WASHINGTON − President Joe Biden is set to nominate Air Force Gen. Charles “CQ” Brown as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, tapping a history-making fighter pilot as the nation’s highest-ranking military officer.
If confirmed by the Senate, Brown would become the second Black chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff following Army Gen. Colin Powell. His confirmation would also mark the first time the U.S. has had a Black Joint Chiefs of Staff and Black Defense secretary, Lloyd Austin, serving at the same time.
Biden is set to formally announce Brown’s nomination, which has been long expected, at a ceremony at the White House Rose Garden Thursday afternoon. He would replace Army Gen. Mark Milley, whose term ends in October.
Brown, whose career in the Air Force goes back to 1984, is highly regarded for his work modernizing the U.S. fleet of aircraft and its nuclear arsenal and his years of experience in shaping U.S. defenses to meet China’s rise, a senior administration official said. Brown has also played a key role in the Pentagon’s military aid to Ukraine as fights Russia’s invasion.
For the past three years, Brown, 60, has served as chief of staff of the Air Force. He is the first African American to serve in that role and the first African American to lead any of the military branches. Brown has served at every level in the Air Force and in joint commands including in Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
Contributing: Associated Press
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