Eric Fanning
Eric Fanning | |
---|---|
Mark Lippert | |
Succeeded by | Eric Rosenbach |
Acting United States Secretary of the Air Force | |
In office June 21, 2013 – December 20, 2013 | |
President | Barack Obama |
Preceded by | Michael B. Donley |
Succeeded by | Deborah Lee James |
24th United States Under Secretary of the Air Force | |
In office April 18, 2013 – February 17, 2015 | |
President | Barack Obama |
Preceded by | Erin C. Conaton |
Succeeded by | Lisa Disbrow |
Personal details | |
Born | Eric Kenneth Fanning July 2, 1968 Kalamazoo, Michigan, U.S. |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse | Ben Masri-Cohen |
Education | Dartmouth College (BA) |
Eric Kenneth Fanning (born July 2, 1968) is an American public servant who is the current President and CEO of
Fanning spent the first 25 years of his career in a wide variety of roles, working in Congress, at the Department of Defense, in the White House, and as a consultant before eventually returning to the Pentagon. He is notable as being the only person to have held senior civilian appointments in the U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, and in the Office of the Secretary of Defense during his career.[1]
Early life
Born on July 2, 1968, and raised in
Career
In the 1990s, he was on the staff of the House Armed Services Committee and later a special assistant in the Immediate Office of the Secretary of Defense. He later served as associate director of political affairs at the White House.
He also worked at
He served as deputy undersecretary and deputy chief management officer for the Department of the Navy beginning in July 2009. He was also deputy director of the Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism.[6]
President Obama nominated him to be
In March 2015, Fanning was named "special assistant to the Secretary and
Fanning was appointed Acting
On May 17 Roberts told the Senate that he had received sufficient assurances from the Pentagon about Guantanamo and said: "My issue has never been with Mr. Fanning's character, his courage, or his capability. He will be a tremendous leader."[19] The United States Senate confirmed Fanning's nomination that day on a unanimous voice vote.[20] Fanning became the 22nd Secretary of the Army, the largest service branch of the U.S. military, and the first openly gay head of any service in the U.S. military.[21] Following Senate approval, Fanning thanked his now-husband Benjamin (Ben) Masri-Cohen for his "patience at home" during the confirmation process.[22]
With his appointment, he became the highest ranking openly gay member of the Department of Defense.
In July 2016, Fanning served as the grand marshal of the San Diego Pride parade.[23]
In 2017, the Aerospace Industries Association selected Fanning to become its next President and CEO, succeeding former U.S. Army Lt. General David Melcher in that role.[1] He began his tenure on January 1, 2018.
Fanning and National Gallery of Art budget analyst Ben Masri-Cohen were privately married by Senator Cory Booker on December 19, 2018; days thereafter the couple held a New Year's Eve wedding celebration.[24]
References
- ^ a b Gould, Joe (September 18, 2017). "Former US Army Secretary Fanning to replace Melcher as AIA boss". Defense News. Retrieved June 25, 2018.
- ^ Hearings before the Senate Armed Service Committee (PDF). Government Printing Office. February 28, 2013. pp. 529ff., 683–6. Retrieved March 15, 2016.
- ^ Schogol, Jeff (June 21, 2013). "Donley retires; Under Secretary Fanning becomes acting AF secretary". Air Force Times. Retrieved August 23, 2013.
- ^ a b Bornstein, Daniel (August 7, 2013). "Obama taps alum. for top Air Force position". The Dartmouth. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved April 19, 2013.
- ^ a b Johnson, Chris (May 31, 2013). "Soaring at the Air Force". Washington Blade. Retrieved June 21, 2013.
- ^ Schogoll, Jeff (June 21, 2013). "Donley retires; Under Secretary Fanning becomes acting AF secretary". Military Times. Archived from the original on June 29, 2013. Retrieved June 21, 2013.
- National Archives.
- ^ "USecAF nominee testifies before Senate committee". U.S. Air Force. March 1, 2013. Archived from the original on May 2, 2013. Retrieved April 19, 2013.
- ^ Johnson, Chris (April 19, 2013). "Senate confirms gay official as Air Force under secretary". Washington Blade. Retrieved April 19, 2013.
- ^ "Acting Secretary of the Air Force Eric Fanning sworn in". Stars & Stripes. June 21, 2013. Retrieved June 21, 2013.
- ^ "Senior Executive Service Announcements" (Press release). U.S. Department of Defense. March 17, 2015. Retrieved May 17, 2016.
- ^ Greg Jaffe (September 18, 2015). "Obama to nominate first openly gay service secretary to lead the Army". Washington Post.
- ^ "Biography of Acting Secretary of the Army". U.S. Department of Defense. Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
- ^ "Army Secretary Nominee Vows to Reverse Troop Cuts". Stars and Stripes. January 21, 2016.
- ^ Gould, Joe (March 10, 2016). "SASC Advances Fanning as Army Secretary". Defense News. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
- ^ Johnson, Chris (March 10, 2016). "Senate panel approves 1st openly gay military service leader". Washington Blade. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
- ^ Riley, John (May 3, 2016). "Senators McCain and Roberts clash over Eric Fanning's stalled nomination". MetroWeekly. Retrieved May 8, 2016.
- ^ Shane III, Leo (April 29, 2016). "McCain blasts senator for blocking Army secretary confirmation". Military Times. Retrieved May 17, 2016.
- ^ Koren, Marina (May 18, 2016). "The First Openly Gay Army Secretary in U.S. History". The Atlantic. Retrieved December 25, 2016.
- ^ "U.S. Senate backs Fanning as Army secretary". Reuters. May 17, 2016. Retrieved May 17, 2016.
- ^ Tan, Michelle (September 18, 2015). "President nominates first openly gay Army secretary". Army Times. Retrieved May 17, 2016.
- ^ Santoscoy, Carlos (May 20, 2016). "Eric Fanning Thanks Boyfriend For 'Patience At Home' During Confirmation Process". On Top Magazinr. Retrieved May 24, 2016.
- ^ Steele, Jeanette (July 15, 2016). "Army secretary headlines S.D. Pride". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved July 24, 2016.
- ^ Colonna, Natalie (March 20, 2019). "Power Couples: Eric Fanning and Ben Masri-Cohen's New Year's Eve Wedding". Washingtonian. Retrieved November 3, 2019.
External resources
- Official website, Secretary of the Army
- Official Biography, Acting Under Secretary of the Army
- Interview, Today Show, June 2, 2016 (video)
- Appearances on C-SPAN