Lloyd Austin, a recently retired Army general, smiling during his confirmation hearing. Jim Lo Scalzo/Pool via AP The Senate confirmed Lloyd Austin, a retired four-star Army general, as the first Black secretary of defense. Austin served in the armed forces for more than four decades, retiring in 2016 after serving as the first Black leader of US Central Command. He developed a relationship with Joe Biden and his son Beau, who was an officer in the Delaware Army National Guard. Austin received significant support from lawmakers but faced bipartisan opposition to the granting of a waiver. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. The Senate on Friday confirmed retired Gen.