President Obama nominated Maj. Gen. John Raymond for a third star and for assignment overseeing Air Force space forces as commander of 14th Air Force (Air Forces Strategic) at Vandenberg AFB, Calif., announced the Defense Department. Raymond has been serving since July 2012 as US Strategic Command’s director of plans and policy at Offutt AFB, Neb. If the Senate approves the nomination, Raymond would fill the void being created by the upcoming retirement of Lt. Gen. Susan Helms, who has led 14th AF since January 2011. Raymond would also lead STRATCOM’s Joint Functional Component Command for Space, according to the Pentagon’s Dec. 13 release. In these new roles, he would oversee the thousands of airmen who operate the service’s satellites and space launch ranges and direct the joint space forces assigned and attached to STRATCOM.
Watchdog Says Military Can Make Cyber Ops More Efficient
Sept. 17, 2025
The Government Accountability Office called for paring down the military's sprawling cyber enterprise in a recent report, amid renewed discussion about standing up a separate cyber force.
