General Charles Brown is the new Air Chief Marshal of the US Airforce, First Black American to head a defence wing

Washington: – General Charles Brown Jr. is the new Air Chief Marshal of the US Airforce. This is the first instance, in the history of the United States, that a black American official has been appointed to lead a defence wing. The US Congress has approved the appointment of General Brown and US President Donald Trump has welcomed the appointment through a tweet. Appointment of a black officer to head a defence wing becomes significant, against the background of the extensive agitation going on in the United States on the issue of police brutality against the black citizens.

President Trump revealed the information regarding the appointment of General Brown saying ‘The US Senate has approved the appointment, made by me, of the first black commandant of a US defence wing. This is a historic day for the United States. General Brown is a patriot, with excellent leadership skills and I am looking forward to work with him.’ President Trump had recommended General Brown’s appointment as Air Chief Marshal, to the US Senate, in March.

General Brown, who joined the US Airforce in 1985, has handled many important responsibilities in the last 35 years. These include Deputy Commander of the US Central Command and Chief of the US Pacific Air Forces. Last month, during a congressional hearing, General brown had mentioned the US National Defence Strategy and had asserted that the US Airforce would play an important role in achieving the goals set.

Since the last two weeks, extensive agitation is being held, in the United States, to protest against the death of black citizen George Floyd. Attention is being drawn to police brutality against the black citizens, with a slogan ‘Black Lives Matter’. Accusations of being a supporter of, domination for the whites, are being levelled against President Trump. Against this background, President Trump seems to have delivered a message to the international community as well as to people of the United States, with this appointment of a black official as head of US Airforce.