The Senate on May 21 confirmed Gen. William Fraser III to retain four stars and head Air Combat Command, so the Shreveport Times was right (see below Musical Chairs). (There has been no public announcement on Fraser’s nomination by the Air Force or DOD.) Fraser, who became Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force last fall, will replace Gen. John Corley, who has led ACC since October 2007 and who plans to retire this summer.
Fixing the Air Force’s chronic combat pilot shortage will require more aircraft in the fleet, more flying hours to squadron operations, and retaining more pilots within Reserve components, according to a new paper from AFA’s Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies.