A South Shore native was nominated by President Trump’s administration for the second-highest military position.
Weymouth native Marine Corps Gen. Christopher Mahoney has been nominated to be the Pentagon’s deputy chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Adm. Christopher W. Grady of the U.S. Navy, who has been in the position since December 20, 2021, will be replaced by him. As of right now, Mahoney has been the Marine Corps’ associate commandant since November 3, 2023.
Mahoney currently topped a list of six other Marine general promotions that were announced by the Secretary of Defense General Officer on Friday.
According to his official biography from the Department of Defense, the four-star general has previously held command roles at the squadron, group, and wing levels. He was the deputy commandant for Programs and Resources at Marine headquarters, the deputy commander of U.S. forces in Japan and Marine forces in the Pacific, the director of Strategy and Plans at headquarters, and the commanding general of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing prior to his current role as assistant commandant of the Marine Corps.
According to the DOD biography, Mahoney finished the infantry officer’s school and basic training at Quantico, Virginia, in 1988. The veteran pilot received training and certifications in Florida and Texas, and he has accumulated over 5,000 flight hours in the A-6, F-5, F-18, and F-35. With the Marine All Weather Attack Squadron 224, VMA (AW)-224, also known as the Bengals, he deployed to the Indo-Pacific. While stationed in South Carolina and California, he also made deployments to Italy and Iraq.
He received his formal education at Maxwell Air Force Base’s Air War College and the Australian Command and Staff College. He also has master’s degrees from the Air University and the University of Canberra, Australia.
