Lt. Gen. Burton Field on Monday assumed command of 5th Air Force and US Forces, Japan, from Lt. Gen. Edward Rice in a ceremony at Yokota Air Base. Field comes to Yokota from the Pentagon where he served since February 2009 as the senior military advisor to the US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan. He graduated from the Air Force Academy in 1979 and is a command pilot, with more than 3,400 hours logged in the F-16 and F-22. Rice, who had led 5th AF since February 2008, has received the Senate’s approval for his new assignment leading Air Education and Training Command at Randolph AFB, Tex. Fifth Air Force, a major component of Pacific Air Forces, assists in the mutual defense of Japan and enhances regional stability in East Asia in partnership with Japan. (Yokota release)
The nominee to lead U.S. Cyber Command and the National Security Agency touted the value of the organizations’ dual-hat command structure and urged caution toward creating a dedicated cyber military service in written testimony to Congress released Jan. 15.
