Lt. Gen. Michael E. Langley Slated To Make History As First Black Four-Star General In The Marines

Lt. Gen. Michael E. Langley is slated to make history as the Marine’s first Black four-star general, The Washington Post reports. He’s been nominated as the U.S. Africa Command, leading all U.S. military forces in the country.

Langley has had an impressive career that has spanned over three decades. He’s served in Afghanistan, Somalia and Japan, held leadership positions at the Pentagon, and led U.S. Marine Corps Forces in Europe and Africa. He’s currently overseeing Marine forces on the East Coast.

Maj. Ronald Bailey knew that he was destined for greatness. He met Langley as a young Marine in the late ’80s and remembered his record-breaking intelligence and sharp problem-solving skills, as well as how unstoppable he was at flag football.

Bailey told the Post that he remembers giving Langley a powerful piece of advice.

“You will live under a microscope,” Baily said he told him all those years ago. “You must always set the standard.”

And that’s what Langley has done throughout his career. Though he has declined to speak to the media about his nomination, and was instead focused on his July 21 confirmation hearing, his colleagues have spoken on his behalf and speak highly of him.

Retired Lt. Gen. Walter Gaskin, the fourth Black man to be promoted to a three-star general, described Langley as very adept and not the “beating-on-the-table’ kind of Marine,” according to the Post.

Gaskin has told Langley that he has “all the credentials in the world” and he knows he’ll be successful should he be confirmed.

“No one can doubt you deserve this,” he told him.

In the Marines’ 246-year history, over 70 white men have been awarded a four-star rank.

If Langley is confirmed, he will be based in Stuttgart, Germany, and will control close to 6,000 U.S. troops around Africa. He will replace soon-to-be retired Army Gen. Stephen Townsend.