Retired Gen. Norton Schwartz, who stepped down as Chief of Staff last August, will become president and chief executive officer of Business Executives for National Security in July, announced the organization. BENS’ board of directors unanimously approved him for these positions on May 20, according to a release. He will replace retired Army Gen. Montgomery Meigs, who will step down on July 22 after more than three years leading the organization, which is based in Washington, D.C. “General Schwartz’s 39-year Air Force career was marked with many milestones and praiseworthy achievements, making him an ideal successor to build on the great progress General Meigs delivered for BENS over the last few years,” states the release. BENS is a nonpartisan, non-profit organization that supports the US government by applying best-business-practice solutions to national security challenges. In the coming weeks and months, Schwartz “will travel to each BENS region to meet with members and discuss ways to continue carrying out our important work,” states the release. (Schwartz’s official Air Force biography)
A provision in the fiscal 2025 defense policy bill will require the Defense Department to include the military occupational specialty of service members who die by suicide in its annual report on suicide deaths, though it remains to be seen how much data the department will actually disclose.