Former Pennsylvania Health Secretary Rachel Levine Becomes First Openly Transgender Four-Star Officer
By: KDKA-TV News Staff
WASHINGTON (KDKA) - Former Pennsylvania Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine made history again when she was sworn in to the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps Tuesday.
The swearing-in made Levine, the U.S. assistant secretary for health, the first openly transgender four-star officer in the uniformed services and the USPHS Commissioned Corps' first female four-star admiral.
"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," Levine tweeted.
Levine joins more than 6,000 other public health professionals in the USPHS Commissioned Corps.
Appointed by President Joe Biden, Levine became the nation's highest ranking openly transgender official earlier this year.
As Pennsylvania's health secretary, she was known for her work on the opioid epidemic and COVID-19 pandemic.
