To Absorb Street Anger, Senate Confirms Air Force General As First African American Service Chief

The Senate on Tuesday unanimously confirmed Gen. Charles Brown Jr as chief of staff of the US Air Force, making him the first black officer to lead one of the nation’s military services.

The vote came as the Trump administration and the mostly white Senate Republican conference grapple with the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis.

Protests have convulsed the nation alongside the coronavirus pandemic, with racial discrimination being the common thread between them. The vote in Washington overlapped with Floyd’s funeral in Houston.

Trump tweeted praising his decision to appoint Brown and calling his confirmation a “historic day for America,” as Brown becomes the nation’s first African American service chief.

In announcing the unanimous Senate vote of 98-0, Vice President Mike Pence called Brown’s nomination, and now confirmation, historic.

Brown, known as C.Q., is now the commander of U.S. Air Forces Pacific. He is replacing Gen. David Goldfein, who is expected to retire in the summer.

In a video posted to Facebook on Friday, Brown poignantly described his thoughts about the recent events following the death of Floyd. He described how he was often the only African American in his squadron, and as a senior officer the only African American in the room.

“I’m thinking about how my nomination provides some hope but also comes with a heavy burden. I can’t fix centuries of racism in our country, nor can I fix decades of discrimination that may have impacted members of our Air Force,” he said in the video.

Source: Agencies

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