Biden’s decision to play Franchetti, an admiral with extensive executive and command experience, is going against the recommendation of his Pentagon chief, but is selecting an officer who experts had deemed the best fit for the job. Franchetti, the current deputy chief of navy operations, would become the first female member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
secretary of defense lloyd austin recommended that Biden select Adm. samuel paparo, the current commander of the Navy’s Pacific Fleet, but instead, the official said, Biden is nominating Paparo to lead the US Indo-Pacific Command. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Biden chose Franchetti based on the broad scope of his experience at sea and on land, including a number of senior policy and administrative positions that give him in-depth knowledge of budgeting and managing the department. The official said Biden understands the historic nature of the nomination and believes Franchetti will be an inspiration to boaters, both men and women.
Franchetti’s nomination will join the list of hundreds of military moves being stopped by a Republican senator. She is scheduled to serve as acting chief starting next month when Adm. michael gilday retires Several women have served as secretaries of the military service as political appointees, but never as its principal uniformed officer. One woman, Admiral Linda L. Fagan, is the commander of the Coast Guard, but she is not a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.