(WASHINGTON) — The Senate on Tuesday unanimously confirmed Gen. Charles Brown Jr. as chief of workers of the U.S. Air Drive, making him the most valuable shaded officer to handbook one amongst the nation’s militia companies.
Vice President Mike Pence took the uncommon step of presiding over the vote, something he on the total does to atomize ties. Nonetheless Brown’s affirmation, 98-0, used to be no longer shut. Pence called the 2d “historic.”
The vote got here as the Trump administration and the largely white Senate Republican convention grapple with the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis. Protests enjoy convulsed the nation alongside the coronavirus pandemic, with racial discrimination being the frequent thread between them. The vote in Washington overlapped with Floyd’s funeral in Houston.
Brown most no longer too long within the past served as the commander of U.S. Pacific Air Forces. He’s a fighter pilot, with extra than 2,900 flying hours, along side 130 in strive against.
He posted a video on social media Friday describing a lifetime of going thru racial bias and the strive against to suit in to a predominantly white society.
“I’m inquisitive about my Air Drive profession the put I was typically the finest African American in my squadron or, as a senior officer, the finest African American within the room,” he acknowledged in a raw tone. “I’m inquisitive about wearing the the same flight suit with the the same wings on my chest as my pals and being puzzled by one other militia member: ‘Are you a pilot?’”
Brown used to be commissioned in 1984 as a illustrious graduate of the ROTC program at Texas Tech College.
He has served in a form of positions at the squadron and flit ranges, and commanded a fighter squadron and two fighter wings. He also used to be an F-16 trainer at the U.S. Air Drive Weapons College.
The militia, with African Americans making up a tiny of over 17% of its active-responsibility ranks, is extra racially various than the country, which is 13% African American, per 2019 Census estimates. The Navy is the most various with extra than 21% African Americans, whereas the Marine Corp is the least, with 10%. Blacks execute up about 17% of the Navy and no longer as a lot as 15% of the Air Drive.
Nonetheless there might be an even bigger racial divide internal the active-responsibility militia in response to imperfect.
Nineteen p.c of active-responsibility enlisted troops are shaded, but they execute up handiest 9% of the officer corps. Of those, there are ethical 71 who’re general or flag officers, wearing one to four stars, along side handiest two who enjoy attained the tip four-well-known person imperfect.
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Associated Press author Lolita C. Baldor contributed to this file.
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