New 3-Star Nominees: AFCENT Commander, Reserve Chief, and More

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The White House has nominated a half-dozen Air Force general officers for three-star jobs, including new leaders for Air Forces Central in the Middle East, the Air Force Reserve, and one of the service’s top acquisition organizations. 

The nominations also include two potential deputies at Air Force major commands and a new director for the Defense Logistics Agency. 

The Senate received the nominations June 4 and an Air Force spokesperson confirmed the moves to Air & Space Forces Magazine.

The nominees, with their current ranks and their potential future jobs, are:

  • Lt. Gen. David R. Iverson: deputy commander of Pacific Air Forces 
  • Maj. Gen. Daniel T. Lasica: commander of Air Forces Central, 9th Air Force, and Combined Forces Air Component Commander for U.S. Central Command 
  • Maj. Gen. Paul R. Fast: chief of Air Force Reserve and commander of Air Force Reserve Command 
  • Maj. Gen. Larry R. Broadwell Jr.: deputy commander of Air Combat Command 
  • Maj. Gen. David J. Sanford: director of the Defense Logistics Agency 
  • Brig. Gen. Jason D. Voorheis: commander of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center 

If confirmed, Iverson would serve as deputy to PACAF boss Gen. Kevin B. Schneider. Currently, Iverson is the deputy commander of U.S. Forces Korea and the commander of the 7th Air Force, the service’s main arm on the Korean Peninsula.  

An F-15E fighter pilot by trade, Iverson has commanded a Strike Eagle squadron in Europe and an Air Expeditionary Wing in the Middle East but has been focused on the Indo-Pacific region for the last five years, first as director of operations for Pacific Air Forces and then in his current position. 

Lasica has spent the past five years at U.S. European Command, first as director of plans, policy, strategy, and capabilities and now as director of operations. Trained as an F-16 pilot, Lasica has flown combat missions in the Middle East in support of operations Southern Watch and Enduring Freedom. He has twice commanded fighter wings and also spent time in the Pentagon as the director of current operations on the Air Staff.

If confirmed, Lasica would succeed Lt. Gen. Derek C. France, who has commanded AFCENT since 2024 and overseen a period of intense combat in the Middle East. That has included Operation Rough Rider, the campaign against Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen; Operation Midnight Hammer, the strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities; and Operation Epic Fury, the largest air campaign in a generation.

Fast is currently commander of the 4th Air Force under Air Force Reserve Command. In that role, he oversees the command’s airlift and refueling units. Prior to that, he served as mobilization assistant to a variety of leaders, including the deputy chief of staff for Air Force Futures, deputy commander of PACAF, and commander of the 5th Air Force.  

Assuming he is confirmed, Fast would succeed Lt. Gen. John P. Healy, who has pushed for the Reserve to receive new aircraft to recapitalize its aging fleet. 

Voorheis is the program acquisition executive for command, control, communications, and battle management—a sweeping job charged with overseeing the expansive DAF Battle Network the Air Force is building to connect sensors and shooters around the globe.

Prior to his current job, Voorheis was program executive officer for fighters and advanced aircraft, and in that position, he has helped oversee the development of major programs such as the F-47 fighter and Collaborative Combat Aircraft drones. 

Assuming he is confirmed, Voorheis would join a small club of Air Force generals to skip a rank and go straight from one star to three—another former PEO for fighters and advanced aircraft, Gen. Dale R. White, leaped from brigadier general to lieutenant general when he became military deputy to the Air Force acquisition executive. White is now the four-star director of critical major weapons systems, overseeing the Air Force’s biggest programs.

Voorheis, as head of AFLCMC, would work closely with White as one of the service’s top acquisition officials.

Broadwell is currently deputy commander of the 16th Air Force, also known as Air Forces Cyber. He has commanded at the squadron, group, and wing level and served as both a C-130E navigator and F-15C and F-22 pilot. Before joining Air Forces Cyber, he spent three years on the Joint Staff at the Pentagon as the deputy director of operations and the deputy director for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations. 

If confirmed, Broadwell would be the No. 2 to ACC boss Gen. Adrian L. Spain and bring a unique understanding of cyber warfare to the job 

Sanford currently serves as the director of logistics operations for the Defense Logistics Agency. He has a deep background in logistics and previously served as director of logistics, engineering, and force protection for Air Mobility Command.

He would be the first Air Force director of the DLA since 2017.

Audio of this article is brought to you by the Air & Space Forces Association, honoring and supporting our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Find out more at afa.org