Obama appoints gay man Under Secretary of the Air Force

President Barack Obama has announced his intention to appoint Eric Fanning as the next Under Secretary of the Air Force, the White House announced this week.  Fanning, who currently serves as Deputy Under Secretary and Deputy Chief Management Officer of the Department of the Navy, has deep experience both within the Pentagon and on Capitol Hill, where he previously worked on the House Armed Services Committee.
According to the U.S. Air Force Web site, the Under Secretary for the Air Force is responsible for “the organizing, training, equipping and providing for the welfare of…more than 333,000 active duty men and women, 178,000 Air National Guard and the Air Force Reserve members, 182,000 civilians, and their families.”  The under secretary serves as the Chief Management Officer of the Air Force, its senior energy official, and the focal point for space within Air Force Headquarters, according to the web site.
“I am honored by the President’s announcement, and look forward to working with the Congress and continuing to serve the Department of Defense during the confirmation process,” said Fanning, whose nomination must be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.