Press reports in January that retired Air Force Maj. Gen. Scott Gration would be tapped to become the new NASA administrator have turned out to be … false. But Gration will be a part of the new Administration since President Obama appointed him last week to be the USA special enjoy to Sudan, a country still stricken by internal turmoil, especially in the Darfur region. “General Gration’s personal and professional background, and his service to the country as both a military leader and a humanitarian, give him the insights and experience necessary for this assignment,” Obama said in the White House statement announcing the appointment. Obama said Gration is a valued personal friend. The two travelled to Chad together in 2006 when Obama was a US Senator. With Gration’s appointment, the question remains open as to who the White House will nominated as the next NASA administrator.
The last remaining T-1 Jayhawk at JBSA-Randolph, Texas, took its final flight to the "Boneyard" at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., on July 15. The 99th Flying Training Squadron will train pilots using T-6 and simulator until it gets T-7 Red Hawk in fiscal 2026.