Pacific briefs: Generals nominated for posts, advancements

• Air Force Lt. Gen. Gary L. North has been nominated for appointment to the grade of general and assignment as commander, Pacific Air Forces, according to a Pentagon announcement. If confirmed, North — currently the commander, Ninth Air Force, Air Combat Command and commander, U.S. Central Command Air Forces, at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C. — will also become air component commander for U.S. Pacific Command; and executive director, Pacific Air Combat operations staff at Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii.
• U.S. Forces Korea Assistant Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. John E. Sterling Jr. has been nominated by President Barack Obama for appointment to the rank of lieutenant general and assignment as deputy commanding general and chief of staff at the U.S. Training and Doctrine Command in Fort Monroe, Va., according to a Pentagon release.
• Air Force Maj. Gen. Frank Gorenc has been tapped to assume command of 3rd Air Force at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, while simultaneously receiving a presidential nomination for appointment to the grade of lieutenant general, the Defense Department announced this week. Gorenc is currently serving as director, air and space operations, Air Combat Command, at Langley Air Force Base, Va. At 3rd Air Force, Gorenc would replace Lt. Gen. Philip M. Breedlove, who late last month was nominated for reappointment to the grade of lieutenant general with assignment as deputy chief of staff, operations, plans and requirements, at Headquarters, U.S. Air Force, in the Pentagon.

Group continues lawsuit over Iwakuni aircraft noise

A Japanese lawsuit over noise at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, went to court on Thursday, according to an administrator for the plaintiffs.

Junko Otsuki said several of the suit’s 476 plaintiffs testified during the hearing, testifying that military aircraft noise from the U.S. base disrupts their lives.

The residents are seeking damages worth about $5.4 million and a ban on some air-traffic activities at the base. The suit also demands restrictions on flights over the city and a halt to the planned relocation of an air wing to Iwakuni from Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Japan.

The Japanese government notified plaintiffs that it plans to challenge the damage claims, and the next hearing is set for Oct. 1.

Provider launches new e-mail, Web portal at Yokota

YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan— Allied Telesis, the base’s contracted Internet, cable television and telephone provider, has launched a new customer e-mail system and Web portal. The system gives options for choosing from four different e-mail domains, up to 2 gigabits of online e-mail storage, and easier account administration, a news release stated. The Web portal provides local weather, news and an online forum for residents to post classified ads, news and photos, Allied said.