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THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary


For Immediate Release October 14, 1999

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT

I am pleased to nominate General Ralph E. Eberhart, United States Air Force, to be Commander in Chief, United States Space Command; Commander in Chief, North American Aerospace Defense Command; Commander, Air Force Space Command; and Department of Defense manager for Space Transportation Systems Contingency Support. If confirmed by the Senate, General Eberhart will succeed General Richard B. Myers.

General Eberhart currently serves as the Commander of the Air Combat Command. Over a distinguished career, General Eberhart has gained extensive operational and planning experience, and demonstrated tremendous leadership ability. A Command Pilot, he commanded the 10th tactical fighter squadron, the 363rd tactical fighter wing, U.S. Forces Japan, and the Fifth Air Force as well as Air Combat Command. His broad professional experience also includes significant tours on the Joint Staff and Air Staff in the Pentagon, and on the staff of Commander in Chief, U.S. Air Forces Europe.

General Eberhart assumes the post of Commander in Chief, United States Space Command at a time when U.S. capabilities in space have become critical to our economic prosperity, our position of leadership in the world, and our national security. He will be charged with protecting and extending those capabilities, as well as taking on new responsibilities for information operations. I have the utmost trust and confidence in his ability to do so.

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