Senate Confirms New Commanders for Europe, Middle East, ACC

The Senate confirmed new four-star leaders of U.S. forces in Europe and the Middle East, plus a new boss for the Air Force’s biggest command, over the weekend.

Lawmakers on June 29 also approved a reshuffling of Air Force officials that will put new faces in the service’s Pentagon headquarters.

The vote put Air Force Lt. Gen. Alexus G. Grynkewich, who will be promoted to four-star general, in charge of U.S. European Command. He’ll also lead NATO forces as the alliance’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe, a role traditionally held by the EUCOM commander. Grynkewich, currently the Joint Staff’s operations director, is set to take over the twin role in a July 1 ceremony.

Vice Adm. Brad Cooper will also advance to U.S. Central Command’s top job as a four-star admiral after serving as its No. 2 officer since February 2024. CENTCOM did not respond to a query June 30 on when Cooper is expected to take command.

Within the Air Force, Lt. Gen. Adrian L. Spain, who currently serves as the Air Force’s operations chief, is set to take charge of Air Combat Command at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va. He’ll be overseeing the Air Force’s largest swath of strike and reconnaissance aircraft as well as cyber and electronic warfare units after about 18 months of setting policy for combat units.

Spain is succeeding Gen. Kenneth S. Wilsbach at ACC. Wilsbach made waves during his tenure with a renewed focus on standards and a revamped approach to readiness metrics.

Spain will be succeeded as the service’s deputy chief of staff for operations by Lt. Gen. Case A. Cunningham, who currently oversees troops in Alaska for the North American Aerospace Defense Command.

The Senate also confirmed Lt. Gen. John. J. DeGoes to run Air Force Medical Command in addition to his current role as the service’s surgeon general. The command oversees training and resources for battlefield medics and supports military-run health centers on bases around the world.

Lawmakers have yet to move forward on other key nominees connected to the Department of the Air Force.

Gen. Michael Guetlein, the Space Force’s No. 2 officer who was tapped to run the Pentagon’s Golden Dome domestic missile defense initiative, and Lt. Gen. Dagvin R.M. Anderson, chosen to lead U.S. Africa Command, are awaiting hearings before the Senate Armed Services Committee. Anderson would become the first Airman in that role if confirmed.

Matthew Lohmeier’s nomination for Air Force undersecretary has also remained in limbo since mid-May, pending a confirmation vote by the full Senate.