Lisa Franchetti To Become US Navy’s First Woman Chief Of Naval Operations

U.S. President Joe Biden announced that the next Chief of Naval Operations would be Admiral Lisa Franchetti.

Video Credits: CBS Evening News

This is a historic moment since she would become the first woman to hold the prestigious title in the entire naval history of the nation. She would also be the first woman in the joint chiefs of staff.

Admiral Franchetti is currently the vice chief of naval operations. She has had a commendable career.

She was commissioned in 1985 and, since then, held many important positions, such as the Commander of US Naval Forces Korea, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Warfighting Development, and Director for Strategy, Plans, and Policy of the Joint Staff, as stated in her official biography.

She was also the Commander of 2 striker groups and took the role of Vice CNO in Sept 2022.

President Biden stated he was confident that she was fit for the role given her illustrious 38-year tenure as a commissioned officer and her present role as the Vice Chief of Naval Operations, which shows that her commitment and dedication to serving her nation are admirable.

He added that throughout her career, she showcased expertise in operational and policy matters and helped immensely in the success of many naval operations.

Her numerous achievements earned her the prestigious rank of 4-star admiral, making her the only second woman in U.S. naval history to reach this position, Biden said.

Her appointment to the prestigious position would also be a momentous milestone for gender representation in the military services, he added.

President Biden also made announcements regarding other crucial positions in the armed forces. He mentioned that Vice Admiral James Kilby, the deputy commander of the US Fleet Forces Command, would be the Next Vice Chief of Naval Operations.

Admiral Samuel Paparo, the current Commander of the US Pacific Fleet, was nominated to lead the U.S. Forces in the Pacific region as Commander of the Indo-Pacific Command.

Vice Admiral Stephen ‘Web’ Koehler was nominated as the next Commander of the US Pacific Fleet.

U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin expressed his satisfaction with the nominations.

He said that each admiral will “ensure that our U.S. Navy and the joint force in the Indo-Pacific remain the finest military force that the world has ever known and will be at the very heart of our work to project power around the world, defend freedom of the seas, and uphold the rules-based international order.”

Franchetti’s historic appointment also marks another first for the Biden administration’s Defence Department, which has the first Black Secretary of Defence and the first Female Army Secretary.

References: defenseone, livemint