If confirmed by the Senate, Christine Wormuth will be the first woman to serve as Secretary of the Army. On Monday, April 12, the White House announced President Biden’s intent to nominate 11 members of his Administration to lead on national security and law enforcement at both the White House and across key agencies with Wormuth being one of the many women announced.
Resume Leading up to the Nomination
She joined the Obama-Biden Administration in 2009 as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Civil Support. She served as special assistant to the president and senior director of defense at the National Security Council from December 2010 to August 2012. Then from August 2012 to 2014, she served as Under Secretary of Defense (Policy). There she advised two Secretaries of Defense on the full range of foreign policy and national security issues, including leading the 2014 Quadrennial Defense Review.
She also led the Biden-Harris Defense Agency Review Team in January 2021 and has received the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service twice. She is currently Director of the International Security and Defense Policy Center at the RAND Corporation. She also teaches as an adjunct professor in Georgetown University’s graduate program.
Feedback from the Defense Industry
In a statement provided by Secretary of Defense, Lloyd J. Austin III said “Christine is a true patriot with a dedicated career in service to America and our nation’s security. As the former Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, Christine advanced the department’s counter-ISIS campaign and the rebalance to Asia, and her deep expertise will be critical in addressing and deterring today’s global threats, including the pacing challenge from China and nation-state threats emanating from Russia, Iran, and North Korea. I have no doubt that, if confirmed, she will lead our soldiers and represent their families with honor and integrity as the Secretary of the Army.”
Many are praising Wormuth’s nomination as being a milestone in the notoriously male-dominated career field. Katherine Hicks, who was confirmed as the Deputy Secretary of Defense earlier this year said, it “puts another big crack in the glass ceiling.”
And the Chief of Staff to the Secretary of Defense, Kelly Magsamen said, “Pretty darn excited about having Christine Wormuth as our future US Army Secretary! An incredible hard-working professional who’s also a lot of fun!”
Rep. Anthony Brown, D-Md., a member of the House Armed Service Committee and a 30 year Army veteran said in a statement on the pending nomination. “She has in her time in the Pentagon and in public policy repeatedly demonstrated a deep understanding of force structure, military strategy, and the foreign and domestic relationships that are critical in protecting our national security, allies, and interests around the globe.”
More Women Join the Mix
But she wasn’t the only woman mentioned in the White House press release for critical roles on Monday. Christy Abizaid was announced for director of the National Counterterrorism Center, Marcela Escobari for the assistant administrator for Latin America and the Caribbean at the US Agency for International Development, Anne Milgram for administrator at the Drug Enforcement Administration, and another defense department spot to Susanna Blume to be the director of cost assessment and program evaluation.
