Former U.S. Rep. Brad Carson has been formally nominated for the position of Under Secretary for Personnel and Readiness at the U.S. Department of Defense.
Carson has been serving in that role as the acting under secretary since April. He previously worked as Under Secretary of the Army, which is the branch's second-highest civilian position, and before that as the Army's general counsel.
The conservative Democrat served two terms representing Oklahoma’s Second Congressional District that covers most of the eastern portion of the state. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate in 2004 against Republican Tom Coburn.
The Senator he would've served with had he won that election released a statement Tuesday supporting the nomination.
U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee, and says Carson has adeptly handled force structure and readiness, infrastructure, and budget issues for the Army.
“Carson has been accessible and a true servant throughout his career. He is the right person with the right tools and expertise to be the next Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness,” Inhofe said. “I look forward to continuing to work with him to address the needs and advance the interests of our military.”
Oklahoma Fourth District U.S. Rep. Tom Cole said his former House colleague is a remarkably qualified candidate for the difficult role at the DOD.
“His educational background, career accomplishments and distinguished military service prove that he is ready and capable to lead and advise on decisions facing our troops,” Cole said in a statement. “I am confident that he will remain diligent and vigilant, ensuring that our service men and women have the resources they need to continue defending our nation.”
Even though his past and present positions with the Armed Forces have been civilian roles, Carson served on active duty as a U.S. Navy intelligence officer. He was deployed to Iraq throughout 2009. He investigated bomb sites, smuggling routes, and weapons caches as part of his assignment with the Army’s 84th Explosive Ordnance Disposal Battalion.
He’s also served as a professor of business law at the University of Tulsa, and as the CEO of Cherokee Nation Businesses. The Jenks native is an enrolled member of the tribe.
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