Hawaii general nominated to lead U.S. Northern Command
CRAIG T. KOJIMA / MAY 2015
Air Force General Lori Robinson is nominated to lead the U.S. Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command in Colorado.
Secretary of Defense Ash Carter announced today that the president nominated Hawaii-based Air Force Gen. Lori J. Robinson for appointment to lead U.S. Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command in Colorado.
Robinson is head of Pacific Air Forces at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. The move brings Robinson one step closer to making history as the first woman to lead a U.S. combatant command. U.S. Senate confirmation still is required.
Carter said in March that Robinson was the nominee for Northern Command, tasked with defense of the U.S. homeland. The four-star general has served “with distinction and has been a pioneer and trailblazer,” Carter said at the time.
“Gen. Robinson has excelled in a wide array of leadership positions where training, force structure and readiness are paramount,” Carter said. Her abilities as a commander and strategist “have been proven over more than three decades of dedicated service to the U.S. Air Force.”
Naming the first female combatant commander demonstrates “that we have coming along now a lot of female officers who are exceptionally strong. Lori certainly fits into that category,” Carter said.
U.S. Northern Command was established after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks to lead the Department of Defense homeland defense and to support the military’s response to national disasters.
The Pentagon’s Unified Command Plan distributes missions and geographic responsibilities among combatant commanders. Among six geographic commands are Northern Command and U.S. Pacific Command, headquartered at Camp H.M. Smith, which is responsible for U.S. military activity over half the globe.
The Defense Department also has three functional commands, one of which is U.S. Special Operations Command.
Pacific Air Forces at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam oversees approximately 46,000 military and civilian personnel in nine strategic locations and numerous smaller facilities, primarily in Hawaii, Alaska, Japan, Guam and South Korea. Approximately 320 fighter and attack aircraft are assigned to the command with about 100 additional deployed aircraft rotating on Guam, according to the command.
4 responses to “Hawaii general nominated to lead U.S. Northern Command”
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Is she the best? Leaders at that level should be the best among their peers. This decision will impact the security of the USA…
She sure wasn’t here too long, that doesn’t sound right. Amazed she got this far not being a pilot.
This is nothing more than liberals tinkering with national defense to be politically correct. Anyone who leads a combatant command should be someone who has proven themselves in the combatant command career chain. General Robinson, as bright and as competent as she may be in her area of specialization, is not qualified to command a combatant command. If confirmed, to ensure she does not fail, Ash Carter will probably assigned the most competent three-star generals with combatant command experience to serve as her deputies to guide her accordingly.
I hope this isn’t just about promoting a woman to a command because one has never held the position. Obama has proven to be the greatest political disappointment, so much potential, so little accomplished.