Pentagon

Who’s Who in Defense: Lloyd Austin, Secretary of Defense

Secretary of Defense

Lloyd James Austin III

• The 28th Secretary of Defense.
• Sworn in on Jan. 22, 2021.
• Reports to President of the United States. 

Responsibilities:

• Oversees the Defense Department and acts as the principal defense policy maker and advisor to the President.

Stated Priorities:

• Direct military resources to help combat COVID-19.    
• Wind down U.S. military presence in Afghanistan and Iraq.
• Contain “expansionist’ China and deter any Russian conflict. 
• Ensure equality of opportunity and extremist-free environment in the military services

Policy Quote:

• “We’ll have to make some strides in the use of quantum computing, the use of AI, the advent of connected battlefields, (and) the space-based platforms. Those kinds of things I think can give us the types of capabilities that we’ll need to be able to hold large pieces of Chinese military inventory at risk.” 

Areas of Expertise:

• Commanded troops in combat at 1-, 2-, 3- and 4-star levels—his focus largely on the Middle East, particularly upon reaching senior officer ranks. Given his reputation for building coalitions on macro and micro levels, the former four-star general is expected to put a premium on cooperating with U.S. allies and partners.  

Military Career: Considered a “soldier’s soldier”, Austin’s military career spans 41 years. He has served as:  

• 12th Commander of U.S. Central Command, 2013-2016. (Responsible for military strategy and joint operations throughout the Middle East and Central and South Asia.)
• Combined Forces Commander, overseeing the military campaign to defeat ISIL in Iraq and Syria.
• Chief, Joint Operations Division, J-3, Joint Staff (Pentagon);     
• Chief of Staff, United States Central Command and; 
• Director of the Joint Staff (Pentagon). 

Civilian Career:

• Founder—Austin Strategy Group, LLC, Great Falls, VA. 2016. Partner—Pine Island Capital Partners, a private equity firm  formed in 2018 by former CIT Group and Merrill Lynch CEO John Thain, along with the former Goldman Sachs partner, Phil Cooper, and ex-Coca-Cola executive Clyde Tuggle. Focuses on mid-market companies within a variety of sectors, including aerospace and defense. 

Affiliations:

• Trustee of the Carnegie Corporation of New York. 
• Served on the boards of Raytheon, United Technologies, Tenet Healthcare and Nucor. 

 

Background:

 

Early Years:

• Born August 8, 1953, in Mobile, AL. Grew up in a farming community in Thomasville, GA. Five siblings. Considered an outstanding student and athlete. Received an academic scholarship to attend Notre Dame, but was persuaded by his father, Lloyd Austin, Sr., a postal worker, to enroll in the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

Education:

• West Point Military Academy, BS, 1975. 
• Auburn University, MA, 1986.
• Webster University, MBA, 1989.
•  U.S. Army War College.

Personal:

• Married for 40+ years to Charlene Denise Banner. Two stepsons. He and his wife reside in Great Falls, Va. 
• Considered “a “towering figure,” both in height and stature, Austin is known to avoid any undue publicity. 

Honors/Awards:

• Five Defense Distinguished Service Medals, the country’s highest non-combat related military award; three Distinguished Service Medals; the Silver Star, the nation’s third highest award for valor in combat and; two Legions of Merit, among others. 
• The first African American to serve as Secretary of Defense; the first African American to command an infantry division in combat and; the first African American to lead U.S. Central Command, the unit responsible for operations in the Middle East.