The Pentagon announced May 12 that President Obama has nominated Adm. James Stavridis to replace Army Gen. Bantz Craddock as Supreme Allied Command Europe and commander of US European Command. Craddock plans to retire this summer after some 40 years of military service. Stavridis currently serves as commander of US Southern Command. The Obama Administration has nominated Air Force Lt. Gen. Douglas Fraser to receive a fourth star and head USSOUTHCOM.
U.S. Air Force F-35s and F-22s regularly deploy deep into the Pacific region from Alaska, Utah, and Hawaii. In the future, though, the head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command would like to see the Air Force permanently station fifth-generation aircraft west of the international date line—closer to China.