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| U.S. President Joe Biden gives a speech at the White House in Washington on the 8th (local time) on International Women’s Day while watching Air Force Captain Jacqueline Van Orvost, Commander-in-Chief of Transportation Command, and Army Lieutenant General Laura Richardson, Commander-in-Chief, Southern Command. © AFP=News1 © News1 Dongmyeong Woo |
US President Joe Biden directly announced two female generals to lead the US military command on the 8th (local time), International Women’s Day.
According to the AFP, President Biden announced on the same day that he would appoint Air Force Captain Jacqueline Van Orvost, the only woman in the military ranks of four-star general, to the commander of the transport command, and Lt. General Laura Richardson, a three-star general, to the commander of the Southern Command.
When the Senate confirms their approval, the two become the second and third female combat commanders, after Rory Robinson, the first woman to command military command. Laurie Robinson served as commander of the Northern Command from 2016 until his retirement in 2018.
President Biden said at the White House that day, “each of these women (with anyone) has led the way in demonstrating their unparalleled skills, integrity, and duty to the state.” “We need to see and recognize our achievements by breaking barriers.”
Meanwhile, the New York Times (NYT) last month reported that the Pentagon had already decided to promote Orvost and Richardson last year, but held it after the presidential election, fearing that President Donald Trump at the time would not approve the nomination because he was a woman.
Former Defense Minister Mark Esper drew attention when he mentioned this in an interview with NTY. Former Minister Esper was close enough to be called Trump’s left arm, but in the second half of his tenure, he was in conflict and was hardened right after the presidential election in November of last year.