(WASHINGTON, D.C. – May 26, 2023) – It’s been two decades since Colin Powell’s historic Joint Staff appointment and celebrations for the long-anticipated pick of the second Black man at the joint staff are just getting started. According to the White House, President Joe Biden has announced his intention to nominate U.S. Air Force Chief General Charles Q. Brown Jr. as the next Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Brown, a former fighter pilot with experience in the Pacific, would be only the second Black officer to hold this position after Colin Powell, who served two decades ago.
The announcement will take place on Thursday and will be attended by Vice President Kamala Harris and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. Brown’s appointment is pending Senate confirmation.
Brown was commissioned in 1984 as a distinguished graduate of the ROTC program at Texas Tech University. He has served in various positions at the squadron and wing levels, including an assignment to the U.S. Air Force Weapons School as an F-16 Fighting Falcon Instructor.
His notable staff tours include ide-de-camp to the Chief of Staff of the Air Force; Director, Secretary of the Air Force and Chief of Staff Executive Action Group; and Deputy Commander, U.S. Central Command. He also served as a National Defense Fellow at the Institute for Defense Analyses, Alexandria, Virginia.
Brown has commanded a fighter squadron, the U.S. Air Force Weapons School, two fighter wings, and U.S. Air Forces Central Command. Before serving as the Air Force Chief of Staff, Gen. Brown was the commander of Pacific Air Forces, Air Component Commander for U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. He is a command pilot with over 3,000 flying hours, including 130 combat hours.
