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His career started with a bolt of lightning.
Gen. Charles Q. Brown, Jr., former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, shared with Duke students how he earned his fighter pilot call sign, “Swamp Thang,” after his jet was struck by lightning, caught fire, and forced him to eject and land in the swamps of the Florida Everglades. The story was one of many candid and engaging anecdotes from a storied career that has taken him from the cockpit to the Situation Room.
Now serving as an Executive in Residence at Duke with a joint appointment at the Sanford School of Public Policy and the Pratt School of Engineering, Brown has broken barriers throughout his career. He was the Air Force’s first Black commander of the Pacific Air Forces, and later its first Black Chief of Staff, making him the first African American to lead any branch of the U.S. military.
In conversation with Peter Feaver, Professor of Political Science and Public Policy, and hosted by Duke’s Program in American Grand Strategy, Brown reflected on leadership, innovation, and trust. He spoke about the viral recruitment video he recorded as Air Force Chief of Staff in 2021, where he spoke about the opportunity to serve no matter one’s background. He also described the personal video he released in 2020, following the murder of George Floyd, in which he shared the racism he had encountered during his career and the emotions he felt in that moment.
From Fighter Pilot to the Chairman’s Seat
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Brown began by tracing his journey from a young pilot to the highest levels of command. A career fighter pilot with more than 3,100 flight hours, he recalled how the rhythm of flying and training shaped his early years in the Air Force. His favorite assignments, he explained, were not about the thrill of flying alone. They were about the sense of team, the camaraderie of squadrons, and the chance to serve alongside people who challenged him to grow.
“Some of my fondest memories were not the flying itself, but the camaraderie and the chance to serve with people who challenged me and made me better,” he said.
That sense of purpose stayed with him even as he rose to positions of increasing responsibility. He described the transition from pilot to commander as a shift from individual skill to collective responsibility. Later, as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, he became nation’s highest ranking military officer and the principal military advisor to the President, the Secretary of Defense, and the National Security Council.
“As Chairman, your job is not to tell the President what to do. Your job is to lay out the options, explain the risks, and make sure the decision is fully informed,” Brown noted. “The responsibility is enormous because every option you present involves lives, resources, and credibility on the world stage.”
Technology can make us faster, but judgment still matters. There are some calls you cannot delegate to an algorithm.
Breaking Barriers and Speaking Out
Brown’s leadership has also been shaped by his role as a trailblazer. In addition to being the Air Force’s first Black Chief of Staff, he has been a powerful voice in addressing questions of race and service.
In June 2020, as the nation grappled with the killing of George Floyd, Brown released a personal video message in which he reflected on his own journey. He described the tension of serving at the highest levels while also facing prejudice and lowered expectations throughout his career.
That message quickly spread across the military and beyond, resonating with service members who saw in Brown a leader willing to acknowledge difficult truths. Speaking at Duke, he explained why he felt compelled to share such a candid statement: “I wanted others to know that you can be both proud of your service and honest about the obstacles you face.”
For students in the audience, the story underscored a broader lesson: leadership is not only about professional excellence, but also about character and authenticity.
The Weight of Command Decisions
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Feaver pressed Brown on what it meant to lead in moments of crisis, when decisions reverberate across the globe. Brown explained that his role was to frame choices clearly rather than to predetermine outcomes.
“It is not about presenting one answer,” he said. “It is about making sure the President understands the trade-offs, what you gain, and what you risk losing.”
He acknowledged the frustrations inherent in that process. Commanders and pilots may know the tactical solution in the field, but strategy requires consideration of broader consequences: legal constraints, coalition politics, and the limits of military power.
“Sometimes you know the right tactical answer, but it doesn’t align with the bigger strategic picture. That’s the tension you live with as a commander,” Brown reflected.
Innovation and the Future of Warfare
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Looking ahead, Brown highlighted the rapid pace of technological change. Artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, and space-based capabilities are transforming the landscape of defense. These tools promise efficiency and speed, but they also carry new ethical and operational challenges.
“Technology can make us faster, but judgment still matters,” Brown said. “There are some calls you cannot delegate to an algorithm.”
He emphasized that innovation is not only about adopting new systems but also about reshaping culture. Leaders must be willing to challenge assumptions and experiment with new approaches.
“The way we fight tomorrow will not look like today,” he explained. “We need leaders who can think differently, challenge assumptions, and build trust across domains.”
You cannot predict the future, but you can prepare yourself to meet it.
Gen. Charles Q. Brown, Jr.
Leadership and Trust
Throughout the conversation, Brown returned to the theme of leadership. He described trust as the essential foundation for military effectiveness.
“You don’t always get to choose the circumstances, but you can choose how you lead,” he said. “Trust is what makes the hard calls possible.”
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Brown spoke about building trust with civilian leaders, noting the delicate but essential balance between military advice and civilian authority. He also spoke about trust within the military, from squadron peers to coalition partners overseas.
He offered candid advice to the students in attendance, many of whom are preparing for careers in public service. “Listen more than you talk,” he said. “The best leaders are not the loudest in the room. They are the ones who hear perspectives others miss.”
He explained that listening does not mean avoiding hard choices. Rather, it means being informed by diverse perspectives before acting decisively. “At the end of the day, people will follow you if they trust that you have heard them and weighed their concerns honestly,” he added.
Civil-Military Relations in Practice
Feaver, drawing on his expertise, asked Brown to reflect on the relationship between military leaders and elected officials. Brown explained that one of the hardest parts of the Chairman’s job is offering candid military advice while respecting the prerogatives of civilian leadership.
“You make your recommendation, you explain the risks, and then you salute smartly,” he said. “That is how our system is designed, and that is what preserves civilian control of the military.”
This principle, he argued, is vital to American democracy, even when it is uncomfortable. He acknowledged that tensions are inevitable, particularly in moments of crisis, but stressed that such tensions reflect the system working as intended.
Preparing the Next Generation
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As the conversation drew to a close, Brown turned his attention to the students. He encouraged them to think about careers in public service, whether in uniform or in civilian roles. He reminded them that the problems of tomorrow will require fresh thinking and moral courage.
“The challenges you will face are not the same as the ones I faced,” he said. “But the qualities that matter, like integrity, humility, and resilience, will always be the same.”
His journey from “Swamp Thang” in the cockpit to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs offered students a reminder that leadership is as much about preparation and character as it is about experience.
Gen. Brown left them with a challenge about preparation, judgment, and character. “You cannot predict the future,” he said, “but you can prepare yourself to meet it.”