US Senate confirms Indian-origin Ravi Chaudhary as Assistant Secretary of Air Force

The United States Senate confirmed Indian-origin Ravi Chaudhary as the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Energy, Installations, and the Environment on Wednesday (Local Time). Chaudhary was elected by a vote of 65-29, and he now serves in one of the Pentagon’s top civilian leadership positions. Chaudhary will be the Air Force’s first Indian-American Assistant Secretary of Defense.

After Minneapolis native Chaudhari won the vote, US Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) released a statement that read, “Growing up as the son of immigrant parents in Minnesota, Dr. Ravi Chaudhary dreamed of serving our country as an Air Force pilot. From his more than two decades of service as an active duty Air Force officer to his tenure at the Federal Aviation Administration, Dr. Chaudhary has dedicated his career to public service.”

“I fought to advance his nomination through the Senate because I am confident that Dr. Chaudhary has the qualifications and experience needed for this critical role. Now that he has been confirmed by the Senate, I look forward to working with him to support the men and women of the Air Force,” she added.

Between 1993 and 2015, Chaudhary was an active duty Air Force pilot, flying numerous combat missions in Afghanistan and Iraq, according to the statement. Following his military retirement, Chaudhary worked for the Federal Aviation Administration for five years as a senior official in the Regions and Center Operations and Office of Commercial Space.

President Obama also appointed him to the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, according to the statement. The Air Force Assistant Secretary for Energy, Installations, and the Environment is in charge of the Air Force’s sustainability and operational readiness, including installations and basing strategy, as well as military housing quality.