Lisa Franchetti is about to become the first woman to head one of the US military branches
US President Biden has chosen a female admiral to lead the US Navy, the first time a woman has been nominated to head a military branch of the Pentagon.
Lisa Franchetti is the former commander of the US 6th Fleet and US Naval Forces in South Korea, and also served as an aircraft carrier strike commander.
Her nomination by Mr. Biden still needs to be confirmed by the US Senate.
One lawmaker is currently blocking the Senate from confirming military leaders to protest the military’s abortion policy.
If confirmed as chief of naval operations, she would be the first woman to become a member of the elite group of senior military officers who make up the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
A 38-year veteran, she was only the second woman to attain the rank of four-star admiral.
In a statement, Mr Biden hailed what he called her “extensive experience in both the operational and policy spheres” and said she would “once again make history” when confirmed for the role.
According to US media reports, Admiral Franchetti was not the first choice of US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who instead recommended TOPGUN graduate Samuel Paparo as the next Chief of the Navy.
Mr. Biden also promoted Admiral Paparo, nominating him to be commander of US military forces in the Pacific.
The US Coast Guard is currently led by a woman — Admiral Linda Fagan — but that military branch falls under the Department of Homeland Security rather than the Department of Defense.
Admiral Franchetti is due to take over in the fall when the current chief’s four-year term expires. But she will begin the job as acting because she is unlikely to be quickly confirmed by a divided Senate.
Alabama Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville is currently blocking the Senate from confirming more than 270 military raises because of a Pentagon policy that pays for the travel expenses of service members who have to go out of state to get an abortion.
In his statement, Mr Biden criticized the senator, saying “what Senator Tuberville is doing is not only wrong – it’s dangerous”.
He added: “He risks our ability to ensure that the United States military remains the greatest fighting force in the history of the world. And his fellow Republicans in the Senate know that.”