Charles Q. Brown Jr.

Charles Quinton Brown Jr. (born March 2, 1962) is a retired United States Air Force general who served as the 21st chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 2023 to 2025. Prior to that appointment, Brown served as the 22nd chief of staff of the Air Force from 2020 to 2023.

Brown entered the Air Force in 1984, through the Reserve Officer Training Corps and served as a fighter pilot, where he has logged over 3,000 flight hours, including 130 hours in combat. He has commanded the Pacific Air Forces, U.S. Air Forces Central Command, 31st Fighter Wing, 8th Fighter Wing, U.S. Air Force Weapons School, and 78th Fighter Squadron. He has also served as deputy commander of the U.S. Central Command.

Brown, nominated by President Donald Trump during his first term, became the first African American to lead a branch of the United States Armed Forces. He was later nominated by President Joe Biden to become Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Brown was abruptly dismissed as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on February 21, 2025, by President Donald Trump. Trump subsequently announced that Brown would be replaced with Dan Caine.

In 2020, Brown was on Time's list of the 100 most influential people in the world.