WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden announced Thursday that he has selected Air Force General CQ Brown Jr. to be the chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff. Gen. CQ is a legendary fighter pilot who knows China well.
Brown’s confirmation will mean, for the very first time, that both the top military and civil positions at the Pentagon are held by African Americans. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has held the position since the start of the Obama administration. He is the first Black Pentagon Chief. Army Gen. Colin Powell was the only Black person who served as chairman of the Joint Chiefs.
It has been a long time coming. Brown, if confirmed by the Senate as the next nation’s top military officer, would replace army Gen. Mark Milley whose term expires in October. Brown will be announced as the president’s choice at a Rose Garden ceremony on Thursday afternoon.
Lt. Col. C.Q. Brown, Jr. walks on the flight line while deployed as an F-16 squadron commander in support of Operation Southern Watch in 2001.
U.S. Air Force via AP file
A senior administration official revealed that Biden thought Brown was the best person for the position because of his experience shaping U.S. defences to counter China’s rising, and his work in modernizing the U.S. aircraft fleet and nuclear arsenal. He has also been heavily involved in the Pentagon’s efforts to provide Ukraine with billions in U.S. weapons as Kyiv attempts to repel Russia’s 15-month long invasion.
Brown has held every level of command in the Air Force, as well as in joint commands in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. He helped to build and lead the U.S. Air Campaign against the Islamic State militants group.
Brown is an F-16 fighter-pilot with over 3,000 flight and command hours. He has surpassed barriers in his career. He was the first Black Pacific Air Forces Commander, leading the nation’s strategy against China in the Indo-Pacific. Beijing quickly militarized the islands in the South China Sea while testing its bomber range with flights near Guam.
He was the first African American to be the chief of the Air Force, and the top military officer of any branch of the military, three years ago.
Brown was widely seen as the leading candidate to replace Milley in the last year, as the Pentagon shifted from preparing to fight the land wars of old to deterring future conflicts with Beijing.
This effort will depend on the military’s capability to quickly respond to China’s growth in cyberwarfare, space, hypersonics and nuclear weapons. These are all areas Brown, as Air Force’s chief military officer, has focused on in the past several years to modernize U.S. Airpower for 21st Century fight.
Brown’s confirmation could, however, be delayed. Tommy Tuberville, an Alabama Republican senator, has blocked military nominations because he is opposed to the Pentagon policy which provides travel funding and support to troops and their dependents for a variety of reproductive health services, including abortions.
The chairman of the Joint Chiefs is the highest ranking officer in the United States and also serves as a senior military advisor to the President, Defense Secretary and National Security Council. The chairman does not command troops, nor is he formally part of the chain-of-command. The chairman is a key player in major military decisions, including policy and advice on major operations. He also leads meetings between all of the chiefs of the various armed forces.
Brown, as Air Force chief has led efforts to modernize U.S. nucleonic capabilities, including the next-generation stealth aircraft that will soon take to the skies. He also spearheaded the effort to get rid of aging warplanes to free up funding for a new fleet unmanned systems. Brown has also supported the U.S. Space Force’s development, which was aided by the Air Force. The Air Force provided many of its Guardians and other capabilities.
