White House Nominates Next Marine Assistant Commandant, Air Force Chief of Staff

The White House is set to nominate Lt. Gen. Christopher Mahoney as the next assistant commandant of the Marine Corps, according to a Senate notification

Although the Biden administration has not officially announced Mahoney, the Senate Armed Services Committee received the nomination for Mahoney as ACMC as well as for the promotion to general, according to Congress’s website. SASC received the nomination on Tuesday.

Mahoney will replace current ACMC Gen. Eric Smith, who is also serving as the acting commandant of the Marine Corps. Smith was nominated by the Biden administration to become commandant.

Mahoney and Smith are two of the military flag officers whose confirmations are on hold by Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) who is preventing an en bloc vote on flag officer promotions over the Pentagon’s policy that allows service members to travel out of state for non-covered reproductive care without needing to take leave.

The Department of Defense policy came in response to the Dobbs decision, which overturned Roe v. Wade. Tuberville claims it violates the Hyde Act.

Mahoney currently serves as the deputy commandant for Programs and Resources, according to his official Marine Corps biography.

Mahoney, a native of Massachusetts, graduated from the College of the Holy Cross, before entering The Basic School and the Infantry Officer’s Course. He served as an aviator, graduating from Naval Fighter Weapons School, also called TOPGUN.

He previously served as the commanding general for the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, deputy commander of the U.S. Forces, Japan, director of Strategy and Plans at Headquarters Marine Corps and deputy commander of Marine Forces Pacific.

The White House also nominated the next chief of staff of the Air Force. Gen. David Allvin, currently the Air Force’s vice chief of staff, is set to succeed Gen. CQ Brown who’s nominated to serve as the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.