The United States Senate on March 15 confirmed Indian American Dr Ravi Chaudhary as the Assistant Secretary of Air Force for Energy, Installations, and the Environment. With a vote of 65 against 29, Chaudhary becomes the first Indian American to serve in the position.
In the new role, Chaudhary will be responsible for the Air Force’s sustainability and operational readiness, including installations and basing strategy.
Born to immigrant parents in Minnesota, Chaudhary dreamt of serving the 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," US Senator Amy Klobuchar said in a statement following his confirmation.
"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," Klobuchar added.
Chaudhary served as an Air Force pilot for over two decades, between 1993 and 2015. He was part of the combat missions in Afghanistan and Iraq.
After retiring from the military, Chaudhary served as a senior official within the Regions and Center Operations and Office of Commercial Space at the Federal Aviation Administration for five years. He also served on the President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders during Obama's regime.
