User talk:KingEdinburgh

The hold is lifted

@KingEdinburgh, Neovu79, and EPMen: The hold has been lifted! Hallelujah!

Let's get back to work! SuperWIKI (talk) 22:36, 5 December 2023 (UTC)

@SuperWIKI I just saw that. Still a hold on 4-star nominations but hundreds of others confirmed. Still a few Army 3-star nominees whose next assignments we don't yet know.

Almost certain that MG Michele Bredenkamp will succeed Lt. Gen. Kruse as Director's Advisor for Military Affairs, Office of the Director of National Intelligence. I could see MG Stephen Smith succeeding LTG Sims as J3 on the Joint Staff or LTG Calvert as FORSCOM Deputy.

Also, I am beginning to think the position of Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has been eliminated. I wonder if they had to drop it when the position of Commander, Security Assistance Group–Ukraine was created. The job title is misleading anyways since their primary job is serving as the top military advisor to the Secretary of State. EPMen (talk) 23:42, 5 December 2023 (UTC)

Speaking of MG Michele Bredenkamp and MG Stephen Smith, they along with RADM Chatfield and some 1-star and 2-star nominees are being blocked by Senator Schmitt per this article (https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2023/12/06/23-top-military-leaders-still-in-limbo-after-nominations-blockade-ends/) which confirms that Bredenkamp is being nominated for Director's Advisor for Military Affairs, Office of the Director of National Intelligence and Smith for FORSCOM Deputy. @SuperWIKI@KingEdinburgh @Neovu79 EPMen (talk) 16:46, 6 December 2023 (UTC)

@KingEdinburgh, Neovu79, and EPMen: Remaining holds lifted, 11 currently confirmed. ADM Paparo has not had his confirmation hearing yet. SuperWIKI (talk) 02:25, 20 December 2023 (UTC)

The NDAA 2024 has elevated the vice chief of the National Guard Bureau's rank to general. Neovu79 (talk) 03:41, 23 December 2023 (UTC)

VCNGB Flag

@KingEdinburgh, @EPMen and @SuperWIKI: As you may have already heard, starting in 2024, the vice chief of the National Guard Bureau will be elevated to a four-star general. I have created a new flag, modified from the current File:Flag of the Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau.svg, in advance of the elevation, in what is most likely what the vice chief's new flag will look like. The question I have for you is, should we add this flag to the List of active duty United States four-star officers article in advance as well? I would not recommend adding it to the Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau and National Guard Bureau articles, since the vice chief is still currently a three-star. I would love the hear your thoughts on this matter.

Neovu79 (talk) 16:29, 24 December 2023 (UTC)

Would prefer that we wait first - but just adding to the four-star officers article wouldn't hurt too badly. SuperWIKI (talk) 17:16, 24 December 2023 (UTC)

@Neovu79: Agreed. I think adding the flag falls within WP:CRYSTAL. KingEdinburgh (talk) 09:17, 25 December 2023 (UTC)

Disambiguation link notification for December 27

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Rename United States Armed Forces?

@KingEdinburgh, @EPMen and @SuperWIKI: I would definitely like to hear your opinion on the Template talk:United States Armed Forces#In Code / Article Rename? section. Neovu79 (talk) 04:39, 31 December 2023 (UTC)

I just read it, and honestly, I don't think I'm smart enough to provide an opinion. . SuperWIKI (talk) 05:42, 31 December 2023 (UTC)

Same. EPMen (talk) 21:18, 31 December 2023 (UTC)

2024 predictions

Happy New Year! I can't believe it's now been three years since I began paying attention to General/ Flag officer promotions. Like last year, I am going to make some predictions of who might be nominated for 4-star (and some 3-star) positions that are likely turning over this year. Feel free to share you thoughts @KingEdinburgh @SuperWIKI@Neovu79.

Joint 4-star:

Chief of the National Guard Bureau: Considering that the job has alternated between the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard every term since 2008, I'd say Lt. Gen. Loh is the frontrunner but I wouldn't count out Lt. Gen. Sasseville considering his notoriety surrounding 9/11. I would also throw in Lt. Gen. Caine as a dark horse.

Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau: Newly a 4-star position. It will likely be someone from the Army National Guard, with LTG Jensen being the only current Army National Guard 3-star officer.

US Forces Korea: I'd say the frontrunners are GEN Poppas, LTG Clark, and LTG Sims. I don't think the Biden administration will promote GEN Charles Flynn considering there is a photo out there of him and his brother with Sidney Powell. It has always been an Army role but that is not an official rule so my dark horses are LtGen Jurney and VADM Cooper.

US Southern Command: The Navy is overdue for more representation in the joint 4-star ranks and SOUTHCOM has had Navy commanders in the past but considering the current SOUTHCOM Deputy Commander (VADM Holsey) has only been in the role for a year, I doubt it will happen this year. Among the Army ranks, I'd keep an eye on LTG Fletcher (who at one point commander SOCSOUTH), LTG Evans (who holds the same role that GEN Richardson held prior to her promotion, LTG Frank (who has deployed to Haiti in the past), and LTG Aguto (whose experience in security assistance would translate well to SOUTHCOM theater). From the Air Force, I'd keep an eye on Lt. Gen. Plehn (who was SOUTHCOM Deputy from 2018-21), Lt. Gen. Nahom, Lt. Gen. Bauernfeind, Lt. Gen. Basham, and Lt. Gen. Rupp. From the Marine Corps, I'd keep an eye on Lt Gen Heckl and LtGen Cavanaugh. Overall, this is probably the hardest 4-star position to predict.

US Transportation Command: I don't think the Biden administration will nominate Gen. Minihan after he made statements on China that go against the administration's official position. I'd say Lt. Gen. Robinson is the frontrunner considering he's served on the TRANSCOM staff as J3 as well as the fact that Austin has elevated a lot of Black officers. Despite being a 3-star officer, AETC is as big if not bigger than some of the 4-star Air Force commands. I'd also throw in Lt. Gen. Kosinski and Lt. Gen. Rupp, with LTG Sullivan as a dark horse.

Army 4-star:

US Army Pacific: I'd say LTG Clark is the clear frontrunner if he doesn't get the US Forces Korea billet. My next guesses are LTG Sims, LTG Jarrard, LTG Matlock and LTG Brunson.

Navy 4-star:

US Fleet Forces Command: I think VADM Cooper is the frontrunner but I'd also keep an eye VADM Black and VADM Dwyer.

Air Force 4-star:

Air Mobility Command: I'd say the same Air Force officers under consideration for TRANSCOM (Lt. Gen. Robinson, Lt. Gen. Kosinski, and Lt. Gen. Rupp) will be in the mix along with well as Lt. Gen Reed.

Joint 3-star: Way too many positions to predict all. I will note which positions I expect to come open and will make predictions for a select few. On the Joint Staff, I'm not even going to try to predict which ones will come open.

Director, J5, Joint Staff: We know that VADM Koehler is being promoted so I will predict that this role will go to VADM Boyle with MajGen Benedict also in the mix.

Director, Defense Information Systems Agency: I'd keep an eye on Army MG Jeth Rey, Army MG Jacqueline D. Brown (despite the fact that she was just promoted to the 2-star ranks), Army MG Robert L. Edmonson II, Marine Corps MajGen Matos, and Air Force Maj. Gen. Snoddy.

President, National Defense University: My top choices are MajGen Rock, RADM Peter A. Garvin (the current President of the Naval War College), and MG David C. Hill (the current President of the Army War College).

EUCOM Deputy: Not making a direct prediction but will note that there is very little representation from outside the Army and Air Force on the current EUCOM leadership team (I believe that RDML (sel) Thomas Shultz, the Deputy Director, for Plans, Policy, Strategy, and Capabilities, J-5/8, is the only General/ Flag officer at EUCOM headquarters from outside the Army or Air Force.

NORTHCOM/ NORAD Deputy: Not really going to try since it could be anyone from the Army Reserve, Army National Guard, or Navy Reserve. I may keep an eye on Army National Guard MG Jarrard simply because of his familial ties.

Associate Director for Military Affairs, Central Intelligence Agency:: Not going to predict but will note that it has always been filled by someone with a special forces/ special operations background.

Commander, NATO Special Operations Headquarters:: Not making a prediction.

United States Security Coordinator, Israel-Palestinian Authority: Not making a prediction but will mention that I saw an article from 2022 that the Pentagon was considering downgrading the role to an O-6 position (https://www.axios.com/2022/06/01/pentagon-security-coordinator-rank-palestinians). I doubt that will happen now considering the current Israel-Hamas war but I still wouldn't rule out a downgrade to a 2-star role.

Army 3-star:

Military Deputy for Budget, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Financial Management and Comptroller: MG Mark S. Bennett is the obvious frontrunner.

Inspector General of the Army: Not making a prediction.

Deputy Chief of Staff, G6: Same Army names in contention for DISA Director (MG Jeth Rey, MG Jacqueline D. Brown, and MG Robert L. Edmonson II).

Deputy Commanding General/ Chief of Staff, US Army Training and Doctrine Command: Not making a prediction.

Commanding General, I Corps: So many possibilities but I'd say MG McFarlane is the favorite.

Commanding General, US Army North: Not making a prediction.

Commanding General, US Army Special Operations Command: Multiple possibilities but I'd keep an eye on MG Kevin Leahy, MG Joshua Rudd, and MG Angle.

Commanding General, US Army Corps of Engineers: It's up or out for MG William H. Graham Jr and MG David C. Hill, but I'd also throw MG Kimberly Colloton into the mix.

Chief of the Army Reserve:: So many possibilities but I'd keep an eye on MG Jami Shawley.

Chief of the Army National Guard:: So many possibilities but I'd once again keep an eye on MG Jarrard.

Navy 3-star:

Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Operations, Plans, and Strategy (N3/ N5): Not making a prediction.

Commander, US Third Fleet: I'd keep an eye RADM Jeffrey T. Anderson.

Commander, US Sixth Fleet: I'd keep an eye RADM Schlise, RADM Fred Pyle, RADM Christopher Sweeney, and RADM Anthony Carullo.

Principal Military Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition: Not making a prediction.

Commander, Naval Air Systems Command: Not making a prediction.

Commander, Naval Information Forces: I'd keep an eye RADM John Okon, RADM Michael Vernazza, and RADM Nicholas Homan.

Inspector General of the Navy: Not making a prediction.

Chief of the Navy Reserve:: Not making a prediction.

Marine Corps 3-star:

Deputy Commandant for Combat Development & Integration: I'd say MajGen Erc Austin is the frontrunner (as he's previously served under the Deputy Commandant for CD&I) but I'd also keep an eye on MajGen Benjamin T. Watson (given his experienced commanding the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory).

Deputy Commandant for Installations and Logistics: I'd keep an eye MajGen David Maxwell and MajGen Keith Reventlow.

Commanding General, Marine Corps Training and Education Command: I'd say MajGen Bargeron is the frontrunner given his previous command of Marine Corps University. I'd also throw in MajGen William Bowers, who also previously commanded Marine Corps University.

Commanding General, III Marine Expeditionary Force: The same usual suspects of former division commanders (MajGen Eric Austin, MajGen Bargeron, MajGen Benedict and MajGen Benjamin T. Watson).

Air Force 3-star:

Deputy Chief of Staff for Installations, Logistics, and Force Protection (A4):: Maj. Gen. King is the clear frontrunner.

Commander, US Forces Japan/ Fifth Air Force:: I'd keep an eye on Maj. Gen. Carey, who has previously the commanded the 18th Wing and Maj. Gen. Jobe, who previously the commanded the 35th Fighter Wing.

Commander, US Alaskan Command (US Northern Command)/ Commander, Eleventh Air Force): : I'd keep an eye on Maj. Gen. France, who has previously the commanded the 3rd Operations Group.

Commander, US Air Forces Central/ Ninth Air Force: I'd once again keep an eye on Maj. Gen. France (who previously commanded the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing), as well as Maj. Gen. Evan Pettus (who previously commanded the 378th Air Expeditionary Wing) and Maj. Gen. Slocum(who previously commanded the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing).

Commander, Air Education and Training Command: For the third time, I'd once again keep an eye on Maj. Gen. France (who served as Aide-de-Camp to the AETC Commander), as well as the current AETC Deputy Maj. Gen. Sears, Maj. Gen. Cunningham and Maj. Gen. Nichols, who has previously the commanded the 14th Flying Training Wing.

Surgeon General of the Air Force: Gen. DeGoes is the clear frontrunner.

Superintendent, United States Air Force Academy: Unlike the other service academies, the Air Force Academy HAS had one non-alumnus (Lt. Gen. Rosa, and alumnus of The Citadel) serve as Superintendent. If any non-alumnus were to become Superintendent, it would be Maj. Gen. Edmondson, a former Commandant of Cadets whose space operations background would came in handy with the continued integration of the Space Force into the Air Force Academy. Like with AETC, I'd keep an eye on Maj. Gen. France, Maj. Gen. Sears, Maj. Gen. Cunningham and Maj. Gen. Nichols. I'd also throw in Maj. Gen. David Abba (who served as Intercollegiate Athletic Program Manager at the Academy following graduation) as well as Maj. Gen. Julian Cheater, Maj. Gen. Dertien, Maj. Gen. Dunn, and Maj. Gen. Ekman. Pretty much all current Air Force 2-star who attended the Academy and have been in the two-star rank since at least 2022 will be in the mix. I don't think we will get a Superintendent from the Space Force quite yet. EPMen (talk) 21:05, 1 January 2024 (UTC)