Marine Corps Gen. James Mattis on Wednesday assumed command of US Central Command during a ceremony at its headquarters in Tampa, Fla. He now oversees US military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. “Gen. Mattis is one of the most formidable warrior scholars of his generation,” said Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who presided over the ceremony. Mattis fills the leadership vacancy created when Army Gen. David Petraeus left CENTCOM to lead US and NATO forces in Afghanistan. Mattis said he is “in awe” of the fortitude of the warfighters whom he now leads. “I will hold you in my thoughts and prayers as we team together—co-equals in our commitment to protecting our experiment we call ‘America’ and to supporting stability in the region we’re assigned,” he said. His previous job was as head of US Joint Forces Command. (CENTCOM release) (AFPS report by Jim Garamone)
The Air Force is now expecting delivery of the first VC-25B presidential transport by mid-2028, months ahead of its last official projection, a service spokesperson said this week. USAF also announced it is buying two used Boeing 747-8 jetliners for training and spare parts to be delivered in 2026, calling the $400 million deal part of its “acceleration efforts” for the oft-delayed presidential airlift program.
