President Donald Trump nominated four Air Force generals for new appointments on Monday, Secretary of Defense Mark T. Esper announced in a DoD release.
Lt. Gen. Glen D. VanHerck was nominated for appointment to the rank of general and assignment as commander of NORTHCOM and NORAD at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.
Lt. Gen. Richard M. Clark was nominated for assignment as superintendent of the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Maj. Gen. Tony D. Bauernfeind was nominated for appointment to the rank of lieutenant general and assignment as vice commander of SOCOM in Washington D.C.
Maj. Gen. Jeffrey A. Kruse was nominated for appointment to the rank of lieutenant general and assignment as director’s advisor for military affairs in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence in McLean, Va.
VanHerck currently serves at the Pentagon as director of the Joint Staff. In this capacity, he supports the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff as he advises the president and secretary of defense. If confirmed, he will replace Air Force Gen. Terrence O’Shaughnessy in overseeing responsibilities including aerospace warning and control, homeland defense, and civil support in North America.
As SOCOM’s chief of staff at Macdill Air Force Base, Fla., Bauernfeind assists the SOCOM commander and oversees personnel issues. If his appointment is confirmed, he will become the third highest ranking commander at SOCOM.
Clark is the deputy chief of staff, strategic deterrence, and nuclear integration at Air Force headquarters in the Pentagon. Here he provides guidance to the Air Force secretary and chief of staff on matters relating to nuclear deterrence. If confirmed he will become the twenty-first commanding officer of the Air Force Academy.
Kruse serves as director for defense intelligence for warfighter support in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security at the Pentagon. He oversees intelligence programs and policies necessary for combatant commands to conduct operations. If confirmed, he will be the first to fill a new position as military advisor to the DNI.
For each general to receive their appointment, the U.S. Senate must confirm the president’s nominations.
Correction: This story has been updated with the name of the current NORTHCOM commander.
Harm Venhuizen is an editorial intern at Military Times. He is studying political science and philosophy at Calvin University, where he's also in the Army ROTC program.
