US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps

Rachel Levine: Transgender official sworn in as four-star admiral

Dr Rachel Levine, 63, is now an admiral of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps.

Dr Levine, appointed by President Joe Biden, is already the highest-ranking openly transgender official in the US.

She described the occasion as "momentous" and "historic" during a swearing-in speech on Tuesday.

"May this appointment today be the first of many more to come, as we create a diverse and more inclusive future," she said in a speech that paid tribute to other LGBTQ individuals who came before her.