President Biden Thursday nominated Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. CQ Brown Jr. to become the next chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

“While Gen. Brown is a proud, butt-kicking American airman, first and always he’s also been an operational leader of the joint force,” Biden said in brief Rose Garden remarks that can be viewed on C-SPAN. “He gained respect across every service from those who have seen him in action and have come to depend on his judgment. More than that, he gained the respect of our allies and partners around the world.”

Biden also thanked Gen. Mark Milley, who still holds the job through September.

“You’ve helped set our country and our military on a course that will put us in the strongest possible position to succeed in the years ahead,” Biden told Milley in his remarks.

Brown’s nomination comes as Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) continues holding up hundreds of senior-level DOD nominations in protest of a DOD policy that provides time off and travel reimbursement for service members who travel out of state for reproductive health services.

White House photo via Twitter