Obama Appoints Eric Fanning as First Openly Gay U.S. Army Secretary

U. S. President Barack Obama on Friday nominated an openly gay civilian to head the Army, a first for such a job at the Pentagon.

Mr. Obama nominated Eric Fanning to be the next Secretary of the Army, as the service faces a variety of budgetary, operational and social issues. Mr. Fanning has held a number of top Pentagon positions, including most recently as former chief of staff to Defense Secretary Ash Carter.