US Senate confirms Ravi Chaudhary as Assistant Secretary of Air Force

The United States Senate on Wednesday March 15, 2023, confirmed Indian American Ravi Chaudhary as the Assistant Secretary of Air Force for Energy, Installations, and the Environment.

Chaudhary becomes the first Indian-American to serve as an Assistant Secretary of the Air Force. A Minneapolis native, Chaudhari won the mandate by a vote of 65-29 and joined the ranks of Indian Americans in top positions in the Biden administration and a part of one of the top civilian leadership positions in the Pentagon.

Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) released a statement following Chaudhary’s confirmation vote, saying, “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,” Sen. Klobuchar added.

According to the statement, Chaudhary served as an active duty Air Force pilot between 1993 and 2015, conducting numerous combat missions in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Following his retirement from military service, Chaudhary served for five years as a senior official within the Regions and Center Operations and Office of Commercial Space at the Federal Aviation Administration. He was also appointed by President Obama to serve on the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

The Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Energy, Installations, and the Environment is responsible for the Air Force’s sustainability and operational readiness, including installations and basing strategy, as well as ensuring the quality of military housing.