US President Joe Biden has announced that he will nominate Admiral Lisa Franchetti as Chief of Naval Operations, the highest-ranking officer in the US Navy. If confirmed by the Senate, Franchetti would become the first woman to hold the position and the first woman to serve on the Joint Chiefs of Staff, which brings together the commanders of every branch of the armed forces.
“Throughout her career, Admiral Franchetti has demonstrated extensive expertise in both the operational and political arenas. She is the second woman in history to receive the rank of four-star admiral in the US Navy and, when confirmed, will once again make history as the first woman to serve as Chief of Naval Operations and the Joint Chiefs of Staff,” the US president wrote in a statement. Joe Biden.
Joe BidenYuri Gripas/PAP/EPA
Franchetti, 59, is currently the vice chief of the US Navy. Previously, she served as Commander of the Naval Forces USA in Korea, commander of the 6th Fleet stationed in Naples and deputy commander of US Naval Forces in Europe.
Alongside her, Biden also nominated Vice Admiral James Kilby as Vice Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Samuel Paparo as head of Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM), and Vice Admiral Stephen Koehler as commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet.
Biden appeals against suspended officer promotions
In his statement, the president appealed again to Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville, who is withholding Senate approval of all officer promotions in protest against the policy Pentagon concerning the granting of abortion leave to women.
– It has long been a principle of faith in this country that supporting our soldiers and their families … is above politics. What Senator Tuberville is doing is not only wrong – it’s dangerous. In this moment of rapidly changing security environments and intense competition, he is putting our capabilities at risk to ensure that the United States Armed Forces remain the greatest fighting force in the history of the world,” Biden said.
Main photo source: Yuri Gripas/PAP/EPA