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Charles Q. Brown Jr.

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Charles Q. Brown Jr.
Official portrait, 2023
Nickname(s)CQ
Born (1962-03-02) 2 March 1962 (age 63)
San Antonio, Texas, U.S.
AllegianceUnited States
Service / branchUnited States Air Force
Years of service1984–2025
RankGeneral
Commands
Battles / wars
Awards
Alma mater
Signature
Charles Q. Brown Jr.'s voice
Brown's opening statement at his confirmation hearing to be chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Recorded July 11, 2023

Charles Quinton Brown Jr. (born March 2, 1962) is a retired United States Air Force general who served as the 21st chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 2023 to 2025.[1][2] Prior to that appointment, Brown served as the 22nd chief of staff of the Air Force from 2020 to 2023.

Brown entered the Air Force in 1984 through the Reserve Officer Training Corps and served as a fighter pilot, where he has logged over 3,000 flight hours, including 130 hours in combat. He has commanded the Pacific Air Forces, U.S. Air Forces Central Command, 31st Fighter Wing, 8th Fighter Wing, U.S. Air Force Weapons School, and 78th Fighter Squadron. He has also served as deputy commander of the U.S. Central Command.

Brown, nominated by President Donald Trump during his first term, became the first African American to lead a branch of the United States Armed Forces.[3] He was later nominated by President Joe Biden to become Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.[4] Brown was abruptly dismissed as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on February 21, 2025, by President Donald Trump.[2][5] Trump subsequently announced that Brown would be replaced with Dan Caine.[6][7]

In 2020, Brown was on Time's list of the 100 most influential people in the world.[8]

Early life and education

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Charles Quinton Brown Jr.[9] was born in 1962 to a military family in San Antonio, Texas. Brown was nicknamed "CQ". He has one younger sister. He had one younger brother (died in 2003). His father, Charles Sr., served for 30 years in the Army, rising to the rank of colonel. His paternal grandfather, Robert E. Brown, was drafted in World War II and served in the Pacific Theater in Hawaii and Saipan.[citation needed]

Brown graduated in 1980 from Homer L. Ferguson High School in Newport News, Virginia and from Texas Tech University in Lubbock with a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering. He was also a distinguished graduate of the Air Force Reserve Officers Training Corps.[10][11] At Texas Tech, he joined the Eta Upsilon chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity in the spring of 1981.[12]

In 1994, while serving in the Air Force, Brown earned a master's degree in aeronautical science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Military career

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Lieutenant General Brown with an F-16 Fighting Falcon

Brown was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1984 through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps at Texas Tech University. From May 1985 to March 1987 he underwent pilot training in Arizona, New Mexico, and Florida, and was promoted to first lieutenant on 28 February 1987. In April 1987 Brown became an F-16 pilot with the 35th Fighter Squadron at Kunsan Air Base, South Korea, until October 1988. In the following month he was made an instructor pilot and wing electronic combat officer for the 307th and 308th Fighter Squadrons, at the Homestead Air Force Base, Florida. On 28 February 1989 he was promoted to captain. From April to August 1991 he was a student at the USAF Fighter Weapons School, at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, graduating from its Instructor Course. After that he was a squadron weapons officer for the 307th Squadron until August 1992. In 1992 he also completed the Squadron Officer School.[13]

From September 1992 to October 1994 Brown was an instructor and evaluator in the F-16 Division at the USAF Weapons School, and after that he was the aide-de-camp to the chief of staff of the Air Force in Arlington, Virginia, until July 1996. On 1 August 1996 he was promoted to major, and also starting that month he became a student at the Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. Brown completed the college as a distinguished graduate in June 1997. He then became a student at the Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Virginia, graduating in September 1997. Later that month he was made an air operations officer for the U.S. Central Command, at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. Brown was promoted to lieutenant colonel on 1 July 1999, and he remained in his role as an air operations officer until November 1999. Between then and June 2003 he had several assignments with multiple squadrons, with the final one being as commander of the 78th Fighter Squadron at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. Brown also completed the Air War College in 2000.[13]

He was a national defense fellow at the Institute for Defense Analyses, Alexandria, Virginia, from July 2003 to June 2004, and then was the deputy chief of the program integration division at Headquarters Air Force, until June 2005. That same month, on 1 June, Brown was promoted to colonel, and in July 2005 he became the commandant of the U.S. Air Force Weapons School. After that he commanded the 8th Fighter Wing in South Korea from May 2007 to May 2008, and then led the Executive Action Group at Headquarters Air Force from June 2008 to May 2009. He is a command pilot with more than 2,900 flying hours, including 130 combat hours.[13]

Brown's career as a general officer began when he was appointed as commander of the 31st Fighter Wing in Aviano Air Base, Italy in June 2009, and was promoted to the rank of brigadier general on 20 November 2009. He was deputy director for operations of U.S. Central Command at MacDill Air Force Base from May 2011 to March 2013. In May 2013, Brown was promoted to the rank of major general when he was appointed as deputy commander, U.S. Air Forces Central Command, U.S. Central Command. In March 2014 he was appointed as director of operations, strategic deterrence, and nuclear integration of U.S. Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.[13][14] In June 2015, Brown received his third star when he was appointed as commander of United States Air Forces Central Command (USAFCENT) and promoted to lieutenant general. In July 2016 he was appointed as deputy commander of United States Central Command. As AFCENT commander, Brown oversaw all of Air Force operations in the Middle East and Central Asia, while also second-in-command of USCENTCOM.[14][15]

In July 2018, Brown was nominated to succeed General Terrence J. O'Shaughnessy as commander of Pacific Air Forces. O'Shaughnessy was nominated to become commander of the United States Northern Command. Brown was also promoted to four-star general with this position. As PACAF commander, Brown oversaw all of major United States Air Force operations within the Indo-Pacific region.[16]

Chief of Staff of the Air Force

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Vice President Mike Pence ceremonially swears in Brown as the 22nd chief of staff of the United States Air Force in the Oval Office, 4 August 2020. Brown officially took office two days later in a separate ceremony at Joint Base Andrews

On 2 March 2020, the White House announced that President Donald Trump would nominate Brown to become the next Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force, succeeding General David L. Goldfein.[17] On 9 June 2020, Brown was unanimously confirmed (98–0) by the United States Senate to succeed Goldfein as Chief of Staff of the US Air Force.[3] With this confirmation he became the first African American to lead a branch of the United States Armed Forces.[18] As Air Force Chief of Staff, he advises the President, Secretary of Defense, and National Security Council regarding Air Force matters, and is the most senior uniformed Air Force officer responsible for organizing, training and equipping all of the active-duty Air Force officers, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve.

Brown acted to establish a flexible logistics system in the Air Force's budget for Fiscal year 2021, in order to ensure the Air Force is capable of conducting "expeditionary logistics under attack".[19] He maintained Goldfein's prioritization of multi-domain command and control after the Air Force Association's 2016 Air, Space & Cyber Conference.[19] After the establishment of the United States Space Force, which is also part of the Department of the Air Force, Brown worked closely with the first Chief of Space Operations General Jay Raymond. Brown has said that the Space Force will make up much of the Air Force department's "near-term innovation and development". He has emphasized the importance of space superiority and committed to a full collaboration between the Air Force and Space Force.[19]

As Air Force Chief of Staff, Brown began integration of the new tanker aircraft, Boeing KC-46 Pegasus, as part of Air Force fleet rejuvenation, and began its operation within Air Mobility Command. Brown and several Congressional delegation members, including U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a longtime advocate for the tanker, participated in a demonstration flight at Joint Base Andrews.[20][21]

Brown was featured during the 2021 African-American History Month for making history as the first African-American military chief of staff and the first African American who has led any military branch within the United States Armed Forces. General Lloyd Austin, the first African American to serve as a United States Secretary of Defense, was also featured.[22][23][11] Brown was made an honorary Tuskegee Airman, receiving the symbolic red jacket in a ceremony on 14 August 2021.[24]

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

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Brown (sitting, left) with the other members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on 14 November 2024
Brown is sworn in as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff by his predecessor, General Mark Milley, on 29 September 2023
Brown with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Israeli Chief of General Staff Herzi Halevi in Israel, 26 August 2024

Considered a frontrunner for the position prior to his official nomination,[25][26] Brown was formally announced as President Joe Biden's nominee to succeed General Mark Milley as the 21st chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on 25 May 2023.[4] He was confirmed by the Senate on 20 September 2023,[27] and sworn in on 29 September.[28][29][30] His term was effective as of 1 October 2023.[31]

After the outbreak of the Gaza war, Brown said that the U.S. military can support the needs of both Israel and Ukraine.[32] He warned Iran "not to get involved" in the war in Gaza.[33] In August 2024, Brown traveled to Jordan with plans to also visit Egypt and Israel.[34] In August 2024, Brown visited Israel and met with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Israeli Chief of General Staff Herzi Halevi to discuss threats from Iran.[35]

On 21 February 2025, President Trump dismissed Brown from the position of chairman. Pete Hegseth, who was later appointed United States Secretary of Defense by Trump, had previously called for Brown's dismissal because of his involvement in promoting diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), and questioned whether Brown had gotten the job solely because of his race.[36] Trump said that he would nominate Dan Caine as Brown's successor.[37] As of April 2025, Brown retired from the Air Force after over 41 years of service.[38][39]

Education

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Flight information

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Brown is rated as a command pilot, having logged more than 2,900 flight hours, including 130 combat hours. Aircraft he has flown include the F-16A/B/C/D, AC-130U, AH-64, AT-38, B-1B, B-2A, B-52H, C-130J, E-8C, HH-60G, KC-135, MV-22, T-37, T-38 and two more fixed-wing or rotary-wing aircraft.[13]

Awards and decorations

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Brown has received the following awards and decorations:[13]

Personal decorations
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
 Defense Distinguished Service Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters
Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Width-44 crimson ribbon with a pair of width-2 white stripes on the edges Legion of Merit with three oak leaf clusters
Width-44 scarlet ribbon with width-4 ultramarine blue stripe at center, surrounded by width-1 white stripes. Width-1 white stripes are at the edges. Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Width-44 crimson ribbon with two width-8 white stripes at distance 4 from the edges. Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Unit awards
Bronze oak leaf cluster
 Joint Meritorious Unit Award with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with two oak leaf clusters
Service awards
Combat Readiness Medal
Campaign and service medals
Bronze star
Width=44 scarlet ribbon with a central width-4 golden yellow stripe, flanked by pairs of width-1 scarlet, white, Old Glory blue, and white stripes
 National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Korea Defense Service Medal
Service, training, and marksmanship awards
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal
Air Force Overseas Short Tour Service Ribbon
Bronze oak leaf cluster
 Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with gold frame and oak leaf cluster
Air Force Longevity Service Award with one silver and three bronze oak leaf clusters
Air Force Training Ribbon
Foreign awards
Order of National Security Merit Sam-Il Medal (Republic of Korea)
Pingat Jasa Gemilang (Tentera) (Singapore)[41]
NATO Medal for Former Yugoslavia
Other accoutrements
US Air Force Command Pilot Badge
Philippine Air Force Gold Wings Badge (May 2019)[42]
Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge
Headquarters Air Force Badge

Other recognition

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Effective dates of promotion

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Insignia Rank Date
General 26 July 2018
Lieutenant general 29 June 2015
Major general 3 July 2013
Brigadier general 20 Nov. 2009
Colonel 1 June 2005
Lieutenant colonel 1 July 1999
Major 1 Aug. 1996
Captain 28 Feb. 1989
First lieutenant 28 Feb. 1987
Second lieutenant 28 Feb. 1985

[13]

References

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  1. ^ Copp, Tara; Baldor, Lolita C. (21 February 2025). "Trump fires chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff". The Associated Press. Retrieved 21 February 2025.
  2. ^ a b Youssef, Nancy A. (22 February 2025). "Trump Fires Top Pentagon Officers in Sweeping Overhaul, Chairman of Joint Chiefs and top Navy admiral are among those ousted". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 22 February 2025.
  3. ^ a b Martinez, Luis (6 August 2020). "History made as first African American general leads one of the military services". ABC News. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
  4. ^ a b President Biden Announces his Intent to Nominate the next Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. YouTube (YouTube livestream). The White House, Washington, D.C.: The White House. 25 May 2023. Retrieved 26 May 2023. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  5. ^ Ryan, Missy (21 February 2025). "Trump ousts Joint Chiefs chairman, other leaders in major Pentagon shake-up". The Washington Post. Retrieved 21 February 2025.
  6. ^ Cooper, Helene; Schmitt, Eric (22 February 2025). "Dan Caine, Trump's Joint Chiefs Pick, Had Unusual Path to Top Ranks". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331.
  7. ^ "Trump fires chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and two other military officers". AP News. 22 February 2025.
  8. ^ "General Charles Q. Brown Jr: The 100 Most Influential People of 2020". Time. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
  9. ^ Commencement Texas Tech University 1984
  10. ^ "He proved the sky's the limit for Black airmen". Dallas News. 21 December 2020. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  11. ^ a b Brown Jr., Charles Q. Jr. (11 February 2021). "Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Brown Jr. Opens Up About Emotional Talks on Race with His Sons". People. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  12. ^ Adams, Terrence (21 December 2020) [2020-12-21]. Campbell, Colin H. (ed.). "Congratulations to Brother Charles Q. Brown Jr.! | Next Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force". The Sphinx. 106 (3): 37. Retrieved 25 September 2023 – via Issuu.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h "General Charles Q. Brown Jr". Biographies. US Air Force. Retrieved 11 January 2019. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  14. ^ a b "General Charles Q. Brown, JR". www.defense.gov. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  15. ^ "GENERAL CHARLES Q. BROWN, JR". www.af.mil. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  16. ^ "Pentagon taps Central Command deputy to lead Pacific Air Forces". Stars and Stripes. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  17. ^ "General Officer Announcement". U.S. Department of Defense. 2 March 2020. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  18. ^ "Senate confirms Brown to be 22nd Air Force chief of staff on unanimous vote". U.S. Air Force. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  19. ^ a b c "The Next CSAF Lays Out Top Priorities". Air Force Magazine. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  20. ^ Lenahan, Ian. "Sen. Shaheen takes flight with Pease 157th Air Refueling Wing". Seacoastonline.com. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  21. ^ "Air Mobility Command to Start Integrating KC-46 Into Limited Operations". Air Force Magazine. 24 February 2021. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  22. ^ "Celebrating African American Military Milestones". The Beacon. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  23. ^ Bostick, Thomas. "Black History Is American History". Forbes. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  24. ^ Serrano, Stephanie (18 August 2021). "Brown named honorary Tuskegee Airman, receives symbolic red jacket". U.S. Air Force. Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs. Archived from the original on 19 August 2021.
  25. ^ Hitchens, Theresa (6 April 2021). "CSAF Brown On Deck For Joint Chiefs Chair: RUMINT". Breaking Defense. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  26. ^ Thompson, Loren (28 November 2022). "Why The Next Chairman Of The Joint Chiefs Should Be From The Air Force". Forbes. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  27. ^ O'Brien, Connor (20 September 2023). "Senate confirms Brown to lead Joint Chiefs, blowing past Tuberville's blockade". Politico. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  28. ^ "Webcast: Armed Forces Farewell Tribute in Honor of General Mark A. Milley and an Armed Forces Hail in Honor of General Charles Q. Brown Jr". DVIDS. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  29. ^ Liebermann, Oren (5 May 2023). "Biden expected to name Air Force chief as next top US general". CNN. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  30. ^ Cooper, Helene (5 May 2023). "Biden to Name Air Force Chief to Top Military Post, Officials Say". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  31. ^ 10 U.S.C. § 152 Chairman: appointment; grade and rank
  32. ^ "A new foreign war and a different type of top general for the U.S." Politico. 17 October 2023.
  33. ^ "Joint Chiefs chairman warns Iran not to get involved in Israel crisis". The Hill. 10 October 2023.
  34. ^ "Israel says it is attacking Hezbollah targets after intel showed imminent threat". alarabiya.net. 25 August 2024. Archived from the original on 25 August 2024.
  35. ^ "Halevi hosts US army chief Brown in north; Gallant says must be ready to thwart Iran nukes". The Times of Israel. 27 August 2024.
  36. ^ "Trump fires Black joint chiefs chair Hegseth accused of promoting diversity". The Guardian. 22 February 2025. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 23 February 2025.
  37. ^ Schmitt, Eric; Cooper, Helene; Swan, Jonathan (22 February 2025). "Trump Fires Joint Chiefs Chairman Amid Turmoil at Pentagon". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 22 February 2025.
  38. ^ "Linkedin - Gen CQ Brown, Jr. , USAF, Retired". LinkedIn. Retrieved 11 April 2025.
  39. ^ "Air Force Biographies: General Charles Q. Brown, Jr". United States Air Force. Retrieved 11 April 2025.
  40. ^ Mitchell, Ellen (7 May 2023). "What to know about Air Force Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., the next potential Joint Chiefs chair". The Hill. Retrieved 30 October 2023. He attended Texas Tech University on an ROTC scholarship, rather than the Air Force Academy, and has said he only expected to serve in the military for four years.
  41. ^ "US Air Force chief of staff receives top military award in Singapore". The Straits Times. 8 August 2022.
  42. ^ "U.S. Pacific Air Forces Commander's Visit to Manila Enhances Partnership with Philippine Air Force". U.S. Embassy in the Philippines. 17 May 2019. Archived from the original on 24 October 2020. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
  43. ^ "Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Achievement". www.achievement.org. American Academy of Achievement.
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Charles Q. Brown Jr..
Military offices
Preceded by Commander of the 31st Fighter Wing
2009–2011 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Commander of United States Air Forces Central Command
2015–2016 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Deputy Commander of United States Central Command
2016–2018 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Commander of the Pacific Air Forces
2018–2020 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force
2020–2023 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
2023–2025 		Succeeded by
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded byas former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (2019–2023) Order of precedence of the United States
as former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (2023–2025) 		Succeeded byas Chief of Space Operations
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