Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


Brown Takes Helm at US Air Force as First African American to Lead Military
Service Branch

Carla Babb

   WASHINGTON - Gen. Charles "C.Q." Brown, Jr. has taken over as Air Force
   chief of staff, becoming the first Black chief of a military service
   branch in U.S. history.
   "This is a very historic day for our nation, and I do not take this
   moment lightly," Brown said Thursday at an Air Force transition
   ceremony at Joint Base Andrews just outside Washington.
   Brown thanked African American airmen who served before him for
   inspiring him and other military service members, including the first
   Black military aviators known as the Tuskegee Airmen.
   "It is due to their trials and tribulations in breaking barriers that I
   can address you today as the Air Force chief of staff," he said.
   Brown replaced Gen. David Goldfein, who is retiring after 37 years of
   service.
   "I could not be prouder that a true warrior, leader and personal friend
   will be taking his first walk of the chief [at the Pentagon] tomorrow,"
   Goldfein said.
   Air Force Secretary Barbara Barrett added Thursday that there was "no
   better officer to take the stick as Air Force chief of staff" than Gen.
   Brown, praising his military leadership assignments as "unmatched
   across the Middle East, Europe and the Pacific."
   Brown served as the commander of U.S. Pacific Air Forces, which is
   responsible for Air Force activities in the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command
   theater spread over half the globe.
   He also served as the deputy commander for U.S. Central Command, which
   oversees U.S. military activity in the Middle East, from July 2016-July
   2018. Before that he was the commander of U.S. Air Forces Central
   Command.
   President Trump marked the milestone with a ceremonial swearing-in in
   the Oval Office earlier this week.
   In June, the Senate confirmed Gen. Brown as head of the U.S. Air Force
   in a unanimous vote of 98-0.
   Brown's historic transition comes as race relations are at the
   forefront of U.S. political debate following months of protests against
   racial injustice.

.