Eric Fanning on Monday became the Air Force’s undersecretary, filling a position that’s been vacant since June 2012. “I look forward to being part of the Air Force family,” said Fanning, who took the oath of office during a ceremony in the Pentagon, according to an April 29 service release. He added, “I am honored by this opportunity and look forward to stand beside Secretary [Michael] Donley in making sure the men and women of this great service receive the support they need in undertaking the mission of defending our country.” Donley said Fanning “will be a tremendous asset to our Air Force and our leadership team.” President Obama nominated Fanning in February. The Senate confirmed Fanning for the post on April 18. He had been serving since 2009 as the Navy’s deputy chief management officer. The undersecretary is responsible for Air Force matters on behalf of the Secretary and serves as the service’s chief management officer, its senior energy official, and focal point for space at the headquarters level. Jamie Morin, acting undersecretary since last July, will continue in his role as the Air Force’s assistant secretary for financial management and comptroller, states the release.
Amid a high-profile recruiting crisis, Air Force leaders and experts have increasingly noted the challenging long-term trends the service will face in enticing young Americans to sign up—decreasing eligibility to serve, less propensity to do so, and less familiarity with the military. But while those same leaders say there’s no “silver…