Erin Conaton faced members of the Senate Armed Services Committee Thursday during her confirmation hearing to be the undersecretary of the Air Force. She was nominated just last week to fill the post that has been vacant since August 2007. In advance policy questions, the Senators asked several questions about the DOD Executive Agent for Space post that the Air Force undersecretary held for several years before the Office of the Secretary of Defense took it away. Conaton noted that the Air Force currently is reviewing the “organization and management of space issues” and that the Quadrennial Defense Review and Space Posture Review will also “inform and assist the Air Force in developing the way ahead, to include lines of authority and organizational structures.” (Air Force Secretary Michael Donley wants USAF to get the role back, and Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz agrees.) (Conaton responses to advance questions)
President Donald Trump’s nominee for Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff touted his highly unusual background for the job as an asset and reaffirmed his commitment to stay apolitical during a confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee on April 1.