Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III, along with President Joe Biden, showcased the strength and Excellence–and diversity–of the American military upon the recent appointments of Jacqueline Van Ovost and Army Lt. Gen. Laura Richardson. —By Brian Hurlburt, Founder and Editor, Magnifying Excellence Podcast.
“The diversity of our nation makes us stronger, and that diversity in our military ranks makes us better at defending the American people,” Austin said in an article at defense.gov, and then reflected upon the appointments by the president.. “You know that leadership doesn’t come conveniently packaged. You know that it comes from lived experience — everyone’s lived experience. And today, you are nominating for a combatant command two extraordinary military leaders, whose lived experience encompasses nearly 70 years of uniformed service in peace and in war. They have known sacrifice. They have known loss. And they have known victory. They have flown and fought for this country across the continents, from the waning days of the Cold War, right up to the modern days of wars that we still wage.”
Air Force Gen. Jacqueline Van Ovost was appointed to command the U.S. Transportation Command and Army Lt. Gen. Laura Richardson was promoted to general and commander of U.S. Southern Command. The president said “they are examples of Excellence for all Americans.”
PHOTO – Airman 1st Class Sheila Tilden, an aircraft structural maintenance journeyman 436th Maintenance Squadron, shows Air Force Gen. Jacqueline Van Ovost, Air Mobility Command commander, how to manufacture tubing for aircraft at Dover Air Force Base, Del., Dec. 8, 2020. Photo By: Air Force Senior Airman Christopher Quail.