Who is Rachel Levine? First transgender official sworn in as four-star admiral
Assistant Health Secretary Rachel Levine on Tuesday, June 19, became the very first openly transgender four-star officer in America’s eight uniformed services. The 63-year-old was sworn in as an admiral in the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps by Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, confirmed the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). “I am deeply honored & grateful to join the ranks of men & women across this great nation who have committed to defend the United States against small & large threats, known and unknown,” Levine tweeted upon being sworn in. “I promise to uphold that trust to the fullest extent of my abilities.”
“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,” department secretary Xavier Becerra said in a statement. Becerra further described Levine as “a highly accomplished pediatrician who helps drive our agency’s agenda to boost health access and equity and to strengthen behavioral health” and “a cherished and critical partner in our work to build a healthier America.”
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I am deeply honored & grateful to join the ranks of men & women across this great nation who have committed to defend the United States against small & large threats, known and unknown. I promise to uphold that trust to the fullest extent of my abilities. https://t.co/ryfwRqbAoz
— ADM Rachel Levine (@HHS_ASH) October 19, 2021
The Public Health Service Commissioned Corps was founded in 1889. It is the uniformed branch of the US Public Health Service, which was known as the Marine Hospital Fund back in 1798. HHS says that Public Health Service officers “serve throughout the nation in communities that are most in need by providing health care to underserved and vulnerable populations or advancing practice, policy, or research.”
The confirmation process
In February 2021, US President Joe Biden nominated Levine as assistant secretary for health. The following month, the Senate narrowly confirmed her. Levine is now the first transgender person who holds an office that needs Senate confirmation.
Previously, Levine served as Pennsylvania’s health secretary for three years and a half, overseeing the Keystone State’s response to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. Some Republicans criticized Levine during her confirmation process, for being in charge when her department ordered that COVID-19 patients be readmitted to nursing homes.
"[Becoming a four-star officer] is very meaningful to me. I am so impressed by the dedication, the commitment and the expertise of the officers and the United States Public Health Service Commission Corps. And it is truly an honor to lead them and to serve with them," Levine said in an interview with NPR. "I think this is symbolic of that commitment and for transgender youth and other transgender individuals that there are no glass ceilings and no limitation to what we can achieve," Levine added.
