President Obama announced his intent to nominate Air Force Undersecretary Erin Conaton to be undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness. Conaton has been the Air Force’s No. 2 top civilian leader since March 2010. She has had a large role in shaping the service’s space and energy policy, among her engagement, during her tenure. If the Senate approves her forthcoming nomination, Conaton would be the senior policy advisor to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta on recruitment, career development, pay, and benefits for US military personnel and Defense Department civilians. She would also oversee the overall state of military readiness. (White House release)
A new report by the Defense Department’s Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation found that Texas and Virginia are America’s top recipients of defense spending, some $83 billion and $64.3 billion, respectively. Texas and California top the spending categories for Air Force contracts and personnel, some $17 billion and $15…