Lloyd Austin

Biography

Lloyd James Austin III was born on 8 August 1953. He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1975 and later earned a master's degree from Auburn University and an MBA from Webster University, as well as attending the Army War College.

Over a long army career he commanded in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan at every level from one to four stars, and he was the first African American to command a division, a corps and a field army in combat. He received the Silver Star for his actions during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. From September 2010 to December 2011 he commanded United States Forces – Iraq.

Austin then served as Vice Chief of Staff of the Army from 2012 to 2013 and as commander of United States Central Command from March 2013 until he retired in 2016, the first African American in each of those posts. After leaving the army he joined the boards of Raytheon Technologies, Nucor and Tenet Healthcare, among others.

Nominated by president-elect Joe Biden in December 2020, he was confirmed by the Senate on 22 January 2021 and served as the 28th Secretary of Defense until 2025. His tenure included the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the 2021 Kabul airlift.