Lt. Gen. Jim Kowalski on 
Thursday took command of Air Force Global Strike Command at Barksdale AFB, La., succeeding Lt. Gen. Frank Klotz, who is retiring. Kowalski accepted the command’s guidon from Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz during the change-of-command ceremony, becoming responsible for organizing, training, and equipping the Air Force’s Minuteman III ICBM and nuclear-capable bomber forces. Prior to the change of command, Kowalski received his third star. AFGSC is the Air Force’s newest major command, standing up in August 2009 and reaching full operational status in September of the following year. Klotz led AFGSC since its inception; his retirement takes effect on March 1, ending his more than 37 years of uniformed service. (Barksdale report by Maja Stevanovich) (See also Barksdale report by Carla Pampe featuring Klotz reflecting on his USAF career)
Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III chaired a China-focused military briefing Oct. 27, part of a biweekly series of briefings with senior military commanders about China’s growing threat in the wake of an orbital hypersonic weapon test that elicited public worries from the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. “What we…