Bloomberg cited the Pentagon’s April 12 announcement: President Biden nominated Christine Wormuth to the position of Secretary of the Army. If passed by the Senate, Ms. Wormuth, who served as a top defense policy official under former President Barack Obama, would become the leader of the largest branch of the U.S. military.
Unprecedented
Ms. Wormuth began working for the U.S. Government in 1996 in the Pentagon Policy Office. During the Obama administration, she served as chief communications officer from the White House National Security Council to the Pentagon on defense matters.
President Biden nominates Christine Wormuth to the position of Secretary of the Army
A veteran national security official with experience working at the Pentagon, Ms. Wormuth also served as Director of Defense Policy at the National Security Council under former President Obama’s administration. Most recently, Ms. Wormuth was Director of the Center for Defense Policy and International Security at the Rand Corporation, a nonprofit that supports the U.S. and international Governments in defense, economic, and scientific policy research and analysis. She served as a special assistant to the president and Senior Director of Defense at the National Security Council (NSC) from December 2010 to August 2012, where she served as the chief communications officer from the NSC to the Pentagon on defense matters. She was also an influential member of Mr Biden’s transition team at the Pentagon as head of the Biden-Harris Defense Agency Review Team.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin commented: “Christine Wormuth is a true darling with a devoted career serving America and national security. I am sure that, if confirmed, she will lead the soldiers and represent their families as Army Minister in honor and integrity.”
If confirmed by the Senate as military secretary, Wormuth would be one of the more powerful officials in a longstanding male-dominated defense facility. She will work with the Army Chief of Staff, Gen. James McConville, who does not command soldiers but is responsible along with the Secretary of the Army for training and equipment.
The trend of choosing women for important positions
Mr. Biden’s nomination will continue Mr. Biden’s tendency to choose women and people of color for top Defense Department jobs. Austin was the first black Defense Secretary and Kathleen Hicks was the first woman to serve as deputy defense secretary.
Jen Easterly was nominated for the position of head of the Department of Homeland Security’s Cyber security and Infrastructure Agency (CISA).
Earlier, President Joe Biden had nominated two female generals as military commanders, positions that have so far been mostly male-only. It was Air Force General Jacqueline Van Ovost, the only female serviceman with a 4-star rank – the highest rank in the U.S. military – to be appointed head of the U.S. Army Transport Command (USTRANSCOM). Three-star General Laura Richardson was appointed commander of Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) in charge of Central America and Latin America. In her new role, her rank was raised to 4 stars.
Most recently, on April 12, the White House said That Jen Easterly – a former senior official in charge of counterterrorism work of the National Security Agency (NSA), was nominated to the position of head of the Department of Homeland Security’s Cyber security and Infrastructure Agency (CISA). Ms. Easterly served on the National Security Council as a senior director for counterterrorism and the president’s special assistant in former President Barack Obama’s administration. She is also the CEO of Morgan Stanley, in charge of the company’s cybersecurity a combined center.
According to Mr Walsh, Mr Biden’s personnel decisions have made a difference from his predecessor’s administration. The number of women in senior positions in his administration is expected to increase significantly compared to Mr. Trump’s administration, where these positions are often held by white men. Observers speculate Mr Biden could set new records for the number of women holding positions of power in Washington. According to the CAWP Director, this is expected to be a positive signal.
“Every time a woman takes on a senior leadership position, it conveys a message to girls, young girls and adult women across the country that they can do this too,” Ms Walsh said.
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