Bush nominates Air Force CIO

President Bush has nominated Air Force Maj. Gen. Michael Peterson to serve as director of the service’s new information technology office, the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Chief of Warfighting Integration and Chief Information Officer (SAF/XC).

Bush submitted Peterson's name to the Senate for appointment to lieutenant general June 16, said Capt. James Cunningham, an Air Force spokesman. The Senate must confirm Peterson before he becomes director of the office.

Peterson currently is director of the Air Forces Strategic Command and Air Component Coordination Element in the U.S. Strategic Command. He was originally slated to become director of information, services and integration in SAF/XC, taking over for Maj. Gen. Charles Croom. Croom will become a three-star general and director of the Defense Information Systems Agency and commander of the Joint Task Force for Global Network Operations July 8.

Peterson will serve as director of information, services and integration until the Senate confirms him for director of SAF/XC. Lt. Gen. William "Tom" Hobbins currently oversees the Air Force’s new IT office.

The Air Force opened SAF/XC to become a one-stop shop for IT policy and formulation May 10. Hobbins assumed the duties of director of SAF/XC after previously serving as deputy chief of staff for warfighting integration, the service's top warfighting IT official.

As director of SAF/XC, Hobbins held his old job and also served as acting CIO. The Air Force said Bush planned to nominate someone for the service’s top IT position this summer.

Peterson’s nomination for director of SAF/XC leaves Hobbins available for reassignment. His new post is still to be determined, Cunningham said.