The Biden administration said Tuesday it was burnishing its support for the LGBTQ community by swearing in Rachel Levine, an assistant health secretary, as the first openly transgender four-star officer of the eight uniformed services of the United States.
U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy held a ceremonial swearing-in for Adm. Levine, who will lead 6,000 officers in the U.S. Public Health Service.
“This is a momentous occasion and I am honored to take this role for the impact that I can make, and for the historic nature of what it symbolizes,” Adm. Levine said. “I stand on the shoulder of those LGBTQ-plus individuals who came before me, both those known and unknown.”
She characterized her appointment as a continuation of a family tradition of service in uniform, recounting her father’s efforts in the Air Force during World War II and uncles who also served.
“I now follow in their storied tradition of service,” she said.
The appointment comes at a critical time for the Public Health Service, which is supporting efforts to combat the coronavirus that’s killed more than 726,000 Americans and opioid and mental health crises that appear to have worsened amid the pandemic.
“I will follow the science to build a healthier future where we work to create an environment in which no one is left behind,” Adm. Levine said. “The health of our nation is paramount, everyone should be treated with love, respect and compassion.”
Adm. Levine led Pennsylvania’s health department from 2017 to the start of 2021, meaning she played a critical role in the state’s early response to COVID-19.
Previously married to a woman, she is the parent of two and transitioned in 2011.
“Admiral Levine’s historic appointment as the first openly transgender four-star officer is a giant step forward towards equality as a nation. This is a proud moment for us at HHS,” Health Secretary Xavier Becerra said.
The other seven uniformed services are the Army, the Marines Corps, the Navy, the Air Force, the Space Force, the Coast Guard and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps.
