Franchetti viewed as likely choice to lead Navy, would be first woman on Joint Chiefs - Breaking...

Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti is widely seen as the most likely candidate to lead the Navy as the next chief of naval operations, an appointment that would make her both the first woman to lead the Navy and the first woman to serve as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

There is always a chance things could change up until the White House makes the public announcement, but in recent weeks Navy observers and defense analysts talking with Breaking Defense have broadly coalesced around the notion Franchetti will receive the green light.

If selected and confirmed, she will follow Adm. Michael Gilday, the former 10th Fleet Commander whose own nomination to become the Navy’s senior admiral four years ago was relatively abrupt and unexpected, preceded by a scandal that forced the White House’s first pick to withdraw from the process.

Franchetti, a native of Rochester, NY, is a career surface warfare officer and just one of just a handful of female four-star officers in the US military. She’s previously served as the director for strategy, plans and policy on the Joint Staff and commanded US 6th Fleet.