The Senate on Thursday confirmed Lt. Gen. James Holmes to receive his fourth star and take over as commander of Air Combat Command. Holmes, currently the deputy chief of staff for strategic plans and requirements, will take over from Gen. Hawk Carlisle, who is retiring. Carlisle has led ACC since October 2014. Holmes is a command pilot with more than 4,000 hours in multiple aircraft, mostly F-15s. Maj. Gen. John McMullen has been tapped to be Holmes’s deputy.
The Air Force must better explain Agile Combat Employment concepts, align training standards, and address staff shortages to be ready to implement the strategy, according to a new report by the federally funded RAND Corporation.