The Senate confirmed both Adm. Timothy Keating and Air Force Lt. Gen. Victor Renuart Jr. on March 19 for their new posts as head of US Pacific Command and NORAD/US Northern Command, respectively. The two successfully passed a March 8 confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee. Advance questions for Renuart, who also will add a fourth star, included ones on his views of National Guard employment and whether the No. 2 spot at NORTHCOM should go to a Guardsman. Renuart believes seeking the “best qualified” is the right approach.
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.