Air Force Announces New 20th AF Commander, other STRATCOM Changes

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh on Friday announced four leadership changes, pending Congressional confirmation, at U.S. Strategic Command. Brig. Gen. Anthony Cotton, Deputy Director of the National Reconnaissance Office and commander of Air Force Element, National Reconnaissance Office, Chantilly, Va., has been selected for the rank of major general and for the positions of 20th Air Force Commander and Commander of STRATCOM Task Force 214. Pending confirmation, Cotton would replace Maj. Gen. Jack Weinstein, who currently holds both of those positions. Weinstein last week was nominated to serve as Air Force Assistant Chief of Staff for Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration.

 

In another move, Col. Andrew Gebara, senior military assistant to the under secretary of the Air Force, has been selected for the rank of brigadier general and STRATCOM Deputy Director of Nuclear Operations. Also, Brig. Gen. Paul Tibbets, STRATCOM Deputy Director of Nuclear Operations, has been selected for the position of commander of the 509th Bomb Wing at Air Force Global Strike Command’s Whiteman AFB. Finally, Col. Christopher Coffelt, STRATCOM Deputy Director of Current Operations, J-3, has been selected for the rank of brigadier general and the positions of commander of the Spaatz Center for Officer Education and commandant at Air War College, Air University, Air Education and Training Command at Maxwell AFB, Ala.