Pres. Biden Picks Christine Wormuth as First Woman to Lead U.S. Army
The first woman to lead the United States Army could be a former senior Pentagon official as President Joe Biden plans to nominate Christine Wormuth in the position, the White House stated Monday.
Based on the latest update, if the Senate will confirm Wormuth as the Army Secretary, she would be one of the most powerful officials in a defense building long dominated by men.
Christine Wormuth would work with the Army's chief of staff, General James McConville, who is responsible together with the Army secretary, for training and equipping of the soldiers.
Biden has not yet nominated anyone that will serve as the secretary for the Air Force and Navy. Several positions inside the Pentagon with a requirement of Senate confirmation also have yet to be filled.
Currently, the most senior Defense Department nominee still awaiting Senate confirmation is Colin Kahl, who is picked to be Under Secretary of Defense for Policy. But his nomination emerged from the committee with a 13-13 vote, and it is not clear when the full Senate would decide.
'A True Patriot'
According to NBC News, despite his ongoing travel abroad, when Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin heard the announcement of Christine Wormuth's nomination, he praised Wormuth's track record.
Austin further noted that Christine Wormuth is a true patriot with a dedicated career in service to America and the nation's security.
In his prepared statement, Austin also called Christine Wormuth deeply experienced. He also mentioned that he had no doubt that if Wormuth would be confirmed, she will lead U.S. soldiers and represent their families with honor and integrity as the Army secretary.
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Biden's Pentagon Transition Team
Christine Wormuth led the Pentagon transition team of Biden from the November election to Inauguration Day.
Christine Wormuth is currently the International Security and Defense Policy Center director at the RAND Corp., a think tank funded by the federal government, the Los Angeles Times reported.
She also served as the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy during the administration of former President Barack Obama. She also became the senior director for defense policy on the National Security Council of Obama and held several other Defense Department positions.
The nomination of Wormuth will continue the trend of the Biden administration choosing women and people of color for top positions at the Defense Department.
Austin is the first Black secretary of defense, while Kathleen Hicks is the first woman to hold the job of deputy defense secretary, Defense News reported.
The Biden administration also announced Gil Cisneros' nomination to be undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness. He is a former member of Congress and a Navy veteran.
Susanna Blume was also nominated as the director of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation. It is a key office that provides independent analysis and evaluation of major defense programs and activities. Blume is the current interim director of that office and previously held senior staff positions in the Pentagon.
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WATCH: Biden Picks First Woman to be Army Secretary - From News Leader
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