Meet Ravi Chaudhary, first Indian-American appointed as Assistant Secretary in US Airforce

He was responsible for the execution of advanced development and research programmes in support of the FAA’s commercial space transportation mission. While at the transportation department, he also served as the executive director of the regions and centre operations, where he looked over the integration and support of aviation operations in nine regions.

During his service in the US Air Force from 1993 to 2015, Chaudhary completed a variety of operational, engineering, and senior staff assignments.

As a C-17 pilot, he conducted global flight operations, including numerous combat missions in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as ground deployment as the director of the personnel recovery centre at multi-national corps in Iraq.

As a flight test engineer, he was responsible for flight certification of military avionics and hardware for the force’s modernisation programmes supporting flight safety.

Earlier in his career, he supported space launch operations for the global positioning system (GPS) and led third-stage and flight safety activities to ensure the full operational capability of the first GPS constellation.

As a systems engineer, Chaudhary supported NASA’s International Space Station protection activities to ensure the safety of NASA astronauts. He also served as a member of the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders during the Obama administration.

In this role, he advised the president on executive branch efforts to improve veterans’ support for the AAPI community.

Chaudhary holds a Doctorate specialising in executive leadership and Innovation from the Georgetown University D.L.S. Program. He also holds an M.S. in Industrial Engineering from St. Mary’s University as a NASA graduate fellow.

Besides he holds an Master degree in Operational Arts and Military Science from Air University, and a B.S. in Aeronautical Engineering from the US Air Force Academy.

Chaudhary is a graduate of the Federal Executive Institute and holds Department of Defence acquisition certifications in programme management, test and evaluation, and systems engineering.

Chaudhary's nomination was advanced by Senator Amy Klobuchar, who said that Chaudhary has the qualifications and experience needed for this critical role.

"Growing up as the son of immigrant parents in Minnesota, Dr Ravi Chaudhary dreamed of serving our country as an Air Force pilot. From his more than two decades of service as an active duty Air Force officer to his tenure at the Federal Aviation Administration, Dr Chaudhary has dedicated his career to public service," Klobuchar said in a statement released on Wednesday.

"I am confident that Dr Chaudhary has the qualifications and experience needed for this critical role. Now that he has been confirmed by the Senate, I look forward to working with him to support the men and women of the Air Force," she added.