The White House has hailed the new pick for the post of Chairman Chief of Staff Gen Charles ‘CQ’ Brown, calling him a ‘warrior’ who has “descended from a proud line of warriors.” The Chairman who is the top military officer in the US, also serves as an advisor to the President.
Gen Brown, who is currently the Air Force Chief of Staff, will replace Gen Mark Milley, who is slated to retire later this year in September.
“He knows what it means to be in the thick of battle and how to keep your cool when things get hard,” President Biden said announcing Brown as his nominee.
“He gained the respect of our allies and partners around the world who regard General Brown as a trusted partner and a top-notch strategist,” the President added.
As the head of the US armed forces, the Chairman supervises 700,000 military personnel in both the US and abroad.
Colin Powell is the only other black officer who has held the top military post in history.
Nomination of Brown as the Chairman marks the first occasion in history when both the Chairman and Defence Secretary are Black Americas.
Gen Brown released a very emotionalvideo statement in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death saying that his experience as a black man in the armed forces “didn’t always sing of liberty and equality.”
“I’m thinking about the pressure I felt to perform error-free,especially for supervisors I perceived had expected less of me as an African American,” he said.
