President Obama nominated Maj. Gen. Samuel Cox for promotion to the rank of lieutenant general to join the Air Staff as deputy chief of staff for manpower, personnel, and services, announced the Pentagon on Monday. Cox, who has been US Transportation Command’s director of operations and plans since June 2012, would replace Lt. Gen. Darrell Jones, who has held the position since December 2010. The nomination requires the Senate’s confirmation.
Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III hosted his second Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting in a virtual format May 23, drawing 47 nations that back Ukraine’s fight against Russia but leaving questions about when the war might end. New coastal defense systems and more artillery, armor, and tanks were highlighted…