Former Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman bids farewell in heartfelt social media post

Days after he was fired by President Donald Trump, former Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Air Force Gen. C.Q. Brown took to social media to express his gratitude for his time in the military.

“I was inspired to serve by my father, who told me, ‘Four years in the military will not hurt you.’ Four years turned into four decades, surrounded by the finest service members and civilians from across our Nation,” Brown posted to LinkedIn.

Brown wrote that it was his “distinct honor” to end his military career as Joint Chiefs chairman and that he used his position to focus on warfighting, modernization and trust.

“The Joint Force’s commitment to our security has never been more critical. I’m confident you will continue to stand resolute in defense of our Nation,” Brown wrote, in part.

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Brown was the second Black general to serve as Joint Chiefs chairman, following the now late Gen. Colin Powell’s term from 1989 to 1993.  He served in the position for 16 months before Trump’s decision to relieve him.

“I want to thank General Charles ‘CQ’ Brown for his over 40 years of service to our country, including as our current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He is a fine gentleman and an outstanding leader, and I wish a great future for him and his family,” Trump posted on social media.

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Trump has said he will be nominating retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan “Razin” Caine to be the next chairman.

Caine is an F-16 pilot who served on active duty and in the National Guard. He has also served most recently as the associate director for military affairs at the CIA, as stated by his military biography.

The move to nominate Caine has been controversial as he has not held the key assignments identified by law as prerequisites for the job, although that requirement can be waived if the “president determines such action is necessary in the national interest,” according to U.S. Code.