President Joe Biden announced his nominee for the assistant secretary of defense of readiness, a key role as the pentagon embarks on new strategies concerning China, Russia, and Afghanistan.
Biden’s nominee, Shawn Skelly, is a highly respected former naval officer and national security expert. Not only has she served in the armed forces, but she also worked in Obama’s administration and was part of Biden’s transition team. She has decades of experience within the US military and defense departments.
In Biden’s official message announcing his nominees, he listed off Skelly’s long tenure in the armed forces, stating,
“Shawn Skelly served over twenty years in the U.S. Navy as a Naval Flight Officer flying the S-3 Viking and retired from active duty as a Commander. Her career included multiple carrier deployments, duty as a Fleet Replacement flight instructor, and staff tours attached to the U.S. Second Fleet, United States Pacific Command, and the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory.”
Skelly is also the Vice President and Co-Founder of Out in National Security, an advocacy and watchdog group that works to expand opportunities for LGBTQ people and is dedicated to improving America’s security. If confirmed, Skelly will become the highest-ranking trans official within the US Department of Defense and would join Rachel Levine as being one of the highest-ranking trans officials in the entire country.
