The Air Force Association has named Lt. Gen. Michael Hamel as recipient of the 2007 Thomas D. White USAF Space Trophy. Hamel is commander of the Space and Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles AFB, Calif. An Air Force release cited Hamel’s stewardship of the service’s space launch enterprise, which has seen 49 successful launches in a row, and his role in the development of the global positioning satellite system, and other accomplishments in the space arena.
Lloyd Austin, President-elect Joe Biden’s pick to lead the Pentagon, spent his Senate confirmation hearing on Jan. 19 pressing his civilian bona fides to lawmakers, with some pledging opposition to the waiver Austin would need to become the nation’s first Black Defense Secretary. Austin spent 40 years in the military…