{"id":25736,"date":"2020-03-02T16:41:26","date_gmt":"2020-03-02T16:41:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/uncategorized\/2020\/03\/02\/report-gen-brown-head-of-pacific-air-forces-tapped-to-become-chief-of-staff\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T20:43:15","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T20:43:15","slug":"report-gen-brown-head-of-pacific-air-forces-tapped-to-become-chief-of-staff","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/news\/your-air-force\/2020\/03\/02\/report-gen-brown-head-of-pacific-air-forces-tapped-to-become-chief-of-staff\/","title":{"rendered":"Gen. Brown, head of Pacific Air Forces, tapped to become chief of staff"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 Gen. Charles Q. Brown has been selected to lead the U.S. Air Force as its next chief of staff<\/a>, a historic nomination that could make him the first black officer to step into the chief\u2019s role in any of the military branches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Defense Secretary Mark Esper said in a release Monday afternoon that President Trump had nominated Brown to be the Air Force\u2019s 22nd chief of staff. The Wall Street Journal first reported earlier on Monday that Brown was set to be nominated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brown, a highly decorated and experienced F-16 combat pilot, currently serves as commander of Pacific Air Forces<\/a>. If confirmed by Congress, he will succeed Gen. Dave Goldfein, the Air Force\u2019s chief of staff since July 2016<\/a>, who will step down from his position this summer and retire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brown\u2019s nomination puts him on the path to becoming the first black chief of staff of the Air Force, or any branch of the military services, a historic appointment that could bring more attention to the recruitment and retention of minorities, which have typically been underrepresented at the top ranks of the service<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI am truly honored and humbled by the nomination to serve as the Air Force\u2019s 22nd chief of staff,\u201d Brown said in an Air Force release Monday. \u201cIf confirmed, Sharene [his wife] and I look forward to building upon the legacy of Gen. Dave and Dawn Goldfein and the many airpower giants before who have served our Air Force and our nation with such dedication.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Air Force Secretary Barbara Barrett said in a tweet that the service \u201cwill be well served by the formidable talents of CQ Brown.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe has unmatched strategic vision & operational expertise,\u201d Barrett said. \u201cHis leadership will be instrumental as the service continues to focus on the capabilities & talent we need to implement the\u201d National Defense Strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Goldfein also tweeted his congratulations to Brown, and endorsed him as \u201cone of the finest warriors our [Air Force] has ever produced.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe\u2019s led worldwide \u2014 in the Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and Africa,\u201d Goldfein said. \u201cWhen it comes to global, operational savvy, there\u2019s nobody stronger.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Esper said in the Air Force\u2019s release that the chief of staff\u2019s work is important and difficult, and will only grow more complicated as the military shifts to focus on \u201cgreat power competition\u201d against peer or near-peer nations such as China or Russia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWith Gen. CQ Brown\u2019s nomination comes the right level of talent and experience for the job to hone airman lethality and readiness, strengthen bonds with allied and partner air forces, and to do this efficiently,\u201d Esper said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Former top Air Force officials praised Brown as a thoughtful and battle-tested leader, who inspires his airmen and has the vision to take the Air Force where it needs to go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe\u2019s got fantastic operational experience,\u201d former Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James said in a Feb. 24 interview, as rumors circulated about Brown\u2019s potential selection. \u201cHe tends to be popular with his troops. People want to follow him \u2014 he doesn\u2019t lead out of fear, he leads through the inspiration he brings to the table.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brown sets the example and expects those under his command to follow it, said retired Gen. Herbert \u201cHawk\u201d Carlisle, the former head of Air Combat Command, who has worked with Brown multiple times over the decades. Brown gives his airmen the leeway to try new things in hopes that they\u2019ll succeed, Carlisle said Feb. 24 \u2014 but if they make mistakes in the process, Brown takes care of his airmen and helps them learn from those mistakes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brown, whose call sign is \u201cCQ,\u201d does not shy away from taking on hard jobs or making tough decisions, said Carlisle, who is now president and chief executive officer of the National Defense Industrial Association. Carlisle would not comment on the record about whether Brown had been picked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe\u2019s not going to pass the buck, and he\u2019s not going to ask somebody else to do the difficult ones,\u201d Carlisle said. \u201cHe\u2019ll be the one that steps up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the months proceeding his nomination, Brown was widely perceived as a lock for the chief of staff nomination due to his extensive command experience in the Asia-Pacific region, Middle East and Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe\u2019s got a global view,\u201d Carlisle said, adding that Brown has a thorough understanding of all three of those regions.<\/p>\n\n\n\t