May 25 Update: Read more about the announcement: Military Times | Military.com

President Joe Biden will announce the nomination of Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Brown Jr. to serve as the nation's top military officer during a Thursday afternoon event at the White House, multiple news outlets reported Wednesday evening.

Brown, who goes by CQ, would be the first Air Force general to hold the position since Gen. Richard Myers retired in 2005. Brown took over the top Air Force job in August 2020 and sat down with then-MOAA President and CEO Lt. Gen. Dana T. Atkins, USAF (Ret), the following year for a wide-ranging interview.

Multiple news outlets reported earlier this month that Biden had decided to nominate Brown, but there was no confirmation from the White House or a timetable for the nomination to be announced.

Brown was commissioned in 1984 and has held more than two dozen assignments in nearly 40 years in uniform, according to his official Air Force biography. He has amassed 3,000 flying hours, including 120 combat hours.

He recently spoke to CBS News about a common challenge across all services: the need to recruit and retain servicemembers and sustain the all-volunteer force. 

Brown outlined five key factors affecting servicemembers and their families: "child care, education, housing, health care, and spouse employment. Those are the things that really help us with the retention and support of not only our military members, but more important, our military families."

[MOAA INTERVIEW: Marine Commandant Offers Roadmap to the Corps’ Future]

He also discussed the role of diversity in the force as part of recruitment efforts.

"One of the things I really believe is that young people only aspire to be what they see," Brown said. "You don't decide to grow up to be something you've never seen."

Brown is the first black officer to serve as as a service chief and would be the second to serve as head of the Joint Chiefs after Gen. Colin Powell, USA (1989-93). While he was confirmed for the Air Force job by a 98-0 Senate vote in 2020, it's unclear when the Senate would vote on the JCS nomination.

Brown would be the 21st officer confirmed for the position which was first held by General of the Army Omar Bradley from 1949 to 1953. Adm. David Jeremiah, USN, served as acting JCS chair for much of October 1993, in between the terms of Powell and Gen. John Shalikashvili, USA.