US President Joe Biden has chosen Adm. Lisa Franchetti to lead the US Navy, according to a Pentagon official Friday (July 21).
If confirmed for the role of Chief of Naval Operations, she would become the first woman to become a military service chief in the US Armed Forces and the first female member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Franchetti: Biden's Choice
According to several US officials who divulged the matter to the Associated Press last month on the condition of anonymity, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has recommended Adm.
Samuel Paparo, the current commander of the Navy's Pacific Fleet, to replace Adm. Michael Gilday as Navy chief. Nevertheless, Franchetti would serve as acting Navy chief unless her appointment was confirmed.
A White House official said Biden chose the female admiral based on the broad scope of her experience at sea and ashore, including a number of high-level policy and administrative jobs which give her deep knowledge in budgeting and running the department.
At the same time, the official added, Biden understood the historic nature of the nomination and believed Franchetti would not only be the right woman for the job but also be an inspiration to all sailors.
The only roadblock to her confirmation was Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), who was blocking the confirmation of military officers in protest of a Defense Department policy that pays for travel when a service member has to go out of state to get an abortion or other reproductive care.
While Franchetti is going to be slated as the first female member of the Joint Chiefs, she was not the first woman to command a major US uniformed service. The honor was given to Adm. Linda L. Fagan of the US Coast Guard, which is under the Department of Homeland Security.
Franchetti is a surface warfare officer with broad command experience at all levels and only the second to ever be promoted to a four-star admiral. She also previously commanded the US Sixth Fleet and US Naval Forces Korea.
Other Appointments
Meanwhile, Adm. Paparo is slated to replace Adm. John Aquilino at the US Indo-Pacific Command. Biden also nominated Vice Adm. James Kilby to be the vice chief of the Navy and tapped Vice Adm. Stephen Koehler to head the Pacific Fleet.