Sen. Conrad Burns (R-Mont.) dropped his hold on Defense Department civilian nominees on Aug. 3 after the Pentagon promised to do “whatever is necessary” to streamline the overseas voting process for deployed troops by November, according to the Associated Press news service. The nomination of Anita Blair was not among those confirmed on Aug. 3.
Air Force Gen. Jacqueline D. Van Ovost—a trailblazer and one of the first 10 women to reach a four-star rank across the U.S. military—retired and passed control of U.S. Transportation Command to Air Force Gen. Randall Reed on Oct. 4, finishing an eventful tenure at TRANSCOM.