Elder to Retire, Carpenter to Lead 8th

April 27, 2009

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

Lt. Gen. Robert Elder Jr., who has led 8th Air Force, headquartered at Barksdale AFB, La., since June 2006, plans to retire, effective July 1, according to his official biography. The Shreveport Times reports that Elder will leave his post on June 1. According to an April 24 Pentagon release, the Air Force already has tapped Maj. Gen. Floyd Carpenter, currently Elder’s vice commander, to take charge of the NAF. Elder, who entered the Air Force in 1976, also was instrumental in USAF efforts to establish a new cyber force as well as working to rejuvenate the service’s nuclear enterprise, a process that will include the shift of 8th Air Force from Air Combat Command to the new Air Force Global Strike Command.

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

Trending Stories

T-38 Crash That Briefly Paused Flights Caused by ‘Under-Torqued’ Pin

Space Force Weighs Proliferated Cislunar Satellite Constellation

Flu Vaccine Now Required for Many Airmen, Guardians, and DAF Civilians

Two ‘Non-Hostile’ Deaths Raise Iran War Toll to 23

Related

First HH-60W Arrives at Andrews for Contingency Response, VIP Transport

Nov. 3, 2026
Like a new car from the dealership, an HH-60W helicopter touched down at Joint Base Andrews, Md., on Nov. 2 with paperwork, a set of keys, and that fresh-from-the-factory smell. The newly activated 5th Helicopter Squadron accepted its first “Whiskey” in a brief but pomp-filled ceremony attended by the Air…

T-38 Crash That Briefly Paused Flights Caused by ‘Under-Torqued’ Pin

Nov. 2, 2026
The crash of a T-38 trainer jet this May—which caused a weekslong pause in flights across the fleet—was caused by an improperly installed pin for one of the jet’s horizontal stabilizers, according to a new accident report released Oct. 30. When the pin disengaged midflight, it created the slightest amount…

Key Midterm Election Races to Watch for the Air Force and Space Force

Nov. 2, 2026
Dozens of former Airmen are running for Congress in the 2026 midterms, with Election Day fast approaching on Nov. 3. But the potential impact of the election for the Air Force and Space Force goes beyond just the number of former service members on Capitol Hill—the results will also decide…

Flu Vaccine Now Required for Many Airmen, Guardians, and DAF Civilians

Oct. 31, 2026
Airmen and Guardians in the Active and Reserve component, as well as civilian employees, in “mission critical and high-risk populations” are now required to receive influenza vaccinations annually to “preserve force readiness,” according to a recent Department of the Air Force memo.

Promotions for Space Force’s Second-Highest Enlisted Rank Explode

Oct. 30, 2026
Promotions to the Space Force’s second highest enlisted grade, senior master sergeant, have surged to the highest level in the young service’s history, bolstering the senior NCO corps as officials plan to aggressively expand the force and especially the enlisted corps.