Press reports in January that retired Air Force Maj. Gen. Scott Gration would be tapped to become the new NASA administrator have turned out to be … false. But Gration will be a part of the new Administration since President Obama appointed him last week to be the USA special enjoy to Sudan, a country still stricken by internal turmoil, especially in the Darfur region. “General Gration’s personal and professional background, and his service to the country as both a military leader and a humanitarian, give him the insights and experience necessary for this assignment,” Obama said in the White House statement announcing the appointment. Obama said Gration is a valued personal friend. The two travelled to Chad together in 2006 when Obama was a US Senator. With Gration’s appointment, the question remains open as to who the White House will nominated as the next NASA administrator.
Air Force leaders are directing unit commanders to conduct four “standards and readiness reviews” of their troops per year starting March 31, part of a recent push for new standards and enforcement.