President Biden on Monday announced the nominations of Gen. Jacqueline Van Ovost and Lt. Gen. Laura Richardson for positions as four-star combatant commanders as he hailed the trailblazing military careers of the two female general officers.
Mr. Biden is nominating Gen. Van Ovost of the Air Force, currently the commander of Air Mobility Command, to be Commander of the United States Transportation Command.
He is nominating Lt. Gen. Laura Richardson of the Army, currently the commanding general of U.S. Army North, to be Commander of the United States Southern Command.
If confirmed, Gen. Van Ovost and Lt. Gen. Richardson would be the second and third women to head a Combatant Command, according to the White House.
“Each of these women have led careers demonstrating incomparable skill, integrity and duty to country,” Mr. Biden said at a White House event. “And at every step, they’ve also helped push open the doors of opportunity to women in our military.”
Mr. Biden made the announcement on International Women’s Day.
“We all need to see and to recognize the barrier-breaking accomplishments of these women,” the president said. “We need the young women just beginning their careers in military service to see it and know that no door will be closed to them.”
He was joined at the event by Gen. Van Ovost, Lt. Gen. Richardson, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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