WASHINGTON, DC (EETV)- Auburn alumnus, Gen. Lloyd Austin III has been selected to be President-Elect Biden's pick for the next Secretary of Defense. Gen. Austin has served over 40 years in the United States Army, graduating from the US Military Academy in West Point, New York in 1975. Austin earned his Master of Arts degree from Auburn University in 1986.
Gen. Austin has served in high-ranking positions before. From March 2013 through March 2016, Austin served as the Commander of the United States Central Command, more commonly known as CENTCOM. He was the first African American to hold that position, and if confirmed by the Senate in 2021, will be the nation's first African American leader of the Pentagon.
Over the years, Gen. Austin has demonstrated what it means to follow the Auburn Creed. Upon his retirement from the Army, the four-star general became a member of Auburn's Board of Trustees. Wayne Smith, the president pro tem of the Board, stated "Gen. Austin epitomizes the best Auburn has to offer in character, public service and real-world expertise."
