Army Lt. Gen. Frank Grass will receive a fourth star on Sept. 7 and then replace Gen. Craig McKinley as National Guard Bureau chief during a change-of-responsibility ceremony at the Pentagon, announced the Defense Department. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta will host the event. Grass is currently US Northern Command’s deputy commander. In his new role—for which he will be a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff—he will serve as a senior military adviser to the President, the Defense Secretary, and National Security Council and as DOD’s official channel of communication to the state governors and state adjutants general on matters pertaining to the National Guard. McKinley has been NGB chief since November 2008. He is retiring from the Air Force after more than 37 years of service.
Air Force Changes Rules for Pregnant Aircrew—Again
April 3, 2025
The Air Force is changing its policy for pregnant aircrew, generally reverting to rules set in 2019 that barred female aviators from flying during the first trimester—or from flying in aircraft with ejection seats at all—due to potential risks to the pilot and her unborn fetus.