On Wednesday, December 8, President-elect Joe Biden confirmed that he’s chosen retired army General Lloyd Austin to fill the position of secretary of defense for the United States government.
The nomination of Austin, who is said to be diplomatic and well-respected inside the military, has faced some blowback because he has only been retired from the military for four years. This means that he must be granted a waiver to serve, if confirmed by the senate. By law, an individual who has served in the military must be retired for at least seven years to act as secretary of defense. General Mattis was granted a waiver to come out of retirement after three years to serve in the 45th president’s cabinet.
The National Security Act of 1947 originally required ten years out of military service for this position, but it was later revised to seven, “A person may not be appointed as Secretary of Defense within seven years after relief from active duty as a commissioned officer of a regular component of an armed force.” Constitutionally, it was framed as a check against military personnel using such authority to sieze control of the government.
The nomination has garnered broad support among African Americans and is backed by the Black Congressional Caucus, including progressive Congresswoman Karen Bass (D-California). Austin is believed to be a man with the strength of character and disposition to bring calm to the military in the wake of chaos wreaked by President Trump nationally and on the world stage.
The military is comprised of 40% people of color, largely African American and Latin American, so this appointment and confirmation will be seen as a step forward by the Biden-Harris administration in their efforts to select a top-tier cabinet member, who reflects the diversity of the nation and the armed forces. It is a nod to Black people, who made it possible for Biden to win the presidency. If General Lloyd Austin is confirmed by the senate, he would become the first Black secretary of defense in U.S. history.
