The Senate Armed Services Committee yesterday considered four Defense Department civilian nominations including a candidate for to be the next Air Force comptroller.
Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) asked John Gibson, the current deputy under secretary of defense for management reform in the Pentagon comptroller’s office, whether he would support a proposed funding spike for Next Generation Long Range Strike in 2011.
Thune represents the state that houses Ellsworth AFB, which is home to about half of the nation’s B-1 bomber fleet.
Gibson pledged to coordinate with Air Force leadership in matching available cash with service needs.
In written questions, the committee asked whether Gibson would support an effort to lease platforms, as the Air Force previously proposed during what became a scandal to lease aerial refueling tankers. Gibson declined to answer the questions, saying “each situation is unique.”
The candidate also declined to answer a question about his view on incrementally funding major capital investments. “However, if I am confirmed, this is an area that I would work to better understand, and consult with the functional areas, as well as this committee to determine the financial management opinion on the option which is the highest, best and most proper use of the taxpayer’s dollars,” he said.
The committee also considered the nominations of Mary Beth Long, to be the next assistant secretary of defense for International Security Affairs, James Shinn, to become assistant secretary of defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs, and Craig Duehring to be the next assistant secretary of the Air Force for Manpower and Reserve Affairs.
As of press time, the committee had not yet forwarded those nominations to the full Senate for consideration.