Lt. Gen. David Fadok became the first president and the 29th commander of Air University at Maxwell AFB, Ala., during a recent ceremony. Fadok assumed command Aug. 12 from Lt. Gen. Allen Peck, who had commanded AU since 2008. Peck will officially retire Oct. 1. The Air University Board of Visitors recommended in 2009 that the title of the organization’s leader change to “commander and president” due to the successful growth of the university, including its relatively new authority to grant doctorate degrees in military strategy and the online master’s degree program through the Air Command and Staff College. Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz “directed that the change become effective with the next change of command,” said Bruce Murphy, AU’s chief academic officer, in a release. (Maxwell release by Kelly Deichert)
When Donald Trump begins his second term as president in January, national security law experts anticipate he may return to his old habit of issuing orders to the military via social media, a practice which could cause confusion in the ranks.