Charles Q. Brown Jr.

Charles Quinton Brown Jr.[1] (born 1962) is a United States Air Force four-star general who currently serves as the 22nd chief of staff of the Air Force. He is the first African-American to be appointed as Chief of Staff and the first African-American to lead any branch of the United States Armed Forces. Brown assumed office from Gen David L. Goldfein who served as Chief of Staff since 2016 in a ceremony at Joint Base Andrews on 6 August 2020.

Charles Q. Brown Jr.
General Charles Q. Brown in 2020
Born	1962 (age 57–58) San Antonio, Texas, U.S.
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Air Force
Years of service	1985–present
Rank	General
Commands held	Chief of Staff of the Air Force Pacific Air Forces United States Air Forces Central Command 31st Fighter Wing 8th Fighter Wing USAF Weapons School 78th Fighter Squadron
Awards	Defense Distinguished Service Medal (2) Air Force Distinguished Service Medal Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit (4)

General Charles Q. Brown Jr. flying an F-16 Fighting Falcon.

Brown's previous assignments include serving as the commander of Pacific Air Forces, air component commander for United States Indo-Pacific Command and executive director of the Pacific Air Combat Operations Staff. As the air component commander for CENTCOM, he was responsible for developing contingency plans and conducting air operations in a 20-nation area of responsibility covering Central and Southwest Asia.[2] Brown also previously served as the deputy commander of United States Central Command (CENTCOM), MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, and prior to that, he was the commander of Air Forces Central.

Early life

Brown's active duty career began in 1985, when he was commissioned as a second lieutenant. He was a distinguished graduate of the Air Force Reserve Officers Training Corps with a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. He is a brother of the Eta Upsilon chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.

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

In 2012, the Texas Tech Alumni Association declared Brown a "Distinguished Graduate" of Texas Tech University.[3][4]

Military career

General Charles Q. Brown Jr. with Indonesian Air Force Chief of Staff Air Chief Marshal Yuyu Sutisna during a visit to Jakarta, Indonesia.

At the time of his promotion to brigadier general, Brown was commander of the 31st Fighter Wing at Aviano Air Base in Italy.[5]

Lieutenant General Charles Q. Brown Jr., during his tenure as commander of U.S. Air Forces Central Command at Dubai Air Show 2015.

Brown has served in a variety of positions at the squadron and wing level, including an assignment to the United States Air Force Weapons School as an F-16 instructor. His notable staff tours include aide-de-camp to the Chief of Staff of the Air Force; director, Secretary of the Air Force and Chief of Staff Executive Action Group; and deputy director, operations, U.S. Central Command. He also served as a national defense fellow at the Institute for Defense Analyses, Alexandria, VA.[2]

Brown has commanded a fighter squadron, the United States Air Force Weapons School, and two fighter wings. Prior to his current assignment, he served as director, operations, strategic deterrence, and nuclear integration, Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe—Air Forces Africa, Ramstein Air Base, Germany. He is a command pilot with more than 2,900 flying hours, including 130 combat hours.[2]

On 2 March 2020, it was announced that President Donald Trump would nominate Brown to become the next Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force, succeeding David L. Goldfein.[6]

On 9 June 2020, Brown was unanimously confirmed (98–0) by the United States Senate to succeed Goldfein as Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force. This confirmation will make him the first African American to lead a branch of the United States Armed Forces.[7]

Education

1. 1984 Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock
2. 1991 U.S. Air Force Fighter Weapons School, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.
3. 1992 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
4. 1994 Master of Aeronautical Science degree, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla.
5. 1997 Distinguished graduate, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
6. 2000 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
7. 2004 National Defense Fellow, Institute for Defense Analyses, Alexandria, Va.
8. 2008 AF Senior Leadership Course, Center for Creative Leadership, Greensboro, N.C.
9. 2012 Joint Force Air Component Commander Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
10. 2014 Joint Flag Officer Warfighting Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
11. 2015 Pinnacle Course, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
12. 2017 Leadership at the Peak, Center for Creative Leadership, Colorado Springs, Colo.[2]

Assignments

1. May 1985 – April 1986, student, undergraduate pilot training, 82nd Student Squadron, Williams AFB, Ariz.
2. May 1986 – July 1986, student, lead-in fighter training, 434th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron, Holloman, AFB, N.M.
3. August 1986 – March 1987, student, F-16 training, 62nd Tactical Fighter Training Squadron, MacDill AFB, Fla.
4. April 1987 – October 1988, F-16 pilot, 35th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Kunsan Air Base, South Korea
5. November 1988 – April 1991, F-16 instructor pilot, wing electronic combat officer, and wing standardization and evaluation flight examiner, 307th and 308th Tactical Fighter Squadrons, Homestead AFB, Fla.
6. April 1991 – August 1991, student, U.S. Air Force Fighter Weapons Instructor Course, Nellis AFB, Nev.
7. August 1991 – August 1992, F-16 squadron weapons officer and flight commander, 307th Fighter Squadron, Homestead AFB, Fla.
8. September 1992 – October 1994, weapons school instructor, and standardization and evaluation flight examiner, F-16 Division, U.S. Air Force Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
9. October 1994 – July 1996, aide-de-camp to the Chief of Staff, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Va.
10. August 1996 – June 1997, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
11. June 1997 – September 1997, student, Armed Forces Staff College, National Defense University, Norfolk, Va.
12. September 1997 – November 1999, air operations officer, Current Operations Division, Operations Directorate, U.S. Central Command, MacDill AFB, Fla.
13. November 1999 – June 2003, F-16CJ instructor pilot and assistant operations officer, 79th Fighter Squadron; weapons and training flight commander, 20th Operations Support Squadron; operations officer, 55th Fighter Squadron; and Commander, 78th Fighter Squadron, Shaw AFB, S.C.
14. July 2003 – June 2004, National Defense Fellow, Institute for Defense Analyses, Alexandria, Va.
15. June 2004 – June 2005, Deputy Chief, Program Integration Division, Directorate of Programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Va.
16. July 2005 – May 2007, Commandant, USAF Weapons School, 57th Wing, Nellis AFB, Nev.
17. May 2007 – May 2008, Commander, 8th Fighter Wing, Kunsan AB, South Korea
18. June 2008 – May 2009, Director, Secretary of the Air Force and Chief of Staff Executive Action Group, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Va.
19. June 2009 – April 2011, Commander, 31st Fighter Wing, Aviano AB, Italy
20. May 2011 – May 2013, Deputy Director, Operations Directorate, U.S. Central Command, MacDill AFB, Fla.
21. May 2013 – February 2014, Deputy Commander, U.S. Air Forces Central Command; Deputy, Combined Force Air Component Commander, U.S. Central Command, Southwest Asia
22. March 2014 – June 2015, Director, Operations, Strategic Deterrence, and Nuclear Integration, Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa, Ramstein AB, Germany
23. June 2015 – July 2016 Commander, U.S. Air Forces Central Command; Combined Force Air Component Commander, U.S. Central Command, Southwest Asia
24. July 2016 – July 2018, Deputy Commander, U.S. Central Command, MacDill AFB, Fla.
25. July 2018 – July 2020, Commander, Pacific Air Forces; Air Component Commander for U.S. Indo-Pacific Command; and Executive Director, Pacific Air Combat Operations Staff, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii[2]
26. August 2020 – present, Chief of Staff, United States Air Force, Pentagon, Arlington, Va.

Summary of Joint Assignments

1. September 1997–November 1999, Air Operations Officer, Current Operations Division, Operations Directorate, U.S. Central Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., as a major
2. May 2011–May 2013, Deputy Director, Operations Directorate, U.S. Central Command, MacDill AFB, Fla., as a brigadier general
3. July 2016–July 2018, Deputy Commander, U.S. Central Command, MacDill AFB, Fla., as a lieutenant general
4. July 2018–August 2020, Commander, Pacific Air Forces; Air Component Commander for U.S. Indo-Pacific Command; and Executive Director, Pacific Air Combat Operations Staff, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, as a general

Flight information

Rating: Command pilot.
Flight hours: more than 2,900, including 130 combat hours.
Aircraft flown: 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.[2]

Awards and decorations

Brown has received the following awards and decorations:[2]

Personal decorations Defense Distinguished Service Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster Air Force Distinguished Service Medal Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit with three oak leaf clusters Bronze Star Medal Defense Meritorious Service Medal 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 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 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 Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with gold frame and oak leaf cluster Air Force Longevity Service Award with one silver and two bronze oak leaf clusters Air Force Training Ribbon Foreign awards Order of National Security Merit Sam-Il Medal (Republic of Korea) NATO Medal for Former Yugoslavia

Other accoutrements US Air Force Command Pilot Badge Philippine Air Force Gold Wings Badge (May 2019)[8] Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge Headquarters Air Force Badge

Effective dates of promotion

Promotions

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

References

1. Commencement Texas Tech University 1984
2. "General Charles Q. Brown Jr". Retrieved 2019-01-11. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
3. "Brig. Gen. Charles Q. Brown, Jr". Texas Techsan. Lubbock, Texas: Texas Tech University Alumni Association. p. 26.
4. Karney, Katelyn (2012-03-04). "People". Texas Techsan. Lubbock, Texas: Texas Tech Alumni Association. p. 10.
5. O'Connor, Michael (2009-08-09). "Wing commander promoted to brigadier general". Inside USAFE. Archived from the original on 2011-09-27. Retrieved 2011-08-20.
6. "General Officer Announcement". U.S. Department of Defense. 2020-03-02. Retrieved 2020-03-03.
7. "Senate confirms Brown to be 22nd Air Force chief of staff on unanimous vote". U.S. Air Force. Retrieved 2020-06-09.
8. "U.S. Pacific Air Forces Commander's Visit to Manila Enhances Partnership with Philippine Air Force". U.S. Embassy in the Philippines. May 17, 2019.

External links

• Appearances on C-SPAN

Military offices
Preceded by David L. Goldfein	Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force 2020–present	Incumbent
Order of precedence
Preceded by Michael M. Gilday as Chief of Naval Operations	Order of Precedence of the United States as Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force	Succeeded by Daniel R. Hokanson as Chief of the National Guard Bureau