President Obama nominated Lt. Gen. David Goldfein for a fourth star and reassignment as Air Force vice chief of staff, announced service officials on Tuesday. Goldfein, the Joint Staff’s director since August 2013, would succeed Gen. Larry Spencer, who has been vice chief since July 2012 and is retiring from the Air Force after more than 35 years in uniform, according to the officials. Goldfein is a command pilot with more than 4,200 flying hours in airplanes including the F-16, F-117, and MC-12. As vice chief, he would assist the Chief of Staff with organizing, training, and equipping airmen and Air Force civilian employees. He would also preside over the Air Staff and represent the Air Force on the Pentagon’s Joint Requirements Oversight Council and Deputy Advisory Working Group.
The use of a military counter-drone laser on the southwest border this week—which prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to abruptly close the airspace over El Paso, Texas—will be a “case study” on the complex web of authorities needed to employ such weapons near civilian areas and the consequences of agencies…
