The Senate confirmed Gen. John Hyten to lead US Strategic Command Wednesday. Hyten, who has commanded Air Force Space Command since August 2014, will replace Adm. Cecil Haney, who has held the position since November 2013. Lt. Gen. John Raymond was confirmed earlier this month to receive a fourth star and take over Air Force Space Command from Hyten. He has served as the deputy chief of staff for operations since August 2015, and previously served as the commander of 14th Air Force (Air Forces Strategic). On Wednesday, the Senate also confirmed the nominations of Lt. Gen. John Thompson to lead the Space and Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles AFB, Calif., and Maj. Gen. Robert McMurry for his third star and assignment as commander of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. The Senate also approved the nomination of Maj. Gen. Mark Kelly, who currently serves as the special assistant to Air Combat Command chief Gen. Hawk Carlisle, to receive his third star and command the 12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern) earlier this month. Lt. Gen. Mike Holmes’ nomination to head Air Combat Command is still pending before the Senate Armed Services Committee.
The Air Force kicked off one of its biggest exercises this week with the latest edition of Bamboo Eagle, featuring combined virtual and live training scenarios focused on test the command-and-control “nervous system” leaders need to operate on a complex joint battlefield spread over vast distances.
