Briana Koeneman
Trump's Pick For Army Secretary Drops Out Of Consideration
Vincent Viola says he can't be Army secretary because his business conflicts of interest are too vast.
LEARN MOREPosted: 1:20 p.m. EDT Apr 11, 2017
This is Dr. Mark Green, President Donald Trump's pick to become the next secretary of the Army.
Green was elected to the Tennessee state senate in 2012, and he recently had plans to run for governor.
Before he got into politics, Green graduated from West Point in 1986 and began his military career as an Army officer.
He served as an Army doctor during three combat tours in the Middle East.
And he was a member of the special operations team that captured Saddam Hussein in 2003.
Green left the military in 2006. And three years later, he founded hospital and emergency room staffing company Align MD.
The White House announced Green's nomination Friday, much to the delight of many Republicans.
Defense Secretary Jim Mattis praised Green's accomplishments in a statement, saying he "will provide strong civilian leadership, improve military readiness and support our service members, civilians, and their families."
But LGBT advocates have criticized Green for several controversial comments he made as a state senator.
"If you poll the psychiatrists, they're going to tell you that transgender is a disease," Green said.
And he sponsored legislation in Tennessee that critics say would allow policies that discriminate based on sexual orientation.
If Green's nomination is confirmed by the U.S. Senate, he will succeed Eric Fanning, who was the first openly gay service secretary.
