gen. Douglas Fraser at PACOM. Fraser has been tapped for a fourth star to head US Southern Command.
The $4.26 billion Small Business Innovation Research contracting program widely used by the Air Force went into hibernation as the government shut down Oct. 1, but unless lawmakers strike a deal on reforms, the program could reach an abrupt end.


