The Defense Department is starting 2010 with vacancies in 21 of its top appointed positions, including acquisition posts charged with overseeing multibillion-dollar weapons programs, according to the Pentagon. Of the 54 DOD positions that require presidential appointees confirmed by the Senate, 39 percent are vacant, said Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Les' Melnyk. Eleven of the vacancies have nominees awaiting Senate confirmation, but the White House has yet to issue nominations for the other 10. Frank Kendall, who would be the...
