Lloyd James Austin III
(August 8, 1953)
First African-American United States Secretary of Defense
Lloyd James Austin III, born on August 8, 1953, is a retired four-star general of the United States Army. He assumed the role of the 28th United States Secretary of Defense on January 22, 2021.
Prior to his retirement from the military in 2016, General Austin held significant leadership roles. He served as the 12th Commander of the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) from March 2013 onwards. Before that, he was the 33rd Vice Chief of Staff of the Army from January 2012 to March 2013. He also served as the Commander of United States Forces – Iraq from September 2010 to December 2011. Notably, he was the first African American to hold each of these high-ranking positions.
Following his military service, General Austin became a board member of several prominent organizations, including Raytheon Technologies, Nucor, Tenet Healthcare, and Auburn University.
In December 7, 2020, he received the nomination for the position of Secretary of Defense from then-President-elect Joe Biden. His confirmation by the United States Senate took place on January 22, 2021, with a resounding vote of 93-2.
General Austin’s remarkable military career includes commanding in combat in both Iraq and Afghanistan, at the one-, two-, three-, and four-star levels. He holds the distinction of being the first African American to command a division, corps, and field army in combat. Additionally, he has been honored with the Silver Star, which is the nation’s third-highest award for valor, for his exceptional actions during the Iraq invasion. He has also received five Defense Distinguished Service Medals for his outstanding service to the country.