Brown, a career F-16 fighter pilot with over 3,000 hours of air time, has held command positions across the Air Force.
A senior U.S. official confirmed to Fox News that President Joe Biden will propose Air Force Gen. CQ Brown Jr. to succeed Army Gen. Mark Milley, who will retire in October, as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Brown, a legendary fighter pilot, will be introduced by the president as his choice during a Rose Garden ceremony on Thursday.
As the Pentagon shifts its military capabilities away from land conflicts of the past to counter China’s burgeoning cyber war, space, nuclear, and hypersonic threats, Brown, 60, was primarily seen as the favorite to succeed Milley.
According to a senior administration official, Brown has updated U.S. airpower for a potential 21st-century conflict, including upgrading the U.S. fleet and expanding its nuclear weapons. Biden believes Brown is the best candidate to be the country’s next top military officer.
Brown, a veteran F-16 fighter pilot with more than 3,000 hours of flight time, has held positions of command in the Air Force at every level imaginable and in joint orders in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
As commander of the Pacific Air Forces, he battled China in the Indo-Pacific.
Brown has also played a significant role in the Pentagon’s activities in Ukraine, having been in charge of the country’s multibillion-dollar infusion of financial and military aid from the United States.
He previously assisted in directing the American airstrike against the jihadist Islamic State group.
In addition, Brown has broken numerous barriers throughout his career, becoming the first Black chief of staff of the Air Force three years ago. Due to the assignment, he became the first African American to command any military branch.
After earning a degree in civil engineering from Texas Tech University’s ROTC program, he received his first commission in 1984.
However, Brown’s confirmation is uncertain because Republican Senator from Alabama Tommy Tuberville has recently obstructed military appointments.
He disagrees with the Pentagon’s policy of allocating cash to military personnel seeking abortions if they are stationed where the procedure is prohibited.
The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is the nation’s highest-ranking officer and the president, the defense secretary, and the National Security Council’s top military adviser.
While not in charge of any troops, the chairman is a crucial player in all significant military affairs, making decisions about strategy and offering guidance on critical combat operations.
The role oversees all joint chiefs in charge of the different armed services.
African Americans would hold the top military and civilian positions at the Pentagon for the first time if the Senate approved Brown. In January 2021, Lloyd Austin, the first Black Pentagon administrator, received confirmation.
Army Gen. Colin Powell was the only other Black person to head the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
