Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles “C.Q.” Brown was nominated by President Joe Biden on Thursday to be the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the country’s top uniformed officer.
If Brown is confirmed by the Senate, the post will be handed over from an Army general to an Air Force general with experience in the Pacific region, where the U.S. is hoping to counter China. Brown, who has been the Air Force’s top officer since 2020, will also be the first Black service member to helm the Joint Chiefs in 30 years.
“For the future in the Indo-Pacific, Gen. Brown has built a reputation across the force as an unflappable and highly effective leader, and someone who creates an environment of teamwork, trust, and executes with excellence,” Biden said.
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The Joint Chiefs job is currently held by Gen. Mark Milley, who was appointed by President Donald Trump but eventually ran afoul of the former president. Milley’s term as chairman ends Sept. 30.
The announcement ends months-long speculation and chatter that Brown would be nominated. He was seen as an ideal candidate, namely because of his background as a command pilot with 130 combat hours and his previous roles as commander of Pacific Air Forces and as air component commander for U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.
Biden highlighted Brown’s Texas roots, his father’s military service and…
