ARLINGTON, Va. — Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III announced Aug. 2 that the president has made the following nominations:
Navy Rear Adm. Carl P. Chebi for appointment to the rank of vice admiral, and assignment as commander, Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland. Chebi is currently serving as deputy director, Joint Strike Fighter Program, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Arlington, Virginia.
Marine Corps Maj. Gen. James W. Bierman Jr. for appointment to the rank of lieutenant general, and assignment as commanding general, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan. Bierman is currently serving as commanding general, 3d Marine Division, Okinawa, Japan.
Below is Chebi’s official biography from the Navy’s website:
Rear Adm. Carl Chebi, a native of Holliston, Massachusetts. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Computer Systems Engineering and a commission as an ensign from the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School and Navy Fighter Weapons School, and he holds an Executive Master in Business Administration from the Naval Postgraduate School.
Chebi served operationally as an F-14 pilot in Fighter Squadron (VF) 142 deployed with USS Eisenhower (CVN 69) and executive officer and commanding officer for Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 192 deployed with USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) to Atsugi, Japan. During these tours he participated in Operation Southern Watch and many Western Pacific deployments.
His shore tours include service as an aircraft and weapons test pilot in both Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 23 and 30 and as deputy for Strike Aircraft Plans and Requirements for the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (OPNAV). Chebi also completed numerous acquisition tours beginning with the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School, where he was selected to fly the Mirage 2000 aircraft in France. His program management experience includes serving as a deputy program manager for the F/A-18 and EA-18G Program Office (PMA-265), program manager for the Precision Strike Weapons Program Office (PMA- 201), and program manager for Naval Integrated Fires Program (PMA-298). He also served as the vice commander of Naval Air Systems Command and as the Program Executive Officer Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence (C4I)/Program Executive Officer Space Systems.
In September 2019 he assumed duty as the deputy program executive officer, F-35 Lightning II Joint Program Office.
Chebi has 3,700 plus flight hours and more than 700 carrier arrested landings. He has logged hours in the F/A- 18 A-F, Mirage 2000, F-14A-D, F-15, F-16, P-51 and numerous other aircraft.
Below is Bierman’s official biography:
Maj. Gen. James W. Bierman Jr. was born in Camp Lejeune and is a graduate from the Virginia Military Institute. He commissioned in the Marine Corps in 1987.
As a company grade officer, Bierman served as a Rifle Platoon Commander, Anti-Armor Platoon Commander, Adjutant, Commanding Officer of Headquarters and Service Company, Intelligence Officer, and Company Commander of Charlie Company 1st Battalion, 1st Marines. He deployed in support of contingency operations in the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean, participated in operations in Northern Iraq as part of Operation Provide Comfort, and supported operations in Somalia.
As a field grade officer, Bierman served as a battalion operations officer in 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, as the commanding officer of Recruiting Station Richmond, a planner for I Marine Expeditionary Force and Deputy G-3, Future Operations Officer. In 2003, he became the commanding officer of 1st Battalion, 3d Marines. He deployed numerous times in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom II, and Operation Enduring Freedom VI-VII. In April 2009, Bierman assumed command of 3d Marine Regiment. From 2011 to 2013, he served as the military secretary to the Commandant of the Marine Corps.
As a general officer, Bierman commanded the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego and the Western Recruiting Region from 2013 to 2016. In September 2016 he assumed his duties as the deputy director for political-military affairs for the Middle East, Strategic Plans and Policy Direction (J5), on the Joint Staff. In 2018 Bierman assumed his duties as the commanding general of Marine Corps Recruiting Command. He is a graduate of The Basic School, Infantry Officer Course, Amphibious Warfare School, Command and Staff College, School of Advanced Warfighting, and College of Naval Warfare.
